Carolyn Dunn was born in Southern California of Cherokee, Muskogee Creek, Seminole and Choctaw Freedman ancestry of her father's side, and Cajun and French Creole on her mother's. Her fiction and poetry has appeared in numerous anthologies, including The Color of Resistance, Reinventing the Enemy's Language, Through the Eye of the Deer, Spirit Song, The Greenman and Other Tales of the Mythic Forest, and Sing With the Heart of A Bear: Fusions of Native and American Poetry . Her poetry has been collected in Outfoxing Coyote and Hidden Creek Journal , and her nonfiction has appeared in journals in the US, Canada and Germany. In addition, she is the co-editor of two anthologies of contemporary Native American writing: Through the Eye of the Deer (with Carol Comfort) and Hozho: Walking in Beauty (with Paula Gunn Allen).

After compeleting her Master's in American Indian Studies with an emphasis in American Indian Literature, Folklore and Mythology, Carolyn taught at Humboldt State University, and became the founding director (with Tina Toledo Rizzo) of the American Indian Theatre Collective. She is one of the original members of the Mankillers, an all-women Northern-style drum group formed by Irma Amaro-Davis. (The name was chosen in honor of Wilma Mankiller, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma at that time. The Mankiller name is a traditional warrior name among the Cherokee, and the group chose it as their symbol of Native women's strength, power, and resilience.) Carolyn has co-written songs in the Choctaw language with her husband, James Anderson (Mississippi Choctaw) for the Mankillers' three CDs: the Nammy-nominated All Woman Northern Drum, Comin' To Getcha and Killing You Softly. Carolyn and her husband also perform with the indigenous rock band Red Hawk.

Carolyn is a Lecturer in the Ethnic & Women's Studies department at Cal Poly in Southern California, teaching courses in The Native American Experience, Native American Contemporary Issues, Intro to Ethnic Studies, and Native American Women. In addition to her academic work, Carolyn sits on the board of directors for Red Nation Celebration, a California non-profit organization that produces media events to raise money and awareness for American Indian issues, especially concerns surrounding children and elders. She is also a former radio producer and host, and she does voice-overs for film and television.

Carolyn lives with her husband and three children in Los Angeles. For more information on her multi-faceted work, see her website.