Bev Sellars facts for kids

Bev Sellars, born in 1955, is an important writer and leader from the Xat'sull First Nation. She wrote a famous book called They Called Me Number One. This book shares her experiences at a Canadian Indian residential school. She has also been the Chief of her community for many years.

About Bev Sellars

Bev Sellars was married to Bill Wilson. She is also the stepmother of Jody Wilson-Raybould.

Bev's Education Journey

Bev Sellars went to the St. Joseph's Residential School in Williams Lake, British Columbia. Later, she studied history at the University of Victoria. She also studied law at the University of British Columbia. The University of Victoria honored her in 2016-2017. They named her a distinguished alumnus.

Bev Sellars' Career

Bev Sellars has served as the Chief of the Xat'sull First Nation. She was Chief from 1987 to 1993. She served again from 2009 to 2015. She also advised the British Columbia Treaty Commission. This group works on agreements between First Nations and the government.

Speaking Out About Residential Schools

In 1991, Bev Sellars spoke at a big meeting. It was about residential schools. She shared her own experiences. She talked about how these schools affected First Nations people for a long time. Her speech is in a book called "Victims of Benevolence."

Writing Her Story

In 2012, Bev Sellars published her book, "They Called Me Number One: Secrets and Survival at an Indian Residential School." This book tells about her childhood at St. Joseph's. It shows how that time still affects her and her family. Her memoir helped people understand the unfairness of the residential school system. The book won the 2014 George Ryga Award. It was also a finalist for the 2014 Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize.

Protecting First Nations Lands

In 2014, a dam broke at the Mount Polley mine. Bev Sellars was the acting Chief of Xat'sull at that time. Since then, she has worked to highlight problems. These problems happen when mining affects First Nations communities. She speaks about this in British Columbia and across Canada.

In 2016, she published another book. It is called "Price Paid: The Fight for First Nations Survival." This book looks at the history of Indigenous rights in Canada. It tells the story from an Indigenous point of view.

Bev Sellars is also involved with groups that support First Nations women. These groups work for responsible mining. She is also a Senior Leader for the Indigenous Leadership Initiative. She has taken legal action against the Mount Polley Mining Corporation. She continues to talk about the effects of the Mount Polley spill. She warns other communities about mining risks.

Awards and Recognition

Bev Sellars' book They Called Me Number One was very popular. It was on the British Columbia Bestsellers list for 44 weeks. The book was also a finalist for several awards. These include the First Nation Communities READ award (2017–2018). It was also a finalist for the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize (2014). And it was a finalist for the Burt Award (2014).

The University of Victoria honored her in 2016-2017. She earned her history degree there in 1997. CBC Books also named They Called Me Number One as a top memoir by an Indigenous writer in 2017.