Falen Johnson facts for kids

Falen Johnson is a talented writer and broadcaster from Canada. She is a member of the Mohawk and Tuscarora nations. She is well-known for writing plays and hosting popular podcasts.

About Falen Johnson

Falen Johnson was born in 1982. She grew up in Six Nations of the Grand River, which is a community of Indigenous people. She also spent a lot of her childhood in Brantford, Ontario.

Education and Background

Falen studied at the George Brown Theatre School. She graduated from there in 2005. She is part of the Bear Clan, which is a traditional family group in her community. Today, Falen lives in Toronto, a big city in Canada.

Falen Johnson's Work

Falen Johnson has done many important things in her career. She used to be the Coordinator for the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance. This group helps Indigenous artists and organizations in Canada. It supports them and speaks up for their needs.

As a Playwright

Falen Johnson is a well-known playwright. This means she writes plays for the theater. Her plays often explore what it means to be an Indigenous woman today. They also look at how Indigenous people live in modern society.

Famous Plays by Falen Johnson

• Salt Baby: This was Falen's first play. It tells the story of an Indigenous woman who moves between her home community and the city. The play was inspired by Falen's own experiences.
• Two Indians: This play is a comedy that also shows the real experiences of Indigenous people in Canada. It was published as a book in 2021. Two Indians was even nominated for a big award called the Governor General's Award for English-language drama.
• Ipperwash: Falen created this play in 2018. It was inspired by the Idle No More movement, which is about Indigenous rights. The play is based on the history of the Ipperwash Crisis from 1995. It focuses on the strong bond between two cousins. Falen also directed this play, working with the Stony Point Ojibway community.

Falen is currently working on a new play with Soulpepper Theatre. This play will tell the life story of Shirley Fletcher Horn, an artist who survived a residential school.

As a Podcaster

Falen Johnson is also a successful podcaster. She co-hosts a popular podcast called Secret Life of Canada with Leah-Simone Bowen.

Secret Life of Canada Podcast

This podcast explores interesting and often unknown parts of Canadian history. It shares stories about different communities in Canada, especially those whose histories might not be widely known. Falen has also appeared on The Moth storytelling podcast.

In 2020, Falen became the host of Unreserved. This is a news show on CBC Radio that focuses on Indigenous topics.

Awards and Recognition

Falen Johnson has received several awards for her amazing work.

• In 2020, Maclean's Magazine named her one of the "20 people to watch."
• In 2019, she won the best audio work award at the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival. This award was for her work on the Secret Life of Canada podcast.
• The Ontario Arts Council gave Falen the Emerging Artist Award in 2015. This was part of their Indigenous Arts Award Laureates program.