About Ty

Biography

Ty “GWY” Wilson
Author | Artist | Historian | Minister | Entrepreneur

Ty “GWY” Wilson is a Cherokee author, artist, historian, minister, and entrepreneur whose work explores Native American history, cultural preservation, identity, resilience, and the power of storytelling.

Born and raised in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation, Wilson draws upon his Cherokee heritage, his family's history, and years of historical research to bring overlooked stories to life. His writing bridges historical scholarship and imaginative fiction, examining the experiences of Native American communities, the legacy of slavery within the Five Tribes, and the enduring connections between history, identity, and cultural survival.

Wilson's published works include The Ledger and the Land: Slavery, Wealth, and the Black Cherokee Economy Before and After Removal, CHEROKEE FREEDMEN: We Are Cherokee, and The Road to Mexico: A Novel of the Cherokee Slave Revolt of 1842. His children's literature includes the 1st American books featuring the Cherokee, Keetoowah, and Choctaw languages, as well as Forest Relatives, which introduces young readers to the natural world through Indigenous language and cultural connections.

He is also the creator of the United Native Nations Universe (UNNU), an expansive alternate-history world exploring what might have happened had Native nations united to become a global superpower. The series begins with United Native Nations: Origins, with the forthcoming novel UNN: The Weight of Survival expanding that universe.

His upcoming fiction also includes The House of Salt Duology, consisting of The House of Salt and The Names We Kept, two interconnected novels exploring family, memory, identity, and the secrets carried across generations.

Beyond literature, Wilson is a visual artist and the founder of 1ST N8TIONS, a creative apparel brand celebrating Native American nations, histories, and cultural identity through original artwork. His broader creative vision embraces books, fine art, clothing, film, and digital storytelling.

Wilson serves as Senior Minister and Executive Director of Positive Energy Church, an inclusive, nondenominational spiritual community dedicated to bringing people together through music, shared wisdom, community service, and radical kindness.

Whether documenting overlooked histories, preserving Indigenous languages, creating alternate worlds, or building cultural enterprises, Wilson's work is guided by a common purpose: to honor the past, inspire the present, and help shape a future rooted in knowledge, creativity, unity, and positive energy.

High Spirits. Deep Roots. Total Love.