bio

Emily Bowen Cohen creates comics that explore intersectional identity. She is Jewish and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She uses personal experience to tell stories that examine contemporary American and Jewish culture. Emily grew up in rural Oklahoma. Her father was the Chief of Staff at their tribal hospital and her mother is a nice Jewish girl from New Jersey. After her father’s early death Emily was separated from her Native family. A decade later, she returned to Oklahoma for a bittersweet homecoming. She drew on her personal experiences to create her debut graphic novel, Two Tribes, published by HarperCollins Native-focused imprint, Heartdrum, in August 2023.

Website: www.emilybowencohen.com
Contact: emilyjc@mac.com

Workshop Topics

Subject

A Member of Two Tribes
During this program, Emily Bowen Cohen will discuss her own experiences as a Jewish Native American. Using her own original artwork, she shares the real-life stories that became her graphic novel, Two Tribes. She will describe the history of her tribe, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and what it’s like being the only Jewish family in small town Oklahoma. Through humorous comic panels, Emily reflects on serious themes common to the Jewish and Indigenous American experiences: the importance of places that feel like home, historical persecution, and cultural traditions.

Audience

Young Teen – Adult (12+)