Musqueam spoken-word artist and emcee Christie Charles has been appointed as Vancouver’s first Indigenous poet laureate.

During her two- to three-year tenure, Charles – who performs under the name Miss Christie Lee – will host live events and translate poetic writings into the Musqueam language for publication.

In a press release Charles says, “My project will connect the greater Vancouver poetic scene and the public to this history of local Indigenous communities, language and lands we live on today. It will create new relationships and help elevate the beautiful and cultural understandings of my people. This will empower the young people from Indigenous communities and give them a path for creative expression.”