Barbara Lawrence

Barbara Anne Lawrence is a Suquamish Tribal Elder and traditional storyteller who played a key role in the creation of the Paddle to Seattle — a landmark 1989 event that became the foundation for the annual Canoe Journey HistoryLink.org+1. Raised on the Suquamish Port Madison Indian Reservation, Lawrence’s first formal education came from tribal elders, who taught her cultural ways through storytelling seattlestorytellers.org. She holds a BA from The Evergreen State College and an MBA in Sustainable Business with a focus on social justice seattlestorytellers.org. She is the mother of four adult children and the Kiyah (grandmother) to twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild seattlestorytellers.org. Through her involvement in the Paddle to Seattle and her ongoing cultural work, Barbara Lawrence has helped preserve and share Indigenous maritime traditions, strengthen tribal-state partnerships, and inspire intergenerational learning. Her storytelling and advocacy continue to be central to the Canoe Journey’s mission of cultural revitalization and community connection www.melindawest.com+2.

Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI088037 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.