Are you Indigenous and new to Twitter? Do you live in Canada or the United States? Are you at a loss as to whom to follow? The Twitter-verse is huge and full of valuable, useful information- especially about Indigenous issues being faced by First Nations people and Native Americans of Turtle Island. The following Indigenous women offer up a wealth of information, ideas, developments and issues affecting Indigenous communities on both sides of the 49th parallel. They are each uniquely extraordinarily engaging, hard working, interactive and responsive to their communities. Some of these accounts will inspire you, piss you off, make you laugh and even change the way you view the world.

Here is a list of Indigenous women who make me think one tweet at a time and are deserving of your follow. These accounts are listed in no particular order.

Katsitsakwas Ellen Gabriel

@EllenGabriel1

Turtle Clan, Kanien’kehá:ka Nation, Kanehsatà:ke Mohawk Territory. Ellen Gabriel is an inspiring example of the power of an Indigenous woman fighting for her community & land.

Sample tweet:

Leanne Simpson

@betasamosake

A brilliant writer, scholar, storyteller and activist of Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg ancestry and is a member of Alderville First Nation.

Sample Tweet:

Pam Palmater

@Pam_Palmater

Pamela Palmater is a Mi’kmaq lawyer, professor, activist and politician from Mi’kma’ki, New Brunswick, Canada.

Sample Tweet:

Chelsea Vowel

@apihtawikosisan

Chelsea Vowel is Métis from the Plains Cree speaking community of Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta. She is passionate about the Cree language, Indigenous law, education and roller derby.

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Jessica Danforth

@Jess_Danforth

Jessica Danforth is a self-described “multiracial Indigenous hip-hop feminist reproductive justice freedom fighter!”

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Jessica R. Metcalfe

@beyondbuckskin

Dr. Jessica R. Metcalfe is Turtle Mountain Chippewa from North Dakota, and writes about Native American art, fashion, and design. She also owns and operates the Beyond Buckskin Boutique, which sells Native American fashion.

Sample Tweet:

Adrienne K.

@NativeApprops

Adrienne K. is Cherokee and the writer behind NativeAppropriations.blogspot.com. Native Appropriations is a forum for discussing representations of Native peoples, including stereotypes, cultural appropriation, news, activism, and more.

Sample Tweet:

Lauren Chief Elk

@ChiefElk

Lauren Chief Elk is an Assiniboine and Blackfeet activist, political organizer, and co-founder of Save Wiyabi Project. As an advocacy group, the project aims to bring awareness to the sexual and domestic violence epidemic against Native American women, as well as develop community-based solutions for Native women, in both tribal and urban areas.

Sample Tweet:

Ruth Hopkins

@_RuthHopkins

Ruth Hopkins (Sisseton-Wahpeton/Mdewakanton/Hunkpapa) is a writer, speaker, former science professor and tribal attorney. She is a columnist for Indian Country Today Media Network and LastRealIndians.com.

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Delores Schilling

@DelSchilling

Delores Schilling is of Cherokee descent and the CEO of Schilling Media. Delores is also the Director of Programming at Native Trailblazers Blogtalkradio show with host Vincent Schilling.

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Michelle Shining Elk

@MShiningElk

Michelle Shining Elk is a member of Colville Tribes Arrow Lakes + Okanogan Bands. Michelle is a casting director for film, television, dance and print with a focus on American Indian talent only.

Sample Tweet:

Lisa Charleyboy

@UrbanNativeGirl

Lisa Charleyboy is writer, actor and blogger of Tsilhqot’in (Dene), Mexican, Cherokee, and Dutch descent. Lisa has a background in fashion and is currently working on launching Urban Native Magazine, an online magazine and extension of Urban Native Girl blog which will be a Native lifestyle magazine geared toward inspiring Indigenous youth with positive success stories.

Sample Tweet:

Renee Holt

@renee_holt

Renée holt is an enrolled member of the Nez Perce tribe of Idaho and in the 5th year of her doctoral program at Washington State University, in the Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education. As a Pre-doctoral candidate, her area of research includes decolonization using Indigenous epistemologies with a focus on the use of Indigenous language in the classroom and how student learners benefit from culturally relevant curriculum.

Sample Tweet:

Christi Belcourt

@christibelcourt

Christi Belcourt is a Métis visual artist and author living and working in Canada. She is best known for her acrylic paintings that depict floral patterns inspired by Métis and First Nations historical beadwork art.

Sample Tweet:

Tanya Kappo

@Nehiyahskwew

Tanya Kappo is a citizen of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8. Tanya is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba and an activist working to improve living conditions for First Nations people and Canadian understanding of Indigenous people.

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Sarah Koi

@Sar_koi

Sarah is Nakawe (Saulteaux) from Sakimay Treaty 4. Sarah’s tweets are insightful, genuine, and bluntly honest.

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Rachel Ann Snow

@RachelAnnSnow

Rachel Ann Snow Iyârhé Nakoda, that is the “N” speaking branch of the Sioux Nation located at Mini Thni, or Morley Alberta. Rachel Ann Snow is a recent Law school graduate and her interests include natural resource law, academic and traditional research.

Sample Tweet:

Andrea Landry

@AndreaLandry1

Andrea Landry is Anishinaabe from the Pays Plat First Nation in Ontario. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Communications and Social Justice at the University of Windsor in Canada, and actively engaged in advocacy at home and abroad.

Sample Tweet:

Susan Blight

@Blightyboo

Susan Blight is Anishinaabe from Couchiching First Nation and is the host of Indigenous Waves radio show. Susan is a visual artist, filmmaker, arts educator, and a committed student of the Ojibwe language.

Sample Tweet:

Winona LaDuke

@WinonaLaDuke

Winona LaDuke is an Anishinaabekwe (Ojibwe) enrolled member of the Mississippi Band Anishinaabeg. Winona is an internationally acclaimed author, activist, and orator.

Sample Tweet:

Joyce Ann is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and a primary educator with an emphasis in disability studies. In addition to teaching Joyce is a mother, sister, aunty, friend, almost PhD graduate and struggling fry-bread maker. She can be contacted at redrunningtowater@gmail.com or via Twitter @tachiinii_woman

Aug 24, 2013 - Top Indigenous Women North & South of the 49th Parallel You Should Be Following on Twitter, By Jocelyn Esquer