Sheit.een Michaela Goade was raised in the rainforest and on the beaches of Southeast Alaska, traditional Lingít Aaní. She is a Caldecott Medalist and #1 New York Times Bestselling illustrator of “We Are Water Protectors,” and also a 2020 Kirkus Prize Finalist. Other books include the New York Times Bestselling I Sang You Down from the Stars, Encounter, and Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy, winner of the 2018 American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Picture Book.
Michaela’s first self-authored children’s book, Berry Song, came out in June 2022 and in 2023 received a Caldecott Honor Medal. This book is truly something special; a work of art that tells the story of a Lingít grandmother teaching her granddaughter about the natural world, harvesting foods, and sharing special experiences together on the land. The book is set in the Tongass and carries the message that humankind is part of the natural world, not separate from it – a value that guides the programs, projects, and advocacy of SCS. We are grateful to have hosted Michaela in summer 2022 where she worked on illustrations for her next book, Being Home, and some sketches of the property and the surrounding lands and waters.
Interested in supporting an artist at our creative retreat? You can donate here.