Melisa (they/them, she/her) is of Irish, English, and French descent and is currently working and living on Treaty 6 territory in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta). A scholar, filmmaker, and educator, Melisa is committed to learning and raising awareness about ongoing colonialism in Canada and working towards ending inequities and advancing social justice. They earned a PhD in English from the University of Alberta, where they taught courses in Indigenous literatures, gender and sexuality, queer and feminist theory, critical race studies, and academic writing. Melisa uses filmmaking as an extension of critical thought: as a method of exposing normative ideologies, images, and identities, and of documenting and exploring modes of resistance. Their collaboratively-made films have screened at major international festivals, as well as at local activist, arts, and academic events across North America.