Super Representation

In Saskatoon, First Nations people make up nine percent of the population, and Jenny Ryan wanted to find ways to serve those communities. So when she came across the story of a new DC superhero, Equinox—a young, female Cree—she got excited. “I had been trying to find representation of indigenous teens to add to the collection, and I wanted more female representation, too,” she says.

Ryan organized an event at the Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) around the comic’s publication, incorporating performances by indigenous drummers and youth dancers, as well as a Skype Q&A with the comic’s creator, Jeff Lemire. She contacted a cultural advisor in a local school to ensure that interactions with tribal Elders were respectful and appropriate. There was one major benefit of all this learning, says Ryan. “The young people at the event saw indigenous and nonindigenous adults working together to honor traditional practices.”

Since then, Ryan has reached out to indigenous artists to run storytelling, songwriting, and stand-up comedy programs for teens. “Many of the teens in those programs have been indigenous, but not always, and that’s valuable, [as well],” she says.

She has also hosted screenings of a local documentary, A Chance To Speak, in which individuals living in poverty discuss their experiences with homelessness, gang violence, and sexual exploitation of children. The event was so successful that it was duplicated in other SPL locations and schools.

Next on deck? Perhaps a pen pal book club among kids at different types of schools. “I like the idea of finding commonalities between communities,” says Ryan, “even if it’s just, ‘Man, I can’t wait for the next issue of The Runaways.’”