Vera Starbard facts for kids

Vera Starbard in 2018

Vera Starbard (born 1982) is a Tlingit/Dena'ina television writer, author, playwright, and editor based in Douglas, Alaska, and current Alaska State Writer Laureate.

After premiering her first play, "Our Voices Will Be Heard," at Perseverance Theatre in 2016, she was named Playwright-in-Residence at Perseverance Theatre through the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright Residency Program.

Vera began editing and writing as a journalist straight out of high school. She was editor of First Alaskans Magazine, a publication highlighting Alaska Native people, culture, and news, for ten years.

As a television writer Vera has written numerous episodes of the Molly of Denali animated children's program airing on PBS KIDS and was nominated for three Emmy Awards for her work on the show. Vera was on the writing staff of ABC's show Alaska Daily. Vera was appointed Alaska State Writer Laureate in 2024, a two-year appointment.

Recognition

• Alaska State Writer Laureate
• Emmy Nominations, Childrens and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animation Program, 2022 and 2023, and for Best Short Form Program as Co-Head Writer in 2023
• Governor's Arts and Humanities Awards, 2021 Alaska Native Artist
• First Alaskans Institute Young Alaska Native Leader Award
• Peabody Award (as group for Molly of Denali writing)
• Mayor's Artist Award, Juneau, 2016
• Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Award in 2009
• Alaska Literary Award
• She received a New York Stage And Film NEXUS grant in 2021

Plays

• Native Pride (and Prejudice)
• Fog Woman
• Our Voices Will Be Heard performed 2016; published 2017; radio adaptation broadcast 2018
• Devilfish (2019)
• A Tlingit Christmas Carol (2020)
• Yan Tutan (2022)

Television Episodes

Molly of Denali aired on PBS Kids:

• "New Nivagi"", aired August 19, 2019
• "Turn on the Northern Lights", aired October 7, 2019
• "Canoe Journey", aired May 29, 2020
• "Eagle Tale", aired December 9, 2020
• "Molly and Elizabeth," aired November 1, 2021
• "Fili-bascan Chefs," aired March 17, 2022
• "Midnight Sun Fun Run," aired July 21, 2022
• "Gold Strikeout," aired January 16, 2023
• "Forget-You-Not," aired March 20, 2023
• "A Song for Lola," aired March 22, 2023
• "A Qyah Juneteenth," aired June 17, 2024
• "Thanks-for-Giving," aired November 4, 2024

Alaska Daily aired on ABC:

• "Most Reckless Thing I've Ever Done", aired March 30, 2023

SuperKitties aired on Disney Junior:

• "Snow Day" aired on February 3, 2023
• "Showstopper" aired on June 2, 2023
• "Dastardly Dumpster" aired on June 21, 2024

Additional Published Works

• "Primitive" essay in "My Life: Growing Up Native in America" anthology, 2024
• "Ax X’oos Shaxwatíx: My feet are firmly planted" essay in "Applied Theatre with Youth: Education, Engagement, Activism" textbook, 2021
• "Our Voices Will Be Heard" full-length play in "Contemporary Plays by Women of Color, 2nd Edition" textbook, 2018

Personal Life

Vera's Lingit name is T'set Kwei, her clan is Leeneidi (dog salmon,) and she's a citizen of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. She was born in Craig, Alaska, was raised in numerous communities around the state of Alaska, and graduated from East Anchorage High School in 2000.

Vera met her husband Joseph "Joe" Bedard in 2011 through an introduction from actress Irene Bedard, Joe's sister. They married in Anchorage, Alaska, and live in Douglas, Alaska.