The IEA's office is closed from June 1st - 15th, 2023.

Applications will be processed when we reopen.

Become a member

We invite Indigenous people who work with stories to join our community and become a member of the Indigenous Editors Association! Benefits include access to our Jobs Newsletter and the right to vote in Association business, as well as the ability to take part in our webinars and Members’ Directory.

Becoming a member is a three-step process. Please read all of the information on this page before applying. We will try to review your application as soon as possible, but please allow our volunteers up to two to four weeks to respond. If you require assistance or clarification with any of these steps, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Step 1: Application

To apply, scroll down to the Application Form and choose whether you’d like to fill out the application form online or contact us for a manual application. At this stage, we ask you for minimal information.

STEP 2: APPLICATION REVIEW

Once we receive your application, we will review the information you've provided. Please allow our Council between two to four weeks to evaluate and respond to your application. This process may take longer if additional information is required.

Step 3: Fee Payment

If your application is successful, you will receive an email letting you know that your application has been approved pending payment. If you've provided a method of payment in your online application, we will charge your card the annual membership fee and complete your IEA membership. If you've opted to mail-in the fee, we will hold your application in pending status until we receive payment.

The IEA annual membership fee is $10.62 (Canadian) plus applicable taxes. If this fee is a barrier, please contact us.

Membership Information Required

We try and keep our membership process as simple as possible. The following information will be required to evaluate your membership application:

Contact information
Indigenous identity or community affiliation
Editing services you provide
Biography
Confirmation that you've read and agree to uphold the IEA's Guiding Principles (A copy can be found below.)
Declaration that the information you've provided is true and correct

* Please note that you may be asked for additional information during our evaluation process.

IEA Guiding Principles

We require all new members to read and agree to uphold the IEA's Guiding Principles. At the 2015 Indigenous Editors Circle, participants developed draft guiding principles for working with Indigenous authors and editors in Canada.

Respectful representation of Indigenous Peoples in published books is a right protected by Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution Act, 1982, and by Article 31 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Literatures by Indigenous authors and about Indigenous Peoples ought to be edited by Indigenous editors.
Ethical principles about Indigenous cultural heritage ownership ought to supersede copyright laws.
Indigenous communities have collective ownership over their Traditional Knowledge.
The publication of a book is all about clearly defined, transparent, respectful relationships.
Indigenous authors are not necessarily bound by the conventions of established literary genres.
It is the responsibility of the editor and therefore the publisher to mentor emerging Indigenous writers where possible.

Ceremony is a potential resource for building collaborative relationships built on sacred trust.
Vetting, reviewing, and consultation regarding Indigenous content needs to be by an Indigenous person.
Publishing houses need to take an interest in, and safeguard and support, the cultural integrity of Indigenous editors.
[As of Spring 2020, we plan to revise the following principle to reflect our capacity:] Any textbook containing Indigenous content currently used in a Canadian school must be approved by the Indigenous Editors Association.
Teams of reviewers and vetters must include culturally competent members.

The Indigenous Editors Circle recommends setting aside a specific portion of public funding for writers to support Indigenous writers.

The Indigenous Editors Circle envisions Canadian publishers that will:

respond responsibly to feedback about publications that are offensive to Indigenous readers;
undergo Indigenous cultural sensitivity training;
recruit and retain Indigenous editors to publish and develop Indigenous authors;
provide career guidance to new Indigenous authors, mindful of the potential responsibilities of authors to provide public readings in home communities that might be far away; and
respect the localities and diversities of place, language, sexual orientation, and multiple genders.

Application Form

Thank you for your interest in joining the Indigenous Editors Association (IEA), we are delighted to be receiving interest from publishers, writers, allies and supporters!

The IEA is currently developing different categories of membership. In the meantime, we are only accepting applications for Associate Membership. Associate Members are associated with the IEA but are not permitted to vote on organizational matters or join the Executive (Board of Directors). These rights are reserved for (regular, full) IEA Members.

Please fill out our online application located below.

Contact us to request a manual application form.

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Select membership level

* Mandatory fields

* Membership level

IEA Member: Indigenous Editors and Publishing Professionals - $10.00 (CAD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments This membership category is available only to Indigenous individuals who reside within what is currently known as Canada who have applied and have been accepted by the IEA’s Council and remain in good standing.

IEA Member: Indigenous Students - Free Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments This membership category is only available to Indigenous students within what is currently known as Canada who are enrolled in post-secondary programs related to literature, publishing, or Indigenous culture and representation in publishing.

IEA Supporter: Indigenous Editors and Publishing Professionals - $10.00 (CAD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments This membership category is available to Indigenous individuals located outside of Canada who have applied and have been accepted by the IEA’s Council and remain in good standing.

IEA Supporter: Indigenous Students (Outside of Canada) - Free Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments This membership category is available to Indigenous students located outside of Canada who are enrolled in post-secondary programs related to literature, publishing, or Indigenous culture and representation in publishing.

IEA Supporter: Non-Indigenous Editors and Publishing Professionals - $25.00 (CAD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments This membership category is available to non-Indigenous individuals who have applied and have been accepted by the Council and remain in good standing.

IEA Supporter: Non-Indigenous Students - Free Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments This membership category is available to non-Indigenous students in post-secondary students who are related to literature, publishing, or Indigenous culture and representation in publishing.

About the Association

The Indigenous Editors Association is a membership organization that was formed by Indigenous editors and publishing professionals in lands claimed by Canada as a mutual support network. We are here to carry out the vision of our early organizers and to create professional development and networking opportunities.

Contact Information

Indigenous Editors Association

3573 - 515 Hastings St W

Vancouver, BC, V6B 5K3

Our mailing address is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Stz’uminus, and šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmaɁɬ təməxʷ (Musqueam) Peoples.