Kariel K'iteix' Galbraith is a Tlingit writer and fiber artist from Sitka, Alaska. She now lives, works, and weaves stories on Coast Salish territory in Seattle, WA. Her writing experience includes creative non-fiction, copywriting, art writing, non-fiction articles, and poetry.

Galbraith is the First American Art Magazine’s 2024-2025 Alaska Native Art Writing Fellow, where she has contributed artist profiles and feature articles on Alaska Native art subjects.

She graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in English with Honors and American Indian Studies. During her time in the English Honors program, she completed a thesis that critically explored the challenges of tourism in her hometown, combining detailed research, creative nonfiction, poetry, and personal reflection. This work imagined a sustainable path forward in an industry that is often extractive.

While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Galbraith served as a writing mentor, helping students from various backgrounds refine their writing. She assisted in essay formatting, proofreading, and ensuring that students met the academic standards for content, structure, and grammar.

Galbraith has written for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of The Sleeping Beauty, where she contextualized Tlingit artist Preston Singletary’s set design and direction. Her work provided crucial background information to help audiences better understand the production’s storytelling elements.

Cultural competency is central to Galbraith’s work. She is passionate about helping Native organizations, businesses, and individuals share their stories. As she continues to grow as an artist and writer, Galbraith aspires to serve as a liaison between Native communities and non-Native allies, fostering understanding and support for Native stories and storytelling strategies.

In addition to writing, Galbraith finds meaning in fiber arts. She has taught several beginner frame-loom weaving workshops at the University of Washington, where she was awarded a grant from the Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies to purchase weaving supplies. This grant enabled her to introduce students to the art of weaving, guiding them in small projects such as coasters and wall hangings. In these workshops, she integrated Indigenous teachings about weaving, crafting, and gift-giving to encourage mindfulness in the creative process.

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Seattle, WA