Laura Frater is a 3rd year PhD student and MFA student UC Davis’ English Department. She studies Federal Indian Law, and stories of missing people on and around reservations in North America. She was a part time clerk at the Shingle Springs Tribal Court, and is now an Investigative Reporter for MMIP cold cases for the Two Rivers Tribune. Her poetry has most recently appeared in LitStream Magazine, and she has also been published in The Museum Review. Born and raised in Scotland, she completed her BA at King’s College London, and her MA at Iona College, New York. She loves to dance ballet and plays violin for the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers. She writes poetry most days of the week, runs every other day, and bakes on Saturdays. She was awarded Best TA/Cupcake Baker at UC Davis by her students. 

Research Interests

Federal Indian Law, Literature of Missing People (specifically Literature of Missing and Murdered Native people)

Education

B.A., English Language and Literature, King's College London, 2013

A.K.C., Theology, Philosophy and Ethics, King's College London, 2013

M.A. English Literature, Iona College, 2018

Publications

"LAURIE GRAY and KADIJAH BRITTON- Domestic Violence Awareness Month." Two Rivers Tribune, October 2022. FORTHCOMING.

"BARBARA JEAN MCCNEIL - Still Unsolved." Two Rivers Tribune, August 2022. 

"NICK VIGIL - Someone's going to say something eventually: Still Missing." Two Rivers Tribune, July 2022. 

"VIRGIL BUSSELL JR. - If people know something, they need to come forward: Still Missing." Two Rivers Tribune, June 2022.

"ANGELA MCCONNELL - Change is coming: Still Unsolved." Two Rivers Tribune, May 2022. 

"SUMI JUAN - Will they talk when they need to?: Still Missing." Two Rivers Tribune, April 2022.

“ANDREA CHICK WHITE - It’s time for her to come home: Still Missing.” Two Rivers Tribune, April 2022.  

At the Final Verse of "Tell Out My Soul." LitStream Magazine, August 2021.

"Poetry Makes Something Happen." The Museum Review, March 2020.

"Why ISIS Should Be Called Daesh: Reflections on Religion and Terrorism." Review of talk in ISLAMiCommentary, November 2014. 

“About Time” by Eva Hoffman. Royal Society of Literature Annual Review, January 2012. 

Recent Awards 

The Deirdre Hackett Endowment Award, June 2022

Humboldt Journalism Project Grant, May 2022