Karis Jones-Pard has made the 2017 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for Oh You're Native.

Karis Jones-Pard is a student at Humber College in the theatre arts technical production program. She has previously worked with companies such as Jumblies Theatre, Red Dress Productions, Arts4All and many others. She aspires one day to create and learn through arts making.

Educational, targets racism, anger-driven

"The inspiration behind the story started from growing up as the only Native child in my class and growing up being constantly harassed by people on the street because my dad was very obviously Native (i.e. the long braid and facial features). But what sparked the urge to write out everything was the incidents of Senator Lynn Beyak. Everything she said about residential school survivors and native people and generally racist comments are what drove this piece to what it is now."

Oh you're native,
But you're like an urban native,
Hey do you know what that means?
How do you say that in your language?
Are you related to sitting bull?
Can I touch your hair?
Can I see your card?
Do you get free stuff?
What's my spirit animal?
Stop.