Anita Heiss facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dr. Anita Heiss AM
Heiss in 2017
Born	Anita Marianne Heiss 1968 (age 56–57) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of New South Wales, Western Sydney University
Occupation	Author, presenter, commentator
Years active	2000–present

Anita Marianne Heiss (born in 1968) is an amazing Aboriginal Australian author, poet, and cultural activist. She writes books for both adults and children. Anita is a strong supporter of Indigenous Australian literature and helping people learn to read. She does this through her writing and by being part of important groups.

Early Life and Learning

Anita Heiss was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1968. She is a member of the Wiradjuri nation, which is an Aboriginal group from central New South Wales. Her mother, Elsie Williams, was born in Wiradjuri country. Her father, Josef Heiss, was from Austria.

Anita went to St Clare's College, Waverley. Then she studied at the University of New South Wales, where she earned her first degree in 1989. She later completed an honours degree in History in 1991.

She continued her studies at the University of Western Sydney. In 2000, she earned her PhD in Communication and Media. This was a very special achievement because she was the first Aboriginal student to get a PhD from that university. Anita is very proud of this. While studying for her PhD, she also led writing workshops in different parts of New South Wales. She also traveled to Canada and New Zealand to do research and give talks.

Writing and Teaching Career

Anita Heiss is well-known as an author, poet, and cultural activist. She writes many different kinds of books. These include true stories (non-fiction), historical stories, and fun books for women. She also writes poetry and articles about society and travel.

After getting her PhD, Anita taught a course about Indigenous Australia at the University of Western Sydney. She later decided to focus more on her writing.

She helped create the Barani Aboriginal history website. This website was first published by the City of Sydney in 2001.

Anita was a writer-in-residence at Macquarie University in Sydney in 2004. This meant she worked part-time at the university while also writing her books from home. She also worked as a Deputy-Director at Macquarie University from 2005 to 2006.

Later, she was an Adjunct Professor at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney.

What She's Doing Now

As of 2021, Anita Heiss is a Professor of Communications. She works at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit at the University of Queensland.

Other Important Activities

Anita Heiss has been involved in many important activities. In 1993, she helped start the First Nations Australia Writers Network. This group supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers.

She has also been on the management committee of the Australian Society of Authors. This group helps authors in Australia. From 2001 to 2003, she was a Communications Adviser for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board. This board helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

Anita was also the chair of Koori Radio, an Aboriginal radio station, for a few years.

In 2011, Anita was part of an important court case called Eatock v Bolt. A newspaper columnist had written articles that questioned the identity of some Aboriginal people, including Anita. The court decided that these articles went against the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. This law helps protect people from discrimination.

Anita is an ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. This foundation helps improve reading skills for Indigenous children. She also supports the Books in Homes program. This program gives books to children who might not have many at home. In 2015, she became an ambassador for the Worawa Aboriginal College. This college helps educate young Aboriginal women.

In 2017, Anita was appointed to the State Library of Queensland board. She is now a member of the Indigenous Advisory Group for the Library Board.

She is also an Ambassador for the GO Foundation. This foundation helps young Indigenous Australians get a good education. She is also an ambassador for the Sydney Swans football club.

Anita also runs her own business called Curringa Communications.

Awards and Honours

Anita Heiss has received many awards and honours for her amazing work:

• 1994, 1996, 2011 – She received Writer's Grants from the Australia Council for the Arts.
• 1997 – She received an ANZAC Fellowship to visit New Zealand. There she met Māori authors and publishers.
• 2002 – She won the NSW Premier's History Award for the Barani website.
• 2003 – She won the first Australian Society of Authors Medal. This was for her great contribution to the Australian community.
• 2007 – She won a Deadly Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Literature for her book Not Meeting Mr Right.
• 2008 – She won another Deadly Award for her work on the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature.
• 2010 – She won a Deadly Award for Manhattan Dreaming.
• 2011 – She won a Deadly Award for Paris Dreaming.
• 2012 – Her book Am I Black Enough for You? was a finalist for the Human Rights Awards.
• 2012 – She won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Indigenous Writing for Am I Black Enough for You?.
• 2022 – She won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Indigenous Writers' Prize for Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray.
• 2022 – She was made a Member of the Order of Australia. This is a very high honour in Australia.

Books by Anita Heiss

Anita Heiss has written many books. Here are some of them:

Non-fiction (True Stories)

• Am I Black Enough For You? (2012)
• Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature (edited with Peter Minter, 2008)
• Dhuuluu-yala, To Talk Straight: Publishing indigenous literature (2003)

Novels (Fiction Stories)

• Dirrayawadha: Rise Up (2024)
• Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams (2021)
• Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms (2016)
• Tiddas (2014)
• Paris Dreaming (2011)
• Manhattan Dreaming (2010)
• Avoiding Mr Right (2008)
• Not Meeting Mr. Right (2007)

Children's Books

• Who am I? The diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937 (2001)
• Yirra and her deadly dog, Demon (2007)
• Demon Guards the School Yard (2011)
• My Australian Story: Our Race for Reconciliation (2017)
• Koori Princess (2022)

Poetry

• Token Koori (1998)
• I'm Not Racist, But ... (2007)

Humour

• Sacred cows (1996)

Books She Edited

• Growing up Wiradjuri (2022)
• Growing Up Aboriginal In Australia (2018)
• Life in Gadigal Country (2002)
• Stories without End (2002)

Images for kids

• 

  A robot, like the one in the "See also" section.

See also

In Spanish: Anita Heiss para niños