Shawnelle Blackbird-Riley

My name is Shawnelle Blackbird-Riley (I also go by Shawn!) and I am a queer Anishinaabe women, more specifically on my late mother's side I am Lenni Lenape and Walpole, and on my late fathers side I am Ojibway. I grew up in Munsee-Delaware Nation which is a reserve in Southern Ontario located between two other reserves. When I started dancing I found myself wanting to move at home in privacy because a part of me felt ashamed to be seen. I was scared that I was not good enough or that I was expressing myself in a strange way. I started to become comfortable as I shared spaces with other dancers and took on the challenge to learn new choreography. Movement has also become a necessity to my well-being. Grieving is the main source of my inspiration. At a young age I experienced some major losses in my life and didn’t know how to label this sadness or grief I was going through. Those who have passed on inspire me to create and process my emotions through movement, especially running and dance. I think of their spirit that lives on beyond the physical world and try to embody the feeling this leaves me with. This does not only mean I express sadness, it also means I express joy, longing, stability, and chaos. Other artists also inspire me to try different mediums and expand my abilities. Lastly, my grandmother and auntie have been a huge inspiration for making me feel empowered and to live as authentically as I can while leading with empathy and care.