Michelle Robinson: Advocating for Indigenous Futures

Bio:
Michelle Robinson is Sahtu Dene with a weekly podcast, Native Calgarian, founded in 2018, and a monthly public Indigenous book club established in 2016. She is a mother, public speaker, and advocate for Indigenous Peoples and Truth and Reconciliation, working with governments and community groups.

Links:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nativecalgarian
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@native_calgarian?_t=8YpwkB838QI&_r=1
• Mastodon: https://ohai.social/@nativeCalgarian
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@nativecalgarianpodcast

Quotes:
"The moment you think you understand something is the moment you meet a new person that explains it in a different way that makes you reconsider how you look at it."

Episode Highlights:
Michelle opens with a land acknowledgment and reflects on her dual heritage—her father’s Mayflower lineage and her mother’s Indigenous roots. She shares personal challenges with systemic racism and neurodiversity while advocating for truth and reconciliation. Through her podcast and community work, she encourages others to embrace diverse perspectives and honor lost Indigenous voices.

Childhood Experiences:
Michelle identifies as Sahtu Dene with Canadian status as Yellowknife’s Dene First Nation. Her heritage blends her mother’s Indigenous roots and her father’s settler lineage. Her maternal grandmother endured residential school, while her parents’ marriage brought together diverse cultural influences.

Raised by her father’s white family, Michelle faced anti-Indigenous bias but found support from an uncle who stood up for Indigenous people. She now fosters pride in her heritage and teaches her daughter about their culture through positive experiences, such as beading and learning from elders.

Influential Groups:
Michelle overcame a challenging upbringing in a racist environment and now focuses on anti-racism and reclaiming her Indigenous identity. She supports the TRC report, the MMIWG2S (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Gender Diverse) inquiry, and the National Indigenous Economic Strategy, advocating for systemic solutions. She emphasizes honoring Indigenous families, improving birthing experiences, and remembering lives lost to colonial policies.

Personality and Temperaments:
Recently diagnosed with ADHD, Michelle reflects on her outspoken nature and commitment to justice. She values humility and listening to diverse perspectives as part of her healing journey. She highlights treaty obligations and equity as foundations for building partnerships between Indigenous and settler communities.

Cultural Epiphanies:
Michelle recounts her traumatic birthing experience, shaped by systemic racism and harmful stereotypes tied to her Indian Act status card. This experience underscores the inequities Indigenous women face in healthcare, reflecting broader systemic issues.

What Brings Out the Best in Michelle?
Michelle finds purpose in honoring future generations and her ancestors, including her grandmother and her mother. She is grateful for the privilege of advocacy and aims to leave a positive legacy for her daughter and her community.

Soapbox Moment:
Michelle encourages engaging with diverse voices through books, podcasts, and documentaries to broaden perspectives. She highlights the richness of marginalized communities beyond trauma, pointing to their contributions to music, science, and fiction.