I’m writer, speaker and activist Tay Aly Jade (she/they). Passionate about people and the planet, my work explores themes of identity, wellbeing, and social and climate justice. I am of mixed Anishinaabe-European heritage and currently live in Treaty 1 territory.
My writing and speaking span international and national organisations, including the United Nations, Oxfam, and the Canadian Women’s Foundation. In 2023, my essay “The Monarch and the Matriarch” was longlisted for the CBC National Nonfiction Prize, an honour awarded to 38 writers from a pool of 2000+ applicants. I made the longlist a second time in 2024 for my essay “Mitigoog Call Me Home”. I joined the Audible Indigenous Writers Circle in 2025, and in 2026, I began querying my debut memoir, Brave Thing.
Brave Thing is a two-part memoir about finding the tenacity it takes to stand true to oneself amidst immense trauma and betrayal. The first section, Zoongide'e (She is Brave), takes an unflinching look at the sexual assault investigation I fought—and won—while in university, and the ways I coped when justice was not freely given to me. The second part, Okitcitakwe (Warrior Woman), traces the heartbreak and grief present throughout my coming-of-age experiences—as well as the healing, growth, and self-love found in the aftermath of assault.
Brave Thing tells my story of ambition and culture, loneliness and longing, betrayal and forgiveness—and above all, coming home to myself after having my innocence stolen from me. If you are an agent or editor looking to bring Brave Thing to life, I would be thrilled to have you contact me here.
Portfolio
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EAT YOUR HEART OUT, Tay Aly Jade Events, 2026
BREATH / JAZZ / POETRY, Tay Aly Jade Events, 2025
Creating Effective Policy Presentations, Vancouver Foundation, 2024
Communicating Climate Hope, The University of British Columbia and Tilberg University, 2024
Spoken Word Poetry, House of Paint OG500, 2023
Decolonizing the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Movement, Oxfam Canada, 2023
Queering Artivism, Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, 2023
Alright, Now What? Podcast, Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2022
It’s Time We Had “The Talk”: The Case for Comprehensive Sexuality Education in British Columbia, Vancouver Foundation Youth Policy Program, 2022
Canadian Citizenship Ceremonies, Institute for Canadian Citizenship, 2022
Uncovering the Cap, Brown Citizen Circle, 2022
Students Organizing Against Gender-Based Violence, Canadian Women’s Foundation and IMPACTS, 2022
Reunite the Divide, Brown Citizen Circle, 2021
Stories Spark Change, Carleton University, Toronto Metropolitan University and Laurier University, 2021
Walking in a Good Way, Women Empower, 2020
Featured Poet, Urban Legends Poetry Collective, 2019
Survivors Speak, Carleton University Students’ Association Women’s Centre, 2018-2019
Keynote Speaker, Carleton UNICEF Gala, 2019
United Nations 16 Day Campaign to End Gender-Based Violence, United Nations, 2018
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Rangatiratanga and Kaitiakitanga in Response to Climate Change: The Case of Ngāi Tahu in Aotearoa New Zealand, International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 2026
Achieving Safety, Dignity and Self-Determination: the Gendered, Social and Climate Impacts of Resource Extraction in Northern, Rural, Remote and Reserve Areas, Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2026
Northern Disaster and Emergency Response Roundtable Report, Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2025
Gender Equality Scan in Canada (2015-2024), Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2025CBC Nonfiction Prize - Longlist, 2024
30 Writers From Across Canada Make 2024 CBC Nonfiction Prize Longlist, CBC News, 2024
Mitigoog Call Me Home by Tay Aly Jade, CBC News, 2024
London Writers’ Salon Silver Scholarship, 2024
Asserting Rangatiratanga and Kaitiakitanga in Response to Colonialism, Capitalism, and Climate Change: The Case of Ngāi Tahu, The University of British Columbia (Master’s Thesis), 2024
CBC Nonfiction Prize - Longlist, 2023
38 Writers From Across Canada Make the 2023 CBC Nonfiction Prize Longlist, CBC News, 2023
The Monarch and the Matriarch by Tay Aly Jade, CBC News, 2023
Interview with Chelene Knight, The Generous Imaginary, 2022
Sex Education in British Columbia: An Explainer, The Tyee, 2022
It’s Time We Had “The Talk”: The Case for Comprehensive Sexuality Education in British Columbia, Vancouver Foundation Youth Policy Program, 2022
Resetting Normal Report 5: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Youth, Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2022
“No Longer Any Indians to Protect”: Challenging Legislative Conceptions of Indigenous Identity, Carleton University (Bachelor’s Thesis), 2020
Kinàmàgawin (‘Learning Together’), Carleton University Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Committee, 2020
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Text to Voice with Reneltta Arluk, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Developing your Voice with Tanya Talaga, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Poetry Writing Workshop with January Rogers, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
The Editing Relationship with Warren Cariou, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Audio Recording and Narration workshop hosted by Tim Warner, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Publishing with Audible workshop hosted by Hillary Doyle + Audible Community Exchange, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Problem-Based Writing with Jordan Abel, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Publishing + Agenting Workshop with Stephanie Sinclair + Cody Caetano, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
AI + Indigenous Storytelling with Brian Ritchie, David Gaertner + Chelsea Vowel, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Ekphrastic Writing and Intertextuality with Josh Whitehead, Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
Audible Indigenous Writers Circle, 2025
How to Receive Critical Feedback On Your Writing with Niamh Mulvey, London Writers Salon, 2024
How to Build a Writing Habit That Lasts with Bec Evans, London Writers Salon, 2024
The Pillars of Pitching: Perspectives of a Publisher with JP Watson, London Writers Salon, 2024
Read Like a Writer and Reading to Avoid Burnout with Daisy Buchanan, London Writers Salon, 2024
Plan Your Book Marketing Strategy with Katie Morwenna, London Writers Salon, 2024
How to Publicize Your Book with Lucy Werner, London Writers Salon, 2024
Using Automatic Writing to Boost Creativity with Dr. Nicole Janz, London Writers Salon, 2024
How to Publish and Market Your Podcast with Espree Devora, London Writers Salon, 2024
Book Marketing Tips with Jennifer Porter, London Writers Salon, 2024
Writing Memoirs with Cathy Rentzenbrink, London Writers Salon, 2024
What Writers Really Need to Know About Instagram with Nicola Washington, London Writers Salon, 2024
Writing and Growing Your Substack Newsletter with Polina Marinova Pompilano, London Writers Salon, 2024
Heroica Women, 2024
Silver Scholarship, London Writers’ Salon, 2024
Comedy Writing for Non-Comedians, Caitlin Kunkel, 2023
Short Story Editing Workshop with Lisa Hislop, Manitoba Writers Guild, 2023
Putting Your Art on Things to Sell with Mentoring Artists for Women's Art, Creative Manitoba, 2023
The Modern Publishing Landscape with FriesenPress, Manitoba Writers Guild, 2023
Creative Fiction Series with Richard Van Camp, Creative Manitoba, 2023
Manitoba Writers’ Guild, 2023
Creative Manitoba, 2023
Six by Six by 6:66 with Stellar Pritchard, Ruby Solly, Ariana Tikao, Katherina Vermette, and Chelsea Watego, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Two-Spirit with Joshua Whitehead, Ella van Neerven, and Kotuku Tithuia Nuttall, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Seeing Yellow with Jenna Lee, Meng Foon, Louisa Lim, Rose Lu, and Tze Ming Mok, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Overcoming Writer’s Block Masterclass with Brannavan Gnanalingham, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Turning Your Book Into a Podcast Masterclass with Stephen Davis, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
The Art of Noticing Masterclass with Jenny Odell, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
How to Booktok Masterclass with Chloe Gong, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Poetry Masterclass with Anthony Joseph, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
A Waiata in an Hour with Kings and Rory Noble, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Road to the Screen with Colson Whitehead, Eleanor Catton and Lev Grossman, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Time to Get Off Social Media? with Jenny Odell, Albert Cho and Gwendoline Smith, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
It’s Not About Hope: with Chelsea Watego and Emma Espiner, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
True Stories Told Live: In Real Life, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Life Beyond the Clock with Jenny Odell, Auckland Writers Festival, 2023
Short Pieces Into Book Proposals, Caitlin Kunkel, 2023
Turning Ideas into Books & Authors Into Brands, Abigail Bergstrom, 2022
Writing With Confidence, Haley Jakobson, 2021-2022
Urban Legends Poetry Collective, 2019-2023