On May 7, 1948, beneath the sun-drenched skies of Oakland, California, Bronwen Elizabeth Edwards, better known as Wendy Rose, took her first breath. Her lineage is a vibrant tapestry, with her father hailing from the Hopi tribe and her mother drawing from both Miwok Indian and European roots. This blend of ancestries profoundly influenced Rose’s youthful quest for self-discovery, shaped within the suburban confines of Oakland—a place steeped more in European, or "white," customs than in those of Native American traditions, whether on a reservation or beyond.

Her teenage years, set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s, were as turbulent and liberating as the era itself. She left high school behind, immersing herself in the bohemian and artistic enclaves of San Francisco. Amid the sprawling cityscape, Rose, though a young and impressionable spirit, began nurturing passions that would fuel her artistic journey—exploring her own identity, cherishing her Hopi lineage, and resisting the exploitation of Native American culture. It was during this transformative period that she first penned poetry, although her earliest verses waited in the wings for years before seeing the light of day. Her debut collection, Hopi Roadrunner Dancing, would eventually emerge in 1973. The '60s also saw her pilgrimage to the ancestral lands of the Hopi in Arizona, a journey that stirred her soul and deepened her yearning to reconnect with her Native American roots.

Despite her initial departure from formal education, Rose returned to academia in 1966, embarking on a fourteen-year odyssey that saw her obtain both undergraduate and graduate degrees, culminating in extensive studies toward a doctoral degree in anthropology. While her creative endeavors as a poet and painter flourished, her scholarly pursuits were rooted in the social sciences. She earned her master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1978. Between 1966 and 1980, she released five poetry collections, including the 1980 volume Lost Copper, which features the poem “For the White poets who would be Indian.”

In her ongoing search for identity and self-expression, Rose experimented with different names throughout her career. Her early works bore the signature “Chiron Khanshendel,” a name inspired by Chiron, the wise centaur of Greek mythology, reflecting her affinity for horses, and "Khanshendel," a unique creation of her own making. Ultimately, she embraced a simplified version of her birth name—choosing "Wendy" over "Bronwen"—along with the surname "Rose," inspired by a meaningful relationship from her youth. With this, she decisively cast aside the formal, European-flavored "Bronwen Elizabeth Edwards," a name she abandoned forever.

Having completed her doctorate, Rose chose to embed herself within the academic world. She has thrived as an educator, researcher, and advisor, while also leading the American Indian Studies Program at Fresno City College in California. Recognized both as an eminent anthropologist and a passionate advocate for Native American rights, she resides with her family amid the tranquil majesty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.