Ep. 29: Matriarch Mode: Love, Loss, and Indigenous Mothering with Dr. Tasha Spillett

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.BioDr. 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.spillettWebsite: tashaspillett.com-Relentless Reflection What lessons have I inherited from the matriarchs in my life, and which ones am I ready to rewrite?How do I show up for myself with the same tenderness I give to others?Relentless ActionsChoose one intergenerational pattern, like silence around grief, perfectionism, or harsh self-talk, and disrupt it with compassion, curiosity, and kindness.Reach out to a fellow caregiver, auntie, or friend and have an honest conversation about what support actually looks like. Start weaving a support system rooted in reciprocity rather than performance.Relentless ResourcesI Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett-SumnerBeautiful You, Beautiful Me by Tasha Spillett-SumnerSend Us a Text with Your Thoughts or Questions!Join the RIW Patreon Community RIW WebsiteMusic Produced by Award-Winning Anishnaabe DJ Boogey the Beat