Relentless Indigenous Woman Podcast

"I've always just loved fashion. It really came from going to powwows." 

In this final episode of the spring/summer season, the host, Dr. Candace Manitopyes, connects with Christian Allaire, a senior fashion and style writer at Vogue, to explore his incredible journey from Nipissing First Nation to the fashion capital of the world. 

They dive into his work as an author and his pivotal role in bringing Indigenous fashion into the mainstream, tackling the complex reality of representation in an industry that has often missed the mark.

The conversation moves beyond the red carpet as they discuss what true reclamation looks like—treating Indigenous designers as artists first, rather than just objects of temporary interest. Christian shares insights on balancing the intense pressures of the fashion business with the deep, intentional storytelling behind Indigenous design, and why pushing creative boundaries is so vital for future generations.

Listeners also get a fun, unfiltered look at the person behind the byline. From a shared obsession with Britney Spears and the comfort of an Indian taco to the chaotic, stress-filled reality of working behind the scenes at a fashion show, this episode captures an honest convo between two Rez kids who dared to ask, "what if there's more?" 

It’s an inspiring, must-listen conversation for anyone who loves fashion, culture, and doesn't give a fck if they're seen as weird for pushing artistic boundaries. 

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Relentless Actions

• Don’t just "like" Indigenous art from afar—make it a tangible part of your daily life. Commit to researching five new Indigenous designers, buying one small, intentional piece (like earrings or a ribbon shirt), and then actively sharing their story when people ask about it. You aren’t just a consumer; you are an ambassador for that artist’s labor, history, and craft.
• If you are a Native creator or artist, stop shrinking your vision to fit the "explicitly Native" box the industry expects of you. Reclaim your right to be "weird," avant-garde, and unexpected. Your work is Indigenous because you are Indigenous—it doesn't need to wear a stereotype to be authentic. Build the future you want to see, not the one they told you to create.

Relentless Reflections

• Christian challenged the colonial assumption that diamonds and European silk are the ultimate markers of wealth. Reflect on what you prioritize in your own life. Are you valuing the "dentallium shells"—the rare, meaningful, and cultural treasures—or are you still chasing someone else’s metric of success? True luxury is often what honours your roots, not what costs the most.
• Writing a memoir is an act of extreme vulnerability, where you have to look at your mistakes, your trauma, and your early "cringe" years with no ego. Reflect on your own story: are you hiding the messy, unpolished, or painful parts of your life? There is a profound, cathartic power in owning your entire narrative—the "nitty-gritty" parts are often the most important ones for your growth.

Relentless Resources

• From the Rez to the Runway by Christian Allaire
• The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures  by Christian Allaire 

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

Beyond the stage and the following: A raw conversation with Fawn Wood about the realities  of sharing your art with the world.

In this episode, Dr. Candace Manitopyes connects with Fawn Wood, a celebrated Plains Cree and Salish musician, to discuss the intersection of ancestral traditions, modern digital culture, and the healing power of music. 

The two women laugh about the weird, small-world connections of the internet and bond over the fact that, despite their public profiles, they’re both just trying to find a bit of genuine peace in an increasingly loud world.

Candace and Fawn peel back the layers of what it means to be public figures in a digital age. Fawn opens up about the vulnerability of sharing her music—how it’s a spirit that travels from one soul to another, offering medicine to anyone listening, even those outside their own communities. 

They get real about the "outrage economy" of social media, admitting that while it used to sting, they’ve both become veterans at protecting their energy. It’s a collective lesson in knowing when to step back, hit the block button, and redirect their focus toward things that actually nurture growth rather than hostility.

There’s a refreshing honesty when the talk shifts to the raw, human side of their lives—like needing to blast heavy metal to work through ancestral rage, or simply taking a long drive to let the spirit settle. They bond over the necessity of creating a true sanctuary at home, a safe haven where children can grow up without inheriting the heavy, unspoken baggage of the past. 

The conversation feels less like an interview and more like a shared commitment to a better future. They circle back to the teaching of living in good relation, acknowledging that while the world can be full of noise and hurt, there’s immense power in choosing kindness and intention. It’s a quiet reminder that their work is built on the hope of paving a path that is just a little bit softer and kinder for the next generation.

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Relentless Actions

1. They two women become veterans at protecting their peace, and you should be too. Take an audit of your online space today—if a platform, a group, or an account is feeding the outrage economy rather than offering connection, exercise your power. Use the block button unapologetically. Your peace is not a performance, and your attention is the most valuable currency you have.
2. Ancestral rage is real, and it needs a place to go. Don’t let it sit in your body or explode into a rage-post that you’ll regret later. Find your physical alchemy—whether it’s blasting heavy metal, going for a long drive, or hitting the pavement for a run. Move the energy through you until your spirit settles, then return to your life with a clear head.

Relentless Reflections

1. Ask yourself throughout your day: Is the energy I am putting into this room, this relationship, or this screen fostering connection or creating hostility? We often talk about living in good relation as a theory, but it’s a daily practice of checking your intention before you speak or hit enter. Are you building up, or are you just tearing down?
2. As you navigate your day, reflect on what you are inadvertently passing on to the next generation. We are all unlearning patterns to build a better sanctuary for the ones coming after us. Ask yourself: What habits or reactions am I modelling right now that I would be proud for my children (or my community's youth) to inherit?

Relentless Resources

1. Follow Fawn Wood on Instagram and TikTok here: @fawnwood

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

"Rage is love on fire."

This episode feels like a long-awaited conversation between kindred spirits. Host, Dr. Candace Manitopyes, connects with Kaniehtiio (Tiio) Horn and unravel Indigenous sterotypes from the very beginning of their talk. 

The two women immediately get into convos about the complicated, beautiful, and sometimes jagged truth of existing as light-skinned Indigenous women.

They also talk about rage. 

Tiio shares how she carried a quiet shame about her anger for years after surviving the Oka crisis; trying to fit herself into boxes that never held her. 

Now, she uses that energy as creative fuel.

Her work, including her role as the Deer Lady in Reservation Dogs and her horror-comedy (and quite cathartic) film Seeds, serves as a vessel for that unbridled spirit. She creates art that demands we look at the reality of who we are, and how there is deep strength in admitting that we all have violence inside us. It's just a matter of learning to channel it into our stories instead of against ourselves.

This conversation serves as an invitation to every person who has felt silenced. Tiio reminds us that we possess the agency to craft our own narratives. We are reclaiming our joy, rage, and futures.

Relentless Reflections

• Stop labeling your rage as something that needs to be hidden or suppressed. Spend time this week sitting with your rage, naming its source, and acknowledging that your anger is a valid response to your history and your environment.
• Identify the spaces in your life where you are defaulting to people-pleasing to maintain a false peace. Question whether you are shrinking your own voice or your boundaries to keep others comfortable, and sit with the reality of what that silence is costing you.

Relentless Actions

• Select one specific area of your life—whether it is your creative work, your advocacy, or your daily decisions—where you will consciously pour your energy instead of swallowing it. Use that force to build, write, or act on something that serves your truth.
• Actively seek out people in your life who refuse to be "yes" people for you. Ask them for unfiltered feedback on your goals, your ideas, and your blind spots so you can stop second-guessing your own power and move forward with clarity.

Relentless Resources

• Follow Tiio's journey on Instagram here: @kaniehtiio
• Check out Reservations Dogs (Hulu) to watch Tiio's iconic role as Deer lady or check out her horror-comedy film Seeds (a MUST watch) 
  
  

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

Hockey is good medicine, and Harlan Kingfisher (aka Smudge the Blades) is proving that with every single stride on the ice. 

In this episode, Dr. Candace hangs out with the legend behind Smudge the Blades, Harlan Kingfisher, to dig into his journey from Sturgeon Lake to the junior and college rinks. They talk about how he turned his passion into a platform that celebrates First Nations identity and explore how his viral "Smudge Celly" became a movement, encouraging Indigenous kids to bring their culture onto the ice and feel proud of who they are while they play.

Beyond the gear and the hype, Harlan is all about showing up for the community. He works to make sure kids have the equipment they need and helps cover registration fees so they can get in the game. They chat about why this matters, how he stays grounded, and why it is vital to create a space for the next generation to chase their dreams without needing to change who they are.

Relentless Actions

• Use your own resources to help a youth in your community with hockey equipment or registration fees. This contribution ensures a young person gains the confidence to participate in the game.
• Find specific ways to integrate your authentic identity into professional or social spaces. When you choose to be yourself, you dismantle barriers for others and grant them permission to do the same.

Relentless Reflections

• Identify the practice that keeps you humble and connected to your origins. Whether it is family, community service, or a personal ritual like smudging, prioritize this practice to stay grounded during busy times.
• Consider your capacity to influence others. Reflect on how you distribute your energy and resources to ensure you pull others up alongside you as you achieve your goals.

Relentless Resources

• Smudge the Blades: Visit Harlan’s platform to see how an apparel brand serves as a vehicle for cultural pride and community support.
• Local Grassroots Sports Boards: Contact your local minor hockey or community sports board. Ask about specific opportunities to sponsor a child for the upcoming season to remove financial barriers for families.

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

Ever feel like you need the perfect plan before starting your business? 

In this episode of Relentless Indigenous Woman, Dr. Candace Manitopyes welcomes Michelle Cameron, CEO of Dreamcatcher Promotions, to talk about the messy, real, and rewarding path of Indigenous entrepreneurship. 

From their hilarious first meeting stuck in a blizzard-bound minivan in Northern Ontario to Michelle building a multi-million dollar company with nothing but a used embroidery machine and YouTube tutorials, they discuss how you don't need perfection to start, you just need the drive to change your life.

The two dig deep into breaking the "poverty mindset," the importance of seeking help through Indigenous Financial Institutions (IFIs) for business planning, and why true luxury is a calm nervous system and time with family. 

If you’ve been letting fear or shame hold you back from your vision, this conversation is your sign to keep going. Tune in to learn why you deserve to thrive, how to stop trying to do everything yourself, and why "Growth Valley" is where your biggest breakthroughs happen.

Relentless Actions

• Outsource the "Scary" Parts: If "business plan," "taxes," or "finances" are stopping you from starting, stop forcing yourself to do it alone. Seek out your local Indigenous Financial Institution (IFI); they often have programs that provide funding specifically to hire consultants who can write business plans and handle financial setup for you.
• Audit Your "Spending vs. Investing": Take a hard look at your current money habits. If you are struggling with a "poverty mindset" where money disappears as soon as it arrives, try starting small by setting aside even a minimal amount (like $100/month or a percentage of income) into a "slush fund" or savings account to build a buffer. Practice shifting from impulsive spending to intentional investing in your own business growth.

Relentless Reflections

• Redefine "Growth Valley" vs. "Death Valley": While the first five years of business are often called "Death Valley" due to high failure rates, view them instead as "Growth Valley." This phase is a crucible for your own personal development. It will force you to become more innovative, brave, and honest about what is—and isn't—working in your venture.
• Wealth is More Than Material: Colonization has distorted our relationship with luxury. True luxury is not just material possession; it is a calm nervous system, the ability to trust your relationships, having time for your family, and the freedom to contribute back to your community. When you ground yourself in these values, you become a more resilient and effective entrepreneur.

Resources

• Indigenous Financial Institutions (IFIs): These organizations are essential for Indigenous entrepreneurs. They provide not just capital, but often access to "aftercare" programs and consultants who can teach you financial literacy and business planning. Look for your regional IFI, such as the First Peoples Economic Growth (Manitoba) or similar entities in your province.
• Dreamcatcher Promotions: Indigenous-owned and trusted nationwide, we create custom branded merchandise and apparel that reflects your organization’s identity and supports your goals https://www.dreamcatcherpromotions.ca/ 

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

What if the very tools we use to understand history (time, progress, and even language) are the exact things preventing us from achieving true collective liberation?

In this episode, Dr. Candace Manitopyes welcomes author and speaker Patty Krawec to discuss the profound necessity of "unforgetting." They dismantle the myth that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are sufficient, arguing that without a fundamental shift in how we relate to the Land and each other and history, we are simply building a larger, more inclusive colonial tent. 

Patty shares how Anishinaabemowin and other process-oriented, Land-based ways of knowing offer a radical alternative to the Western, noun-based, and time-obsessed worldview. They explore why our stories, science, and sense of self are inextricably linked to place, and why we must move from passive consumption of information to intentional, capacity-based action. This is an invitation to stop "dunking" on each other on social media and start building webs of knowledge that actually sustain our communities.

Relentless Actions 

1. The Capacity Audit: Stop "rage-posting" and start organizing. When you feel triggered by an injustice, don't let it paralyze you. Instead, adopt the framework discussed in the episode: Ask yourself four questions: What can I learn about this? Who is already doing the work? What is my actual capacity to help? And what is the most constructive thing I can do right now? Whether it is starting a small book club or supporting an existing group, move from consumption to contribution.
2. Commit to Intellectual Decolonization: Intentionally break your dependence on the traditional canon. Commit to reading broadly—specifically prioritizing Indigenous, Black, and queer authors whose work challenges the "European binary" lens. Treat this as a discipline to rewire your own brain, forcing yourself to engage with perspectives that view history as place-based and relational rather than linear and progress-oriented.

Relentless Reflection 

1. On Honesty vs. Approval: Dr. Candace asks, "Where is the approval coming from in how you function and operate in the world?" Reflect on a project, role, or political stance you have taken recently. Was it an authentic expression of your heart's alignment, or were you seeking validation from a system you claim to oppose?
2. On Relational History: Patty notes that Western history is obsessed with when things happened, while Indigenous ways of knowing focus on where things happened. How would your understanding of your own family, community, or local history shift if you re-centered your perspective around the land you are on, rather than the dates on a calendar?

Relentless Resources

1. Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future by Patty Krawec: A foundational text for excavating history and reimagining our relationships.
2. Thousandworlds.ca: Patty Krawec’s blog, where she continues the vital work of reflecting on literature, history, and our place in the world.

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This conversation opens with the beautiful, grounding discovery that Dr. Candace (the host) is blood kin with Jocelyn, a reminder that this work is always rooted in relationship and interconnectedness. 

In this episode, Dr. Candace connects with Jocelyn Formsma, CEO of Indspire, to unpack what leadership looks like when we move beyond top-down models and into the role of a "big auntie"—someone who shows up to mentor, advocate, and walk beside the next generation. 

They explore the transformative power of bravery, reframing "faking it till you make it" not as a deception, but as a practice to build the muscle of strength already within us. By prioritizing professional networks and mentorship, we are creating a foundation of capacity-building that ensures our youth feel safe, proud, and supported in their leadership journeys.

They dig into what decolonial and solidarity work truly demands, acknowledging that it isn’t found in slogans or performative gestures, but in the messy, consistent work of showing up, immersion, and genuine care. 

When facing the overwhelm of these big spaces, Jocelyn reminds us to lean into curiosity (asking "why" instead of retreating into segregation) and to embrace the duality of strength, where we can be both powerful leaders and vulnerable humans, fuelled by the joy and humour that keep us going. 

Relentless Actions

• Implement "30 Seconds of Bravery" for Networking: When you feel the hesitation of being shy or uncertain, set a physical or mental 30-second timer. Use that window to introduce yourself, walk to the front of the room, or send that outreach email you’ve been holding onto. Don't let the "water get colder" by waiting—just jump in.
• Build Your Professional Peer Network: Following Jocelyn’s advice, actively identify and nurture a peer group separate from your personal circle—people you trust to discuss work, strategy, and challenges. These are the people who will provide the "real responsibility" and ongoing mentorship you need to advance, just as your own mentors did for you.

Relentless Reflections

• On the Duality of Strength: Are you allowing yourself to hold conflicting truths simultaneously? Reflect on whether you are suppressing your vulnerability in an attempt to project "badass" leadership. True endurance comes from balancing the knowledge that you are powerful with the humble acknowledgment of your own humanity and mistakes.
• On Moving Beyond the "Settler Question": Instead of constantly asking for spoon-feeding or seeking comfort in these dialogues, reflect on whether you are doing the "messy work" of immersion. Are you showing up in ways that go beyond slogans, hashtags, or performative gestures to build actual, lived relationships with Indigenous people and communities?

Relentless Resources

• The "Oshkatsuck" Youth Council: Look into the work of the Oshkatsuck (formerly the National Decade for Youth Council), which Jocelyn highlights as a gold standard for youth engagement and capacity building. Use their model as a template for how to center youth voices in your own organizational structure.
• Indspire’s Educational Programs: Explore the resources and scholarships offered by Indspire. Even if you aren't directly applying, their model of "capacity-building" and educational support is a powerful roadmap for how to systemically value and invest in Indigenous futures rather than just offering charity.

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat 

In this episode, host Dr. Candace Manitopyes speaks  with Nicole Robertson, a Cree media specialist from the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation and one of the most respected voices in Indigenous communications.

With over 30 years of experience across Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., Nicole has shaped the way Indigenous stories are told through her work as a journalist, producer, and media strategist. This dialogue invites listeners to embrace the cyclical nature of life, recognizing that growth often requires moments of grief, stillness, and surrender. 

Relentless Questions

• What expectations am I carrying that were never truly mine to begin with?
• In what ways can I offer myself more grace as I step into a new season or identity?
• How can I stay grounded in my values and identity while navigating systems that may not reflect or affirm them?

Relentless Actions

• Pause and reflect before reacting. Give yourself space to process emotions, ask deeper questions, and respond with intention rather than urgency.
• Stay rooted in community and culture. Whether through language, ceremony, or relationships, continue to reconnect with the spaces and practices that ground you. Growth does not always have to happen in isolation.

Relentless Resources

• Follow Nicole Robertson and her work in Indigenous storytelling and media at @muskwamedia on Instagram
• Listen to the Stolen Voices Podcast, which explores human trafficking in Indigenous communities and amplifies critical conversations around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit peoples.

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To walk through this world as an Indigenous trans or queer person is to reclaim a sacred, ancestral freedom that the colonial design never anticipated. In this episode, Dr. Amáyá Scott and Dr. Candace Manitopyes connect the threads of their experiences, exploring how joy functions as a revolutionary act of defiance. 

Their conversation journeys through the exhaustion of the digital age, where algorithms thrive on anger and leave our nervous systems frayed. They offer a gentle invitation to step away from the screen and return home to the messy, beautiful, and wonderfully inconvenient spaces where community actually lives—the post office lines, the grocery store aisles, and the quiet corners of our physical neighborhoods.

Love and joy can be found in what may seem like the mundane.  

Relentless Actions

• Choose one digital interaction—a comment, a "like," or a political post—that you would typically engage in to signal your stance, and instead, redirect that energy toward an unmediated, physical interaction. Spend that time waiting in line at a local shop, offering a genuine, unhurried greeting to a neighbor, or sitting in a park without your phone. This is a practice of choosing the friction of real life over the frictionless, automated feedback loops of the algorithm.
• Identify one space in your life—whether it is your workplace, your home, or a public setting—where your identity or your joy is expected to be managed or diminished. Intentionally bring your full, vibrant self into that space, refusing to perform or dilute your presence. To exist in your truth, particularly when it contradicts the colonial standard, is a direct, relentless act of reclaiming ancestral territory.

Relentless Reflections

• As you move through your day, ask yourself: Who is this platform serving when I am angry? Reflect on how your digital consumption—particularly the outrage cycles—is an extension of a colonial design that thrives on your nervous system being perpetually dysregulated. Consider how your attention is an ancestral resource, and reflect on what it would mean to reclaim it as a tool for deepening your actual, tangible relationships.
• Reflect on the ways you have been taught to minimize, pathologize, or hide your queer or trans essence to fit into colonial lines. Instead, hold the perspective that your existence is an unbroken, sacred continuity. Consider how simply choosing to be whole—rather than "productive" or "palatable"—shatters the colonial mirror and invites a new, expansive reality for everyone around you.

Relentless Resources

• “I Am Proud to Be My Mother’s Daughter”: The Gift and Joy of Indigenous (Trans)womanhood in the Colonizing University by Dr. Amáyá Scott https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392686833_I_Am_Proud_to_Be_My_Mother's_Daughter_The_Gift_and_Joy_of_Indigenous_Transwomanhood_in_the_Colonizing_University 
• https://dineaesthetics.com/ 

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Colonial binaries impose a rigid grid of control, yet ancient Indigenous cosmologies have always held a different truth. Renowned Cree scholar Dr. Alex Wilson dismantles these imposed limitations by braiding Indigenous knowledge with the non-binary nature of quantum physics. 

She reminds us that "Queering is transforming poison into medicine." This conversation invites listeners to reject the constraints on identity and step into the vast, fluid reality of being Indigenous, where existence is not a set of isolated points but an expansive, vibrant web of relationship.

Dr. Wilson also shares the "coming in" concept, a journey of returning to community, culture, and self. The discussion examines the lasting impacts of colonization, residential schools, and imposed binaries while offering hopeful visions for healing, belonging, and collective resurgence.

This episode provides guidance for Indigenous people, Two-Spirit individuals, queer folks, educators, and anyone committed to learning or unlearning. It presents pathways for transforming colonial harms into medicine and reclaiming the complexity of Indigenous identity.

Relentless Questions

1. What parts of myself have I learned to hide to fit colonial expectations, and what would it look like to bring those parts back into relationship with my community, my ancestors, and myself? 
2. How might the Land, waters, plants, animals, and skies around me challenge the binaries and assumptions I have inherited about identity, belonging, and what is considered "normal"? 

Relentless Actions

1. Spend time on the land without trying to categorize or control what you see. Observe a river, a patch of moss, the moon, migrating birds, or changing seasons. Notice the diversity, transformation, and fluidity that already exist in the natural world, and reflect on what these teachings reveal about human identity and relationships. 
2. Reach out to someone who helps you feel fully seen. Whether it's family, friends, Elders, chosen family, or community members, intentionally nurture relationships where authenticity is welcomed and celebrated. Practice "coming in" by building spaces where people can bring their whole selves without fear. 

Relentless Resources

1. "Coming In" by Dr. Alex Wilson. Explore Dr. Wilson's research on "coming in," which reframes identity not as leaving one community behind, but as finding and creating circles of belonging where one's whole self is welcomed. This framework offers a deeply relational and Indigenous alternative to mainstream narratives of coming out. 
2. Pedagogy of Moss by Dr. Candace Manitopyes - a decolonial, symbiotic growth model designed to nurture responsive, culturally safe school environments for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ K–12 students. Conceptualized by researcher and educator Dr. Candace Manitopyes in this dissertation, it uses moss as a metaphor for relational systemic growth, collective resilience, and community-driven collaboration

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Music Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat