Redwire Magazine

Redwire was created in 1997 by sisters Nena and Billie Pierre with the support of the Environmental Youth Alliance and the Native Youth Movement. The first-ever Native youth run magazine in Canada, Redwire documented a talking circle between Native youth artists, writers, activists and readers across Turtle Island discussing the issues important to our communities. For over ten years, Redwire created a space to critically examine the band council system, the treaty process, the effects of residential school, targeted army recruitment in our communities and corrupt economic greed. It combated the corporate media’s portrayal of activists and Native people who fight for their rights. It has given voice to families who have lost loved ones to police violence. Through the magazine, we have promoted a generation of proud young Native artists, writers, musicians and performers to an international stage. The quarterly magazine reached distribution of 11,000 copies across Canada, four times a year before losing its funding. In 2002, Redwire Magazine incorporated as Redwire Native Youth Media Society, a collective of Native youth creating uncensored spaces for youth to find their own voices. While no longer publishing a magazine, collaborations on smaller print projects targeted to those with limited or no access to the internet such as youth in prison and those living in rural areas, and pilots for Redwire TV are under development.