DIANE BURNS

Diane Burns was a Chemeheuvi and Anishinabe poet who was born in Kansas and grew up in California, Wisconsin, and North Dakota, where her parents worked at various boarding schools for Native American students. After graduating from Barnard College, she began her career as a poet, artist, and model in New York City. She only ever published one book of poetry and illustrations, Riding the One-Eyed Ford, but she was known for her honest, witty, and real perspective on themes of Native American identity and stereotypes. Burns is widely recognized for her poem, “Sure You Can Ask Me a Personal Question,” which was never published in a book.