Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe is from the Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian Tribes. Native to the Pacific Northwest she draws inspiration from her Coast Salish heritage as well as her life in the city. She writes with a focus on trauma and resilience, PTSD, sexual violence, and the work her great grandmother did for Lushootseed language revitalization. She writes about loud basement punk shows and what it means to grow up mixed heritage. Sasha received a double MFA from The Institute of American Indian Arts with a focus on creative nonfiction and poetry. She teaches creative writing at the Native Pathways Program at The Evergreen State College, and has been a mentor for Seattle’s youth poet laureate program. Her memoir Red Paint won the Washington State Book award and has received starred reviews from Kirkus and Shelf Awareness. Her latest collection of essays, Thunder Song, was named essential nonfiction on People Magazine’s Indigenous Authors to Read List, and has received praise from Seattle Magazine, The Seattle Times, and was a must read pick on Bikini Kill front woman, Kathleen Hanna’s Perfectly Imperfect list. Her collection of poetry Rose Quartz is available through Milkweed Press.