Biography

Jay Taber is an associate scholar of the Center for World Indigenous Studies, facilitating active participation by indigenous people in the resolution of violent conflicts, development of international law, and the exchange of knowledge and information.

Jay is also a recipient of the Public Good Project Defender of Democracy award, bestowed in recognition of his years organizing effective opposition to Anti-Indian violence and racism in Washington state.

As a New College graduate student in Humanities and Leadership, he contributed to the development of the program Activism and Social Change. Since obtaining his MA, he has participated as a featured speaker at national human rights conferences, and has been published in international journals and magazines.

Jay is the author of five books--including Blind Spots and War of Ideas-- and is the publisher of Skookum, an online journal of the American psyche in transition.

In a previous life, he worked as a sea captain in the coastal fisheries from Cook Inlet to Puget Sound, and has many fond memories of storytelling with American Indians, Nordic and Croatian fishermen. More recently, he has conducted open source research, issue analysis, strategic planning for governments, non-profits, and media.

In addition to serving as associate editor of Fourth World Journal, Jay writes a weekly column for Fourth World Eye. He now spends considerable time as a mentor and advisor to writers, scholars, and community organizers throughout the English-speaking world.