Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
References
Hobbies and Interests
Languages
Personal Information
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Neal Freeland

Ottawa,ON

Summary

Nakawe (Saulteaux) from Ditibineya-ziibiing (Rolling River First Nations) with extensive experience in both traditional and non-traditional Indigenous communities, excelling as a Graphic Novelist and Social Service Worker.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Stay-at-home Father

Self-Employed
Ottawa, Canada
11.2019 - Current
  • Implementing various extracurricular activities for social and mental development.
  • Learning nutrition for a baby, toddler, and athletic child.
  • Developing self-regulating emotion techniques through practicum and online research for both my child and myself.
  • Keeping toys and play area neat and clean (only to watch it get hit by a tornado five minutes later).
  • Being completely present at all times when my daughter was present in the room.
  • Teaching her how to count in Anishinaabemowin and english, as well as her ABCs in both languages.
  • Ensuring family schedules are organized and fairly on time.
  • The ability to conduct sole instruction and develop my skills in teaching.

Graphic Novelist

Various
Ottawa, Canada
01.2009 - Current
  • Character design, writing, illustration, layout design, editing, Anishinaabemowin language where needed, and social media for my books and stories.
  • Kegedonce Press - The Krillian Key, Salamander Run Vol. 1, is a sci-fi graphic novel about an Indigenous man who is immortal for a million years, and the first book deals with his first 300 years.
  • Red Planet Books and Games - Howl, an Indigenous comic collection of wolves, werewolves, and rougarou, contributed a short story, 'Wolves at the Door,' which is set in the Krillian Key universe.
  • Sovereign Traces volumes 1 and 2 - I contributed two short stories where I designed characters and illustrated for Indigenous authors.
  • Mashkawide'e (Has a Strong Heart) - wrote and created characters for a one-shot graphic novel for Senator Kim Pate to aid her campaign to change laws for women.
  • If I Go Missing - Illustrated the graphic novel retelling of a letter written to the Winnipeg police chief by Indigenous teen Brianna Jonnie.

Cultural Coordinator, Niikaniganaw research project

University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Canada
02.2019 - 04.2022
  • Photographer, graphic novelist, liaison to Indigenous community resources (knowledge keepers, storytellers, OshkabayYwis, and Elders), and mental health community resource participant resource agencies.

Poet

Kegedonce Press
Ottawa, Canada
01.2021 - 03.2022
  • Writer/poet of the book of poetry 'Through the Eyes of Asunder' which tells the story of a person throughout their healing journey through a variety of styles of poetry.

Aboriginal Cultural Animator

Cégep Heritage College
Gatineau, Canada
01.2016 - 01.2018
  • Indigenous liaison between students and college, event management, recruitment (knowledge keepers, storytellers, Elders, artists, teachers, vendors, and OshkabayYwis), participated in the Indigenous College and University graduation that was held at Algonquin College that year.
  • Arranged for Indigenous Storytellers, knowledge keepers, Elders, Singers, Dancers, and Drummers from Ontario and Quebec to attend Heritage for ongoing workshops and sessions with the Indigenous students throughout the school year.
  • Created a resource directory for Indigenous students that covered Gatineau and Ottawa Indigenous resources.

Team Lead

The Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity
Ottawa, Canada
01.2016 - 03.2016
  • Coordinator of the counseling Support Team for the Ally-ship in Action Forum Agenda, recruitment.
  • Provided counseling as needed to the participants and arranged for overnight counselors to be present in case of emergencies.

Assistant Event Planner, Request for Funds Proposal Writer (RFP)

Native Women's Association of Canada
Ottawa, Canada
11.2015 - 01.2016
  • Event management, recruitment, RFP writer, executive assistance, student liaison, entrepreneurial management and liaison, communication coordination social media.
  • Assisted the founder of Pow Wow Pitch with the first Pow Wow Pitch held at the Ottawa Summer Solstice Pow Wow the annual spring Pow Wow.

Aboriginal Event Coordinator

Algonquin College
Ottawa, Canada
12.2014 - 01.2015
  • Recruitment, cultural liaison, event management, team supervision, and educational counselor for Algonquin College's Mamidosewin Centre.
  • At the time I oversaw Algonquin's Participation in the Indigenous College and Universities graduation ceremony.
  • Organized the first Pow Wow at the college in 10 years, and arranged for Indigenous community traditional knowledge keepers to attend regular sessions with students.
  • Held informal cooking classes for Indigenous students on Wednesdays, and made sure lunches were home-cooked Monday to Friday.

Education

Social Service Worker -

Algonquin College
Ottawa, ON
01.2015

Skills

  • Creative writing
  • Freelance writing
  • Character design
  • Illustration techniques
  • Drawing and illustration
  • Comic book illustration
  • Illustration software
  • Graphic illustration
  • Cultural-Sensitivity
  • Traditional Knowledge
  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Time Management
  • Ability to Work Under Pressure

Awards

  • Indigenous Voices Award, 2021, Published Graphic Novels, Comics, and Illustrated Books in any Language for If I Go Missing.
  • Forest of Reading - Red Maple Award, 2020, For If I Go Missing.
  • Starred Selection, 2020, Best Books for Kids & Teens - Canadian Children's Book Centre for If I Go Missing.
  • First Nation Communities READ Award, 2020, For If I Go Missing.
  • The Syd Ford Memorial Award, 2013, Award given annually to a graduating student who exemplifies the values and spirit of the Social Service Worker Program.

References

Available upon request

Hobbies and Interests

  • Gaming
  • Swimming
  • Reading

Languages

  • English
  • Anishinaabemowin

Personal Information

Nationality: Nakawe

Accomplishments

First Nation Communities READ Award 2020

Starred Selection - Best Books for Kids & Teens - Canadian Children's Book Centre 2020

Indigenous Voices Awards: Published Graphic Novels, Comics, and Illustrated Books in any Language 2021

Forest of Reading - Red Maple Award 2020

Timeline

Poet

Kegedonce Press
01.2021 - 03.2022

Stay-at-home Father

Self-Employed
11.2019 - Current

Cultural Coordinator, Niikaniganaw research project

University of Ottawa
02.2019 - 04.2022

Aboriginal Cultural Animator

Cégep Heritage College
01.2016 - 01.2018

Team Lead

The Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity
01.2016 - 03.2016

Assistant Event Planner, Request for Funds Proposal Writer (RFP)

Native Women's Association of Canada
11.2015 - 01.2016

Aboriginal Event Coordinator

Algonquin College
12.2014 - 01.2015

Graphic Novelist

Various
01.2009 - Current

Social Service Worker -

Algonquin College

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Neal Freeland