BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Lummi Nation author is being recognized for her latest work.

The Washington Secretary of State’s Office said Rena Priest has been selected as one of two authors to represent the state at the 2026 National Book Festival.

Priest wrote a collection of 12 essays titled “Positively Uncivilized,” which examines the impact of humans on the planet. It dives into the decline of salmon populations and loss of Indigenous history, while celebrating the beauty in nature.

Book cover for Positively Uncivilized by Rena Priest, with a blue feather above and a blue fish below on a dark background.
Positively Uncivilized by Rena Priest. Courtesy of Washington Secretary of State’s office

“My ancestors have witnessed and stewarded the beauty of these homelands since time immemorial. My intention in collecting these essays was to express a need and a wish to recognize the value of this place so that the mountains, waterways, forests, islands, and prairies can be cherished and cared for in a way that ensures they continue in perpetuity to give nourishment and inspire awe,” Priest said in a news release from the Secretary of State’s Office. “I hope these essays find their way into the hands and hearts of readers. I hope they extend an invitation to love these homelands as I do, and all homelands, everywhere in equal measure.”

Priest, who lives in Bellingham, is a former Washington State Poet Laureate and has toured nationally with an Indigenous variety show. She was featured at this year’s Fire & Story festival among other local events.

She’ll attend the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. in late August.