Dr. Candace Linklater speaks with Vanessa Brousseau, also known as Resilient Inuk, an Inuk multidisciplinary artist and advocate whose art and activism are deeply rooted in personal and intergenerational loss. Vanessa shares the painful yet powerful story of her grandfather’s forced displacement and medical experimentation by the Canadian government, her sister’s disappearance in 2003, and her mother’s death due to medical racism. These experiences fuel her advocacy for MMIWG2S+ and her passion for creating art that serves as both a form of healing and a means of resistance. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on her phases of growth—from personal grief to community empowerment—and how TikTok became a surprising vehicle for her voice during the pandemic.

Vanessa and Dr. Candace explore what it means to be vulnerable online while protecting one’s sacredness, especially as Indigenous women navigating both the beauty and brutality of digital spaces. They speak candidly about burnout, boundaries, social media limits, lateral violence within Indigenous communities, and the importance of staying grounded in purpose. The conversation is rich with laughter, shared grief, spiritual flow (often sparked in the shower or at the gym), and mutual encouragement to keep showing up authentically, even if imperfectly. It ends with a powerful message for settlers: understand how intergenerational trauma lives on in Indigenous families today, and be brave enough to interrupt colonization where you are.

Bio

Vanessa Brousseau is a multidisciplinary Inuk artist and powerful MMIWG2S advocate originally from Sanikiluaq, NU, now based in Ontario. She began creating art during the pandemic, inspired by her late mother’s beadwork and her own desire to share her sister Pamela’s story, who went missing in 2003. 

Vanessa’s work—ranging from seal skin jewellery and drum cases to bold video storytelling on TikTok (@resilientinuk)—honours stolen sisters through powerful symbolism, such as the red dress. Her advocacy is deeply personal and unwavering, rooted in both grief and resistance. She’s known for blending traditional materials with modern platforms to educate and spark change. A graduate of the NSI Accelerator for Indigenous Creators, she launched her first exhibit in 2022 and is now expanding into apparel and merchandise. Vanessa’s art is a blend of medicine, movement, and memory.

IG & TikTok: @resilientinuk

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

This conversation with Drezus (Jeremiah Manitopyes) gets real. He takes us through his journey—from rising in the Indigenous hip hop scene to reclaiming his power through sobriety, fatherhood, and ceremony. Raised in the city but spiritually rooted in his culture, Drezus shares how reconnecting with the Land and working with youth has become his deepest source of inspiration. Whether he’s jumping into rivers with his kids or sitting by the fire in remote Cree communities, he paints a picture of healing that comes from stillness, presence, and remembering who you are. He reflects on how disconnection from Land contributed to depression, addiction, and anxiety—and how going back to the Land sparked a primal shift in him that influenced both his art and his parenting.

But he doesn't stop at speaking on personal healing—he discusses accountability and dismantling toxic masculinity. Drezus unpacks how colonialism shaped distorted ideas of manhood, and how too many Native men are taught to extract instead of nurture. He owns his past, talks openly about the shame, the jail time, the addiction, and what it took to unlearn those harmful patterns. Through sweat lodges, community, and building emotional capacity, he’s redefining what it means to be a strong Indigenous man. He offers space for his brothers to do the same—by calling them in, not out. Drezus reminds us that healing is possible, masculinity can be redefined, and Land holds the key to both.

Bio

Drezus is a force in Indigenous hip-hop. An Anishinaabe/Nehiyaw artist based in Mohkinstis, he blends raw lyricism with cultural resilience, crafting music that moves, empowers, and inspires. 

His journey started with Team Rezofficial, earning a JUNO nomination and multiple Indigenous music awards. As a solo artist, his 2013 album Redwinter became a rallying cry for the Idle No More movement, followed by Indian Summer, cementing his influence in the scene. 

Drezus has won major accolades, including the 2022 SOCAN Vince Fontaine Indigenous Song Award, a 2017 MTV VMA with Taboo (Black Eyed Peas), and four Indigenous Music Awards in 2015. He’s shared stages with hip-hop giants like Drake, 50 Cent, Mobb Deep, and The Black Eyed Peas, bridging Indigenous and mainstream music worlds. Beyond music, Drezus is making waves in film and TV, with appearances in Yellowstone and contributions to powerful soundtracks. 

His latest release, Ballad of Bobby Jones featuring Sebastian Gaskin, keeps his signature storytelling alive—unapologetic, thought-provoking, and deeply rooted in his culture. 

IG: @drezus

Website: www.drezus.com

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

Dr. Candace Linklater and guest Nikki Apostolou (aka Recycled Stardust) delve into the meaning of living with integrity, community engagement, and staying rooted in love amidst heartbreak, colonization, and online violence. Nikki opens up about how painful it’s been to have her character misrepresented, especially in online spaces where false narratives spread quickly and people rush to judgment. She shares the grief of being pushed into silence to protect others, the toll of being dehumanized, and the internal struggle of trying to keep her heart soft when it would be easier to turn cold.

The two women unpack the complex dynamics of lateral violence in Indigenous communities and how colonization has trained people to harm one another, even when they’re fighting for the same liberation. They talk about the weaponization of vulnerability, especially online, and the difference between true accountability and performative call-outs. Nikki reflects on how she’s had to grieve not only what was lost in a relationship but also the loss of trust in a community she once felt safe in. Candace names the bravery in choosing to love anyway, to keep speaking truth even when it costs something, and to reclaim joy as a radical act of resistance.

Bio

Nikki Apostolou (aka Recycled Stardust) is a proud Mohawk content creator and plus-size model, widely known for her viral presence in beauty, fashion, and New York City lifestyle storytelling. With over a decade of experience sharing her passion for makeup, style, and city life, she’s built a loyal following of over 400,000 across Instagram and TikTok. Nikki’s content is a celebration of body positivity, Indigenous pride, and unapologetic self-expression.

She has walked the runways of New York Fashion Week, representing Indigenous designers and bringing Native excellence to high fashion. Her bold storytelling and signature confidence have earned her features in major media outlets, including CNN, PopSugar, Insider, and Yahoo. Whether she’s breaking beauty standards or elevating Indigenous visibility, Nikki continues to inspire and influence with authenticity and heart.

IG and TikTok: @recycledstardust

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

In this warm, wise, and wildly relatable episode, Dr. Candace Linklater and Dr. Tasha Spillett dive deep into what it means to mother, mourn, and move through the world as Indigenous women. It’s part heart talk, part medicine, as they unpack everything from generational grief to gentle parenting, from cultural reconnection to the quiet rebellions of everyday love. Dr. Tasha opens up about how motherhood pulled her closer to her Cree roots, while Dr. Candace reflects on queer Indigenous identity, loss, and the pressure to hold it all together. The conversation flows like ceremony—full of laughter, raw truth, and ancestral wisdom. This one’s for the aunties, the cycle breakers, the soft landings, and the fierce protectors. It’s a reminder that showing up with love—even when it’s messy—is one of the most radical things we can do.

Throughout their conversation, Dr. Candace and Dr. Tasha speak to the power of presence—how simply showing up with integrity, softness, and cultural grounding can be an act of defiance in a world that asks Indigenous women to be everything and nothing at once. They reflect on the legacy of residential schools, the slow reclamation of language and ceremony, and the ways motherhood can become both a return and a reimagining. Whether discussing the exhaustion of advocacy or the joy found in small, sacred moments, their dialogue is a call to honour the full range of Indigenous womanhood—grief and grace, rage and rest, all held in one breath.

Bio

Dr. Tasha Spillett is a New York Times bestselling author, educator, and scholar of Cree and Trinidadian descent. Her work lives at the intersection of education, storytelling, and community healing. Through her teaching and public speaking, she uplifts Indigenous students and students of color by creating culturally responsive spaces grounded in relationality, equity, and joy. Tasha brings her deep cultural knowledge into every classroom and conversation, honoring her responsibility as an Afro-Indigenous woman to foster belonging and liberation.

Tasha is the author of the multi-award-winning graphic novel series Surviving the City and the bestselling picture books I Sang You Down from the Stars and Beautiful You, Beautiful Me. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to Indigenous resistance, the well-being of children, and justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people. Whether on the page or in community, she moves with love, purpose, and a vision for a world that’s truly worthy of our children.

IG: @tasha.spillett

Website: tashaspillett.com

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

In this heart-expanding chat, Dr. Candace Linklater sits down in person with Waneek Horn-Miller—Mohawk Olympian, activist, and one of the most influential Indigenous women in sport—for a conversation that is as vulnerable as it is visionary. They explore the complicated beauty of Indigenous rage, healing, and authenticity in a world that constantly tries to box Indigenous women in. Waneek reflects on surviving a near-fatal stabbing during the Oka Crisis at age 14 and how that trauma shaped her sense of power, purpose, and protection. 

She shares how sport became the container for her rage, and how ceremony, self-reflection, and motherhood helped her alchemize that fire into compassion. The two discuss how kindness has nothing to do with being polite and everything to do with being loyal to what is just—even if it makes others uncomfortable. They unpack how rage, when left unexpressed, can mutate into internalized harm, and how ceremony must hold space for all emotions—not just grief and peace, but fury too.

Waneek speaks candidly about navigating traditional and Christian expectations, including the pressure to wear ribbon skirts, and how she has always stood a little outside of dominant narratives—even within her own community. Both women share how their relationships to dress, identity, and spirituality have been shaped by purity culture, lateral violence, and a deep hunger for autonomy. They discuss love as a verb rooted in action, accountability, and deep presence. For Waneek, true love doesn’t hurt—it sees, uplifts, and creates peace. Through their shared reflections on creation, ceremony, and connection, this conversation becomes a living testament to Indigenous self-determination, feminine power, and the right to take up space with both tenderness and rage. 

@waneek 

www.waneekhornmiller.com

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

Dr. Candace has some deep convos with Chance Paupanakis, a proud Swampy Cree and Two-Spirit advocate from Kinosew Sipi Cree Nation. Raised in both Indigenous and colonial worlds, Chance shares what it means to come into identity while carrying the weight of silence, shame, and survival—and how they’ve chosen to root instead in language, ceremony, and community.

Their conversation moves through themes that cut deep: the erasure of Two-Spirit roles, the harm of conditional allyship, and the ongoing impact of colonialism on cultural and spiritual life. But it’s also full of hope. Chance speaks to the sacredness of Two-Spirit existence and the strength that comes from reconnecting to land, kin, and self. For any Two-Spirit youth searching for belonging, or anyone wanting to listen more deeply, this conversation is a reminder: you are sacred, you are loved, and you are never alone.

Bio

Chance comes from the Kinosew Sipi Cree Nation in Treaty 5 Territory and currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is a proud Swampy Cree and 2Spirit person who embraces his Cree language and queer identity. 

Chance has western education in Political Studies and Indigenous Studies from the University of Manitoba. Chance focuses his advocacy around Indigenous language revitalization, youth empowerment, land & water protection, Indigenous student rights and 2SLGBTQQIA+ resurgence. 

He began his healing journey five years ago and has been learning from many knowledgeable mentors from his home community and beyond. Chance currently works as a Consultant and Independent Contractor for numerous organizations throughout Manitoba. 

IG: @copperandfloral

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

In this episode, Dr. Candace Linklater sits with Lindsay King, an Indigenous fashion designer from the Salto Ojibwe and Mohawk Nations, whose journey from social work to fashion is rooted in healing, advocacy, and community care. After working as a social worker and foster parent for 20 years, Lindsay began designing in 2014—without any sewing experience—and went on to study fashion in Toronto and Florence before launching her brand in 2022.

Their conversation explores how Lindsay’s work is inspired by her grandchildren, the strength of Indigenous entrepreneurship, and her commitment to sustainable, ethical fashion. Lindsay shares how creativity became part of her healing journey, leading to powerful work like her Red Collection showcased at Toronto Fashion Week, which raises awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and relatives. She opens up about her philosophy of visualization, her dedication to protecting children, and the importance of creating space for Indigenous representation in the fashion world.

From designing a Cher-inspired leather pant and vest for Tia Wood at the Junos to being named an Indigenous designer to watch by OWL Magazine, Lindsay’s story is one of courage, transformation, and staying rooted in love and purpose.

Bio

Meet Lindsay King is a Saulteaux, Ojibway, and Mohawk fashion designer and registered member of Little Grand Rapids First Nation in Treaty 5 territory. 

Born in Winnipeg and raised between her parents’ communities in Manitoba and Ontario—with time spent in Texas and Nevada—Lindsay is a proud Mother, Grandmother, Social Worker, and creative force in Indigenous fashion. For over 20 years, she dedicated her life to serving Indigenous children and families as a Social Worker and foster parent, all while quietly holding on to a childhood dream: to one day own a store and design clothes.

In 2014, she took a courageous leap, enrolling in fashion programs in Toronto and Florence with no prior sewing experience. Since launching her brand in 2022, Lindsay has grown a line of timeless, luxury garments and curated accessories that reflect care, community, and cultural pride. 

Her recent Red Collection, shown at Toronto Fashion Week, honours and brings awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people—centering the power of visibility and truth on the runway. Working with artisans and suppliers across North America, her designs are stories of resilience, representation, and reclaiming space in an industry that once felt out of reach.

IG: @lindsayking.co

Website: lindsayking.co

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

This episode goes deep. Dr. Candace sits down with Andre Bear, a Two-Spirit Nehiyaw Plains Cree educator and legal scholar who’s been using social media to make conversations about Indigenous rights and sovereignty feel both accessible and deeply personal. They explore Andre’s powerful journey—from growing up in foster care to reconnecting with ceremony—and how those experiences continue to shape his fierce advocacy for Indigenous children and youth.

Andre shares the story behind carrying a Cubone Pokémon toy into important meetings as a way to honour his inner child, a small yet profound act of remembrance and strength. The conversation also goes into the complexities of navigating Two-Spirit identity in Indigenous spaces, the ongoing process of spiritual growth, and the kind of healing that can only come through unconditional love.

Dr. Candace creates space for a conversation that’s raw, moving, and full of heart. Andre’s voice is a testament to what it means to break cycles, reclaim story, and lead with love. His work reminds us that advocacy is care, courage, and connection in action.

Bio 

André Bear is a Nêhîyaw (Plains Cree) educator, advocate, and legal scholar committed to advancing Inherent and Treaty rights. He holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan and was awarded a full-ride scholarship in 2023 to pursue his Master of Laws. 

At just 21, André was appointed as a special advisor to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations for the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 66. He has served on the board of the Indigenous Bar Association and currently sits on the board of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society.

In 2021, André founded Indigenous Nation Rebuilding, a consulting firm focused on revitalizing Indigenous law-making and supporting Nation-led governance. Beyond boardrooms and classrooms, André uses TikTok as a powerful educational tool, breaking down complex legal and political issues in accessible, engaging ways for a new generation of learners. His work bridges tradition and innovation, law and community, all in service of Indigenous sovereignty and truth.

IG and TikTok: @abearlaw 

Webiste: www.ination.ca

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

This podcast episode is a deeply candid conversation between two Indigenous women who hold space for each other in a way that’s both tender and powerful. Anna Lambe—Inuk actress from Iqaluit and the breakout star of North of North—joins Dr. Candace Linklater for an intimate dialogue that weaves together personal stories, professional reflections, and shared truths from the front lines of Indigenous visibility.

Anna opens up about the realities of navigating the entertainment industry as a young Inuk woman, speaking honestly about everything from the highs of success to the quiet, unseen struggles—like dealing with adult acne in the public eye, reclaiming self-love, and managing the pressures of fame. Together, they explore the nuanced dynamics of relationships, the unspoken griefs carried in Indigenous womanhood, and the electric, transformative force of feminine rage.

What unfolds is a soul-level conversation between two women who understand what it means to carry their communities, face the weight of representation, and still show up with humour, softness, and strength. From laughter to raw vulnerability, this episode feels like sitting in on a sacred kitchen table talk—one that reminds us of the power of Indigenous connection, storytelling, and truth.

Bio

Anna Lambe is the lead in CBC’s hit series North of North, which premiered with a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and named Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Shows of 2025. An Inuk actress from Iqaluit, Nunavut, Anna first broke out in the 2018 film The Grizzlies, earning a Canadian Screen Award nomination at just 18. Since then, she’s starred in Trickster, appeared in HBO’s True Detective, and become a rising force in Indigenous storytelling.

Off screen, Anna is a fierce advocate for her people. In 2020, she made headlines with an open letter challenging anti-Two-Spirit rhetoric in Nunavut’s legislature—showing the country that young Inuit voices are powerful and uncompromising.

Whether on screen or in real life, Anna Lambe is reclaiming narrative, defending truth, and shifting the landscape of representation.

IG: @anna.r.b.lambe

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat

In an unfiltered conversation, Jayli Wolf and I demolish the toxic religious trauma from our Jehovah's Witness and evangelical backgrounds. We expose how these belief systems systematically stripped us of autonomy, sexuality, and indigenous spiritual connections, leaving behind a toxic landscape of shame, fear, and suppressed rage. From forced door-to-door preaching to suffocating purity culture, we unpack how these institutions control and silence young women, especially those who are queer and indigenous.

Our dialogue transforms into a fierce declaration of reclamation. Through art, music, feminine rage, and radical self-love, we're actively dismantling these oppressive internalized narratives. Jayli's music becomes a powerful outlet for healing, transforming pain into sound that challenges colonial and religious systems. We celebrate questioning everything, trusting our intuition, and creating space for our full, messy, beautiful selves - a defiant love letter to our younger, silenced versions.

Jayli’s Bio

Jayli Wolf is a Saulteau First Nation musician, sound weaver, poet, actress, and filmmaker whose art is a portal to healing, reclamation, and truth. Her solo breakout single Child of the Government—a visceral anthem about the Sixties Scoop—garnered national acclaim, including a spot on CBC Music’s Top 10 Canadian Songs of 2021 and a Best Music Video award at the Venice Short Film Awards.Raised in a trailer park and told she was half-Mexican, Jayli didn’t learn about her First Nations roots until age eight, when her father—an unwitting survivor of the Sixties Scoop—reached out. Her journey of reconnection with her culture, identity, and Spirit now pulses through everything she creates.

A former Jehovah’s Witness, Jayli left what she calls a Doomsday cult to pursue music and self-liberation. Today, her critically acclaimed EP Wild Whisper and her roles in films like Run Woman Run continue to showcase her depth and unapologetic voice. Nominated for multiple JUNO and film awards, Jayli alchemizes revelation into sound, crafting work that elevates the soul and invites collective healing.

www.jayliwolf.com

IG & TikTok: @jayliwolf

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Music Produced by Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

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Music Produced by Award Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat