In this episode of The People Teaching People Podcast, I am joined by Tchadas Leo. 

Tchadas is an Indigenous TV Journalist, Podcaster, TV host, Actor, Producer and Documentarian based on Vancouver Island. His Indigenous lineage belongs with the Homalco First Nation and the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. He also has Peruvian & Argentinian ancestry.

Tchadas has been with the CHEK Media group, with his multi-national award-winning podcast and TV show known as Our Native Land, since 2020. These accolades include 2022 Canadian Podcast Awards’ Indigenous podcast of the year and 2023 Amazon Music’s top podcasts of the year. His talk show/podcast focuses on all things Indigenous from Vancouver Island and across Canada. 

In 2023, Tchadas joined the CHEK News team as a full-time Journalist and recently became the first Coast Salish person to Anchor a newscast on Coast Salish territory. In 2024 Tchadas received the Broadcast Performer of Tomorrow award from the BCAB (British Columbia Association of Broadcasters) and the 2024 RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association) emerging journalist award honoring his work in journalism and anchoring.

On top of several podcasts and local TV production projects, Tchadas works with Orca Cove Media as an Executive Producer to help create and develop Indigenous TV series for a major television network.

Listen in as we talk about:

03:30 Tchadas’ media journey 

08:21 Building community through podcasting

13:10 Preserving Indigenous language, stories, and history

18:10 Reconnecting with Indigenous roots and community

20:25 Building relationships with Indigenous communities

24:14 The power of listening

25:15 Storytelling for healing and reconciliation

30:20 Behind the challenges of Indigenous storytelling

33:30 What’s coming up next for Tchadas

36:54 Lessons from key mentors

40:15 Being authentic

41:33 Tchadas answers some rapid-fire questions

43:19 Embracing lifelong learning

Connect with Tchadas:

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• Website: https://tchadasleo.ca/
  
• LinkedIn: Tchadas Leo
  
• Instagram: @tchadas_leo
  
• Facebook: @tchadas.leo
  
• Podcasts: https://tchadasleo.ca/hosted/
  
  • 
    
  • Our Native Land
    
  • Remember: Our People | Our History: Recordings of Elders Explored
    
  • Indigenous Voices of Vancouver Island
    
    
    
  
  
  

Connect with Tiana:

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• Website: https://tianafech.com
  
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
  
• Instagram: @tianafech 
  
• Facebook: @tianafech 
  
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course 
  

Tchadas’ journey into the media world started at just 12 years old when he picked up a camera and fell in love with filmmaking. A chance encounter with a local nonprofit TV station led him to volunteer, and by 16, he was one of the youngest associate producers at Shaw. However, his path took several unexpected turns. After studying digital media, he found himself working in the car industry, followed by the hospitality industry – and then COVID hit, prompting a deep reflection on his true passion. With the support of his wife, he returned to his media roots, commuting from Vancouver Island to mainland British Columbia to study and eventually landing a journalism job at CHEK TV. Reflecting on his career, Tchadas emphasizes that it’s okay to take detours and that success often comes from circling back to what you truly love. Sometimes, finding your path means trying out many different roads before realizing where you truly belong.

At PodSummit YYC 2024 in Calgary, Tchadas shared his experience of connecting with other podcasters and how events like these play a vital role in growing the podcasting community, especially for Indigenous voices. He was drawn to the summit after noticing a lack of Indigenous representation and offered to lend his expertise, leading to an invitation to speak. Tchadas highlighted the power of in-person gatherings for fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and supporting newcomers to the podcasting world. He emphasized how these events can provide the essential community support that many Indigenous podcasters need to navigate challenges like funding, audience growth, and branding. His takeaway? Creating spaces where diverse voices are welcomed and empowered is crucial for the continued growth of the podcasting industry. Community, collaboration, and shared resources are key to amplifying Indigenous voices in the media.

Tchadas shares the story behind Remember Our People, Our History: Recordings of Elders Explored, a podcast series that preserves and shares his Indigenous nation’s language, stories, and heritage. The podcast episodes were built around recordings of elders, with Tchadas reviewing these stories alongside community members, both in-person and remotely, to draw out additional memories and cultural insights. They also worked to translate elements of their language for listeners unfamiliar with it, making the stories more accessible. After the podcast’s success, the project expanded into a graphic novel aimed at engaging younger audiences. With help from UBC’s Comics Studies Cluster, the team produced a stunning novel illustrated by three Indigenous artists, which will soon be distributed to the community. Blending traditional storytelling with modern formats like podcasts and graphic novels can both preserve cultural knowledge and make it accessible to future generations.

Tchadas reflects on how his involvement in this project has shaped his understanding of cultural preservation. Not living on his reserve anymore, he never anticipated reconnecting with his Indigenous roots, but this project brought him back to his community. He highlighted the value of the past work of doing these recordings in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which was crucial in capturing elders’ voices and stories. Listening to these recordings, he was moved to hear his mother’s voice in the background, a reminder of her own pivotal role in language preservation. The project, he explains, was a true community effort, with many people working together to ensure the stories and traditions of their culture lived on. His takeaway? The importance of community collaboration, and how unexpected life experiences, like managing a restaurant or working in the car industry, can all contribute to the skills needed for such meaningful work. Reconnecting with culture and community can open unexpected doors to preserving what matters most.

Tchadas shares the key lessons he’s learned from his work on the podcast and TV show Our Native Land, particularly when it comes to engaging with Indigenous communities. He emphasizes that creating meaningful stories takes time and patience, often requiring months of planning, building trust, and coordinating logistics. Whether he’s filming a single episode or conducting an interview, much of the work happens before the cameras even roll. Tchadas explains that a big part of his success has been simply listening – letting people share their stories at their own pace. He’s found that sometimes, the most powerful moments arise when he steps back and allows space for the conversation to unfold naturally. Through this process, he’s come to appreciate the importance of patience in both journalism and life. True engagement with communities is built on listening, time, and genuine connection – values that shape the way stories are told and shared. 

“I’m going to listen and I’m going to learn.”

Tchadas reflects on the profound impact of truly listening, both as a journalist and in his personal life. He shares that much of his success in engaging with Indigenous communities and elders comes from simply being present, listening patiently, and learning from those he interacts with. He points out that this skill, while essential in his work, also applies to everyday life, like parenting. Tchadas has learned the value of absorbing stories and perspectives, even when they challenge his own views. Listening, he believes, is the key to building deeper connections and understanding. 

Tchadas sees storytelling as a powerful tool for reconciliation, particularly when it gives a voice to marginalized communities that are often overlooked by mainstream media. Through his work, he’s been able to share the stories of Indigenous communities in a way that is respectful, patient, and engaging, sometimes reaching people who might otherwise never hear them. One example he shares is his experience working with the Ditidaht First Nation, where building relationships took months, but the impact of telling their stories was immediate. Stories can serve as a bridge to understanding, and for some viewers, they’re an eye-opening way to learn about challenges faced by these communities, such as the lack of basic infrastructure. Tchadas reflects on how these stories, when shared with care, not only educate others but can also aid in healing, especially when the storytelling process itself provides an outlet for Indigenous people to process and release painful histories. However, he acknowledges that not every community is ready to share their stories, and meeting people where they’re at is crucial in this work. Storytelling, when done with respect and patience, can foster understanding, healing, and reconciliation.

Bringing Indigenous stories to a broader audience comes with its fair share of challenges, many of which go unnoticed by the public. For Tchadas, the biggest hurdle is time – balancing his regular news duties with his passion projects like Our Native Land while managing long commutes and tight schedules. Budget constraints also play a significant role, with limited funds impacting how far and wide stories can be told, especially for remote communities. But beyond logistical struggles, the challenge of rebuilding trust between media and Indigenous communities is crucial. Historically, the media often misrepresented or overlooked Indigenous voices, so regaining that trust takes time and patience. Additionally, the complexities of working within an island-based news station with limited resources require careful decision-making about which stories to prioritize. Despite these obstacles, Tchadas is committed to amplifying Indigenous voices in the media. Sharing Indigenous stories takes time, trust, and careful planning – it’s a process that goes beyond just the story itself.

Tchadas is juggling a variety of exciting projects that blend his passion for storytelling, community engagement, and personal growth. He’s working on new episodes for Our Native Land, including a compelling piece on kelp harvesting in Tofino, where an Indigenous nation is reviving this ancient practice with hopes of launching their first kelp farm. His long-anticipated graphic novel project – launched just last week! Additionally, he’s collaborating on a potential TV series pitch where he would be the executive producer. Though his schedule is packed, he’s learning to balance it all, saying no to some projects in order to avoid burnout and prioritize his family and his well being. Alongside these, he hopes for more acting opportunities, particularly enjoying roles that let his journalistic experience shine through. It’s clear that his drive for creative work continues to fuel his journey, and there’s more on the horizon! Tchadas plans to focus on what matters most while staying open to new possibilities.

Tchadas reflects on the key figures who’ve guided his journey, both in and out of the classroom. One of his earliest mentors was Kathy Babchuk, his media studies teacher in grades 7, 8 and 9,, who encouraged him to explore his creative potential and treated her students like adults. This early empowerment sparked his interest in media, which led to him volunteering at a local TV station. Over the years, Tchadas has benefited from mentorship by figures like BC news legend Ian Haysom and veteran anchor Scott Fee, who offered guidance as he developed his podcasting and journalism skills. Tchadas is also grateful for his current news director, Joe Perkins, whose influence has shaped his approach in the media. He acknowledges the importance of mentorship, noting that the supportive team around him – whether in the newsroom or his personal life – has played a crucial role in his growth. Mentorship is vital to growth – learning from others’ experience and wisdom can help us unlock our own potential.

Reflecting on his journey, Tchadas shares that he’s most proud of staying authentic throughout his career. As an Indigenous reporter, he’s found a way to represent his culture while doing what he loves without having to conform to expectations in the newsroom. While he’s comfortable with being labeled an “Indigenous journalist,” he’s also determined not to be defined solely by that. For him, it’s about doing the job with integrity, while bringing his own humor, character, and humanity to the role. He’s proud to be an Indigenous presence in the mainstream media, just doing the news like anyone else. For Tchadas, staying true to himself has been key to his success, and he feels grateful that he’s been able to bring his full self to his work. Authenticity is key – being true to who you are opens doors for personal and professional growth.

What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do?

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• Learn how to kick box and box
  

What is a book, podcast, movie or TV show that you have learned from recently?

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• Podcast: Paul & Parker Pod with Paul Haysom and Brendan Parker 
  

If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?

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• News anchors he listened to growing up – Tony Parsons, Pamela Martin and Chris Gayles
  

Tchadas shares a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams and further your education, even when life feels like it’s already on a set path. Reflecting on his own journey, he recalls going back to school at 30, feeling out of place among younger students but pushing through the challenge by working three times as hard. He emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people who want to see you succeed, sharing how his family, especially his wife, made sacrifices to help him follow his passion. Keep learning, work hard, and find the right support – success follows when you stay committed to your dreams.

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Today’s episode is produced by VOLT Productions, a full-service podcast production agency helping creators and entrepreneurs launch, grow and monetize their shows. You can learn more about the agency’s founder Simona, their work and their team by going to www.voltproductions.co.