b'Q A&withDAVID A. ROBERTSONby Kelly ParkerD since I was in elementary school,resonated with educators. For the David A. Robertson is a busy man. Having begun by self-publishing aand so it was taking that initial lovefirst several years, my main audience graphic novel in 2008 recounting theof writing and an aspiration to be awas teachers, administrators and tragic story of Helen Betty Osborne,writer, and then figuring out how Istudents. I was able to build very good Robertson has forged a prolificcould make that happen. Part of it isrelationships across Canada with the career that has made him a two-timerelated to my family history. My fathereducation system, and then that kind Governor Generals Literary Awardwas Cree, and he really taught meof extrapolated over time into doing winner. Adding to those accoladesa lot about his background, his lifecorporate presentations, government have been the TD Canadian Childrensgrowing up on the rez and on thepresentations and keynotesLiterature Award and the Writerstrapline, and just the whole modellingat conferences.Union of Canada Freedom to Readof what Indigeneity looked like for Award. Robertson has authoredme. I think it was infusing what I hadCM&E: numerous books for young readers,learned, that journey of self-discoveryGenerally speaking, including On the Trapline, When Weand strengthening identity with thiswhat topics do you cover inWere Alone and the Misewa Sagalove of writing, and wanting to tellyour keynotes?series, as well as 52 Ways to Reconcile,stories that I wish I would have hadDR: a nonfiction book that provides awhen I was younger. Ive just beenTheres a few of them. I talk a series of small but impactful acts oflucky to find an audience. lot lately about mental health, and Ive reconciliation. CM&E caught up become a pretty dedicated mental health advocate. I wrote a memoir with Robertson to chat about aCM&E:called All the Little Monsters, and that thriving new aspect of his career:What inspired you to speaking engagements. mix in public speaking? has helped me become something of an advocate that people want to hear DR:from, and its all from lived experience. I think that just kind of CM&E:happened. I started doing local schoolI do a lot of work in reconciliation Tell us a bit about your background and how you decidedvisitsassemblies or classrooms. whether its understanding what you wanted to be an author. I got asked to present at a couplereconciliation is, and the breadth of of teacher conferences in the firstit and the roles that we can play, or DR:couple of years of my writing career,specific subjects within the umbrella I think every author has a different path. I wanted to be a writerand I just really connected andof reconciliation. So, you know, doing 12 CORPORATE MEETINGS & EVENTS corporatemeetingsnetwork.ca'