With mindful affirmations and stunning artwork, I Am Indigenous is a unique and thoughtful picture book that explores what it means to be Indigenous. Written by Anne Tenning, this book features illustrations by 13 different artists from across North America and celebrates the diversity of Indigenous identity.
Designer Dahlia Yuen takes us behind the pages of I Am Indigenous to explore its unique design process and answer questions on what it was like to work on this special book for young readers.
Where did the idea to have multiple artists illustrate I Am Indigenous come from?
It was actually the editor’s idea early on when the book was being pitched to use multiple artists. I hadn’t worked on an anthology-style book before, so at first I was a bit nervous about how that would work—but I quickly realized that this would be the best way to show the diversity and nuance of the big topic of celebrating Indigeneity. The messaging of the book is that there is no one way to look or be Indigenous, so having this many artists contribute to also tell that story visually is truly so special.
What was it like finding illustrators for this project?
I had so much fun looking for illustrators for this book! I reviewed hundreds of illustrators’ portfolios. There are so many talented Indigenous artists doing amazing work all over! The hardest thing was having to narrow down to just 13 people. Each artist brings their own unique style and perspective, which adds so much meaning to the visuals of this book.
How was the design process for this book different from other projects you’ve worked on?
I had to make sure I stayed extra organized with this project. With so many contributors, there were more logistical pieces I needed to keep my eye on. But my favorite thing is that we’ve included an artist statement below each of the illustrator’s bios at the end of the book. We don’t typically include these in a project with just the one artist. I love that these write-ups give more context behind each person’s piece, and it’s a nice way to highlight each illustrator’s point of view.
Do you have a favorite spread or quote from the book?
There is no way I could pick a favorite spread! I love how all of them turned out and how each artist wove in such personal touches into their piece. My favorite part about the text is that it always leaves the door open and meets a child where they might be at. A child that doesn’t feel like they “look Indigenous” enough or is still learning about their culture will find themselves seen and celebrated in this book.
I Am Indigenous is written by Anne Tenning and illustrated by Aedan Corey, Emily Côté, Lynne Hardy, Emma Hassencahl-Perley, Aaron Kaleinani Kai, Soni López-Chávez, Kelsey Mata Foote, Lannie McCullough, Onedove, Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Madeson Singh-Whiteknife, Jordan Stranger and Kameron White.
Dahlia Yuen (she/they) is a proud queer woman of Nuu-chah-nulth (Ahousaht), Chinese and German ancestry. They are a print-focused graphic designer working as a children’s book designer at Orca Book Publishers. She also collaborates with the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art on many of their exhibitions. Dahlia is passionate about representation and the importance of authentic Indigenous stories being reflected in books and in gallery spaces.