Rising Through the Fray

This special episode was made in partnership with the Capital City Film Fest, where Tashmica moderated a live panel with filmmaker Courtney Montour and skater Hawaiian Blaze following a screening of Rising Through the Fray. Courtney then joined Tashmica and Shannon to go even deeper. Rising Through the Fray follows Indigenous Rising — the first team in roller derby history to compete at the World Cup, representing not one country but over 30 Indigenous Nations. Courtney Montour (Kanien'kehá:ka, Kahnawake) spent years building trust with the team before cameras rolled, and it shows: this is an intimate film about the disconnection caused by colonization, homecoming, and what it means to find your people on wheels. Listen in to hear more about Sour Cherry's journey through injury and how her identity as a skater (or maybe coach) is being shaped and reshaped by time. We discuss Hawaiian Blaze's art and how it helps make the thousands of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) more visible. We follow Krispy's story of discovery as she explores and connects with her nation through the team and her wider community. Join us as we celebrate the Borderless team movement that Indigenous Rising sparked — and discuss the challenges ahead as the team continues to rise. Pop Culture Homework Rising Through the Fray is screening at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) — director Courtney Montour will be in attendance at both screenings. Saturday, May 16 · 8:00 PM — SIFF Cinema Uptown Sunday, May 17 · 1:30 PM — PACCAR IMAX Theater at Pacific Science Center Tickets: siff.net/festival/rising-through-the-fray About Our Guest Courtney Montour is a Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) documentary filmmaker from Kahnawake, Quebec, with 18 years in the field. Her work centers women's stories, Two-Spirit stories, and the long fractures of colonial disconnection. Rising Through the Fray is her debut feature, produced with Nish Media (an Indigenous production company), and won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at image+nation Film Festival 2025. If you loved this episode, leave us a 5-star review and share this episode with a skater near you. It really helps! 🛒 Popaganda merch: shopaganda.sellfy.store 🌐 Website: popagandapod.com 🎧 Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you get podcasts