In this episode of Rise Resilient, I chat with Tapisa Kilabuk, a fierce advocate, mama, and friend, who bravely unpacks parts of her story, which not only includes the negative impacts of colonization and residential school, but also the gifts of gratitude and hope. Despite the challenges she has faced, she remains grateful and rooted in the legacy of hope her Ancestors have left behind which have allowed her to not only RISE resilient, but are allowing her to also RAISE resilience in her children.

Tapisa Kilabuk is a proud mom of three amazing kids, and an Indigenous activist and speaker focused on community engagement and education involving Indigenous realities in modern society. Currently she is the manager of Indigenous Relations at Inn from the Cold, a shelter in Calgary Alberta for families experiencing homelessness.

She is also the Co-chair on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Centre in Calgary, Alberta and is on the Board of Directors for the Colouring It Forward Reconciliation Society. She facilitates blanket exercises and conducts speaking engagements throughout the community. Tapisa was    a part of creating Calgary, Alberta's September 30,  2020 Orange Shirt Day event, a day held to honour and commemorate residential school survivors. 

This podcast marries the science of trauma with the STORIES of resilience, and as such, may contain sensitive content that can trigger big emotions from our own past experiences. If your heart is feeling overwhelmed or heavy with the weight of the world right now, I encourage you to listen to this episode with some one you trust or download it and save it for another day.

Canada Suicide Prevention Service:

1-833-456-4566

Kids Help PhoneCall 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.

Hope for Wellness 1-855-242-3310 (toll-free) available to all Indigenous peoples across Canada who need immediate crisis intervention.