Sylvia Olsen

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Sylvia Olsen (born 1955 or 1956) [1] is a Canadian writer and public speaker.

Contents

Biography

Olsen was born and raised in a middle-class family in Victoria, British Columbia. [1]

In 1972, Olsen married Carl, who is Coast Salish, and moved to Tsartlip First Nation, where the couple lived for 35 years. [1] During her time in Tsartlip, she raised her three children, began a few small businesses, and began working in the Tsartlip housing department, a passion that led to a number of career developments later on. [1] Also during this time, she began questioning the differences between her privileged upbringing at those of First Nation Canadians. [1] These questions and life experiences have greatly shaped her art. [1]

Later, Olsen's family adopted another son from Brazil, and her children have bore her eight grandchildren, all of whom live in Tsarlip. [1] [2]

Olsen married her current husband, Tex McLeod, when she was 63. [1] They live in North Saanich on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, just north of Tsartlip. [3]

Career

Olsen has been a founding member at a number of housing organizations for Canadian First Nations communities, including the First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council for British Columbia, as well as a member of the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs Committee on Housing & Infrastructure. [3]

She also "helped develop the curriculum for and teaches the First Nations Housing Management Certificate Program at Vancouver Island University." [3]

Awards

YearTitleAwardResultRef.
2005White Girl Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize Shortlist [4]
2007Yetsa's Sweater Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award
2011Working with Wool Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize Shortlist [5]
2010Counting on Hope Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize Shortlist [6]
2010Which Way Should I Go? PMC Indigenous Literature Award Winner [7]
2014Molly's PromiseDiamond Willow AwardFinalist [8]
2020Neekah's Knitting Needles PMC Indigenous Literature Award Shortlist [9]

Publications

Children's books

Young adult novels

Nonfiction

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Sylvia Olsen". Sylvia Olsen. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  2. "Sylvia Olsen". Goodreads. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  3. 1 2 3 "About". Sylvia Olsen. 2020-03-30. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  4. "Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize: 2005". Canadian Books & Authors. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  5. "Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize". Canadian Books & Authors. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  6. "Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize". Canadian Books & Authors. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  7. "First Nation Communities Read Archives". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  8. "2014 Diamond Willow Finalists". Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  9. "2020-2021 First Nation Communities READ PMC Indigenous Literature Award : Award Winners". Toronto Public Library. Archived from the original on 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2022-03-18.