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What does it take to keep going when the work is difficult, the systems are complicated, and there is no roadmap to follow?

In this episode of Matriarchs: Journeys & Memoirs, we sit down with leaders from WomenSpirit Coalition whose lived experiences, professional journeys, and commitment to supporting survivors have shaped their work in the movement to end violence against Native women.

Dee Rhodes-Koaster, founder of WomenSpirit Coalition, reflects on her journey from survivor to advocate and trailblazer—and on the challenges of building a tribal coalition when there was no established model to follow. She shares the story behind WomenSpirit Coalition, the importance of victim safety and offender accountability, and her vision for the Family Safety Center as a place where Native survivors can find support without judgment.

The conversation also explores the emotional complexity of leading organizations focused on domestic violence and sexual assault, the importance of going "upstream" to address prevention, and the power of women to reclaim their voices, leadership, and cultural strength.

At the heart of this episode is a powerful reminder: when you're doing good work, you may face resistance—but that doesn't mean you stop.

In this episode:

• The personal experiences that inspire a lifelong commitment to ending violence
• The origins of WomenSpirit Coalition and the challenges of being a trailblazer
• Why culturally specific, survivor-centered services matter
• Why resilience isn't about doing the work alone
• The importance of creating models that other communities can build upon

“Matriarchs: Journeys and Memoirs” is a reflective podcast that honors the lives, voices, and legacies of women who have shaped families, communities, and generations through strength, sacrifice, wisdom, and resilience. Each episode explores personal stories of becoming, remembering, surviving, leading, and passing down what matters—through intimate conversations, memoir-style storytelling, and reflections on identity, heritage, motherhood, Elderhood, and female authority.

The podcast invites listeners into the emotional and historical journeys of matriarchs: the women who carried traditions, made difficult choices, held families together, broke cycles, and created paths for those who came after them. Blending memory, culture, and lived experience, “Matriarchs / Journeys and Memoirs” is a space for honoring women’s stories not as footnotes, but as central narratives of love, power, endurance, and legacy.

Hosted by Dee Rhodes-Koester and Cheryl Coan

Funded by WomenSpirit

Music by Joanne Shenandoah friend and colleague.

Produced by AMP Studio

Reach out with Questions and Comments: MatriarchsPodcast@womenspirit.net

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Matriarchs: Journeys and Memoirs, Dee Rhodes-Koester is joined by WomenSpirit Coalition team members Delphine McInerney and Bri Condon for an update on the organization’s programs, partnerships, and vision for the future.

Delphine shares exciting developments at the Sayuhawei Family Safety Center, including its role as the nation’s first Native American Family Justice Center under the Alliance for Hope umbrella.

Brie Condon, WomenSpirit Coalition’s first development director, talks about the organization’s new capital campaign and the vision for creating a permanent campus dedicated to Indigenous safety, healing, leadership, and sovereignty. The campaign is designed to strengthen long-term sustainability while ensuring that more resources can go directly toward serving Indigenous survivors and strengthening tribal communities.

The conversation also looks ahead to WomenSpirit Coalition’s 25th anniversary and the importance of planning for the organization’s next 25 years. Dee reflects on sustainability, succession, partnerships, and the importance of creating a strong foundation for the generations to come.

The episode also highlights upcoming events, including the September strategic planning session for the Sayuhawei Family Safety Center and the 17th Annual Amethyst Awards luncheon on October 1 in Port Angeles, where first responders and advocates from tribal communities will be recognized for their work.

In This Episode

• Updates from the Sayuhawei Family Safety Center
• Tribal court advocacy and legal services
• Plans for safe exchange and supervised visitation
• WomenSpirit Coalition’s capital campaign
• The vision for a permanent WomenSpirit Coalition campus
• Building organizational sustainability for the next 25 years
• Partnerships with tribes, funders, and community leaders
• Upcoming strategic planning and the Amethyst Awards
• Why hope, healing, and community remain at the heart of the work

“Matriarchs: Journeys and Memoirs” is a reflective podcast that honors the lives, voices, and legacies of women who have shaped families, communities, and generations through strength, sacrifice, wisdom, and resilience. Each episode explores personal stories of becoming, remembering, surviving, leading, and passing down what matters—through intimate conversations, memoir-style storytelling, and reflections on identity, heritage, motherhood, Elderhood, and female authority.

The podcast invites listeners into the emotional and historical journeys of matriarchs: the women who carried traditions, made difficult choices, held families together, broke cycles, and created paths for those who came after them. Blending memory, culture, and lived experience, “Matriarchs / Journeys and Memoirs” is a space for honoring women’s stories not as footnotes, but as central narratives of love, power, endurance, and legacy.

Hosted by Dee Rhodes-Koester and Cheryl Coan

Funded by WomenSpirit

Music by Joanne Shenandoah friend and colleague.

Produced by AMP Studio

Reach out with Questions and Comments: MatriarchsPodcast@womenspirit.net

Send us Fan Mail

“Matriarchs: Journeys and Memoirs” is a reflective podcast that honors the lives, voices, and legacies of women who have shaped families, communities, and generations through strength, sacrifice, wisdom, and resilience. Each episode explores personal stories of becoming, remembering, surviving, leading, and passing down what matters—through intimate conversations, memoir-style storytelling, and reflections on identity, heritage, motherhood, Elderhood, and female authority.

The podcast invites listeners into the emotional and historical journeys of matriarchs: the women who carried traditions, made difficult choices, held families together, broke cycles, and created paths for those who came after them. Blending memory, culture, and lived experience, “Matriarchs / Journeys and Memoirs” is a space for honoring women’s stories not as footnotes, but as central narratives of love, power, endurance, and legacy.

Hosted by Dee Rhodes-Koester and Cheryl Coan

Funded by WomenSpirit

Music by Joanne Shenandoah friend and colleague.

Produced by AMP Studio

Reach out with Questions and Comments: MatriarchsPodcast@womenspirit.net

Send us Fan Mail

“Matriarchs: Journeys and Memoirs” is a reflective podcast that honors the lives, voices, and legacies of women who have shaped families, communities, and generations through strength, sacrifice, wisdom, and resilience. Each episode explores personal stories of becoming, remembering, surviving, leading, and passing down what matters—through intimate conversations, memoir-style storytelling, and reflections on identity, heritage, motherhood, Elderhood, and female authority.

The podcast invites listeners into the emotional and historical journeys of matriarchs: the women who carried traditions, made difficult choices, held families together, broke cycles, and created paths for those who came after them. Blending memory, culture, and lived experience, “Matriarchs / Journeys and Memoirs” is a space for honoring women’s stories not as footnotes, but as central narratives of love, power, endurance, and legacy.

Hosted by Dee Rhodes-Koester and Cheryl Coan

Funded by WomenSpirit

Music by Joanne Shenandoah friend and colleague.

Produced by AMP Studio

Reach out with Questions and Comments: MatriarchsPodcast@womenspirit.net