January Rogers facts for kids

January Rogers (born 1963) is a talented writer from the Six Nations in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Mohawk and Tuscarora First Nations. January is known for her amazing poetry and spoken-word performances.

Her Early Life

Janet Marie Rogers was born in Vancouver. Later, in 1994, she moved to Victoria on Vancouver Island.

Her Career and Work

January Rogers first worked as a visual artist. She then started writing in 1996. In June 2019, Rogers moved to the Six Nations reserve. There, she started her own publishing company called Ojistoh Publishing. She also created a new award called the Six Nations Inaugural Literary Award (SNILA).

Radio Shows and Documentaries

Rogers has hosted radio shows like Native Waves Radio on CFUV. She also hosted Tribal Clefs on CBC Radio One Victoria. She produced radio documentaries too. Bring Your Drum: 50 Years of Indigenous Protest Music and Resonating Reconciliation both won awards. They were named Best Radio at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. She also made a 6-part radio series called NDNs on the Airwaves in 2016. Her team, 2Ro Media, also made a short film with the same name.

Poet Laureate and Writer in Residence

From 2012 to 2014, January Rogers was the City of Victoria's Poet Laureate. This means she was the official poet for the city. In 2015, she became a writer in residence at the University of Northern British Columbia. This is a special role where a writer works at a university. They often help students and other writers. In 2018, she took on a similar role at the University of Alberta.

From September 2022 to April 2023, Rogers was the 50th Writer-In-Residence at Western University in London, Ontario. She shared this role with the London Public Library. In this position, she helped both university students and writers in the community.

Ikkwenyes Collective

Rogers also formed a group called Ikkwenyes (Dare to Do) with another Mohawk poet, Alex Jacobs. This group has won awards. They received a Collaborative Exchange Award from the Canada Council for the Arts. They also won a Loft Literary Fellowship prize from The Loft Literary Center.

Her Published Works

January Rogers has written many books of poetry. She has also released recordings of her spoken-word performances.

Poetry Books

• Splitting the Heart (2007)
• Unearthed (2011)
• Peace in Duress (2014)
• Totem Poles and Railroads (2016)
• As Long as the Sun Shines (2018)
• “Ego of a Nation” (2021)
• "The State of Indigeneity 2022" (2024)

Recordings

• Firewater (2009)
• Got Your Back (2012)
• 6 Directions (2013)
• As Long As the Sun Shines (2018)

Awards and Recognition

In 2020, January Rogers' music video “Ego of a Nation" won the best music video award. This was given by the American Indian Film Festival. She has also been nominated for awards for her spoken-word recordings. These nominations came from the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, and the Native American Music Awards.

In 2013, she performed her spoken-word poem "Opposite Directions" at the Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam.