“My art is my rage that waits to be safely bestowed on a stage."
Artist. Activist. Educator. Zoey Roy is a force. Her performances weave storytelling, rap, theatre and rhythm and blues together to confront colonialism, explore how it impacts Indigenous people, and find pathways of healing: “What I love most about spoken word is that I can synthesize deep and complex narratives in a way that they become socially acceptable and palatable for a wider audience. I feel a sense of empathy and understanding can be gained by the collective in these moments.”
Zoey is a hip hop inspired spoken word poet who uses her connection to words to bridge understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing amongst Canadians and the world. She’s also a facilitator and a creative producer, designing creative opportunities from Coast to Coast to Coast to amplify Indigenous voices, within context, as much as she can.
Zoey is dedicated to working with young people and brings her messages of anti-racism and healing into classrooms around the country. She has earned a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Public Policy, and is pursuing a PhD in Education. Through her doctoral studies, she is working toward building schools that are not dependent on the colonial system. She calls it “the HYPE Institute: Helping Young People Engage”.
She has written two books: the memoir Homecoming (2016), and The Voyageurs: Forefathers of the Métis Nation (2019). Memorable performances include the Regina and Calgary Folk Festivals, Canada 150 on Parliament Hill, BIGSOUND in Australia, and the Dubai Expo 2021. Zoey has been awarded many honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), Congress of Aboriginal Peoples National Youth Leadership Award (2013), Indspire Award (2016), and the Saskatchewan Arts Award for Arts and Learning (2019).
Zoey is Nehithaw-Dené Métis, a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation with roots also from the Black Lake Denesuline Nation, and Green Lake, Saskatchewan. She is now based in Ottawa, Ontario, but calls Saskatoon home.
“I want people to know that I am actively working on healing, and that I have tools I’ve picked up along the way that I am open to sharing with them, if they’re willing to listen.”
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