Autumn Cavender-Wilson | Wahpetunwan Dakota Pezihutazizi K’api Minisotamakoce Upper Sioux Community

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Wicanhpi Iyotan Win Autumn Cavender-Wilson is a Wahpetunwan Dakota from the Pezihutazizi K’api (Upper Sioux) Community. She is passionate about storytelling and writing and has a background in decolonization theory and the Dakota language. She is a respected educator, lecturer, artist, and writer who is always seeking to make an impact in midwifery, education, and the arts.

Autumn’s deep understanding of traditional Dakota practices and her mastery of artistic storytelling have led her to become a founding member of the National Indigenous Midwifery Alliance. Through her work as a midwife, artist, and writer, she has been able to communicate and promote the beauty and resilience of indigenous birthing practices as the foundation for cultural revitalization.

Autumn’s artistic work has been displayed globally, including in Calgary, New York City, Miami Art Basel, Lisbon, and Milan. She is a regular presenter on the application of Indigenous artistic methodology to contemporary and digital mediums. As a LIFT Emerging Native Artists fellow through the Native Arts and Culture Foundation and a Native American Artist-in-Residence at the Minnesota Historical Society, she has received recognition for her groundbreaking work in digital and generative art.

Recently, Autumn has been experimenting with screenwriting, with one of her script treatments in consideration for the semi-finals of the 2023 ScreenCraft True Story & Public Domain Competition. Her love of books, cultural knowledge, and storytelling expertise have led her to pursue writing and continue sharing essential stories.

Cavender lives with her partner, two sons, and a German Shepherd. Her passion for promoting social justice, cultural awareness, and preserving Indigenous cultures continues to drive her work. She is always seeking new ways to use storytelling to build community.