Healing, Reconnection, and Reclamation

Braden Kadlun is an Inuk content creator, advocate, and storyteller who is reshaping what it means to lead with vulnerability, truth, and cultural pride. Growing up between Nunavut, Nova Scotia, and the Northwest Territories, his journey is one of healing and deep reconnection—rooted in the strength of matriarchs.

From a breakout role in The Grizzlies to going viral in a sealskin parka made by his mother, Braden uses digital platforms to amplify Inuit voices, share traditional knowledge, and speak openly about his sobriety.

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Choosing Sobriety: A Path Led by Matriarchs

Braden shares how his sobriety began with a moment of clarity and crisis. It was his mother who first showed him that it was okay to heal, planting a seed that eventually grew into his decision to choose life.

Now, Braden is open about the power of choosing softness, honesty, and joy—even when the world doesn’t make it easy. His journey reminds us that healing doesn’t look the same for everyone—and that taking it one day at a time is radical in itself.

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Urban Inuk Identity and Digital Storytelling

Braden speaks about what it means to be an “urban Inuk,” someone navigating city life while staying rooted in cultural values. Through his content, he reclaims space online with humour, honesty, and a deep respect for his ancestors.

Storytelling, he explains, is no longer just a creative outlet—it’s a responsibility. One that carries the voices of his community and honours the matriarchs who came before him.

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A Guide to Sobriety: Writing Through Isolation

During a period of isolation, Braden wrote his first book A Guide to Sobriety: Ten Gentle Reminders. It’s a reflective offering for anyone on a healing journey—gentle, open-ended, and non-prescriptive. A blueprint for choosing yourself again and again.

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Inuit Futurism: Not Just Survival, But Celebration

For Braden, Inuit futurism means more than survival. It’s about joy, beauty, and the full spectrum of being Inuk. It’s mukbangs with his mom, spotlighting Inuit foods, and showing young people that their culture is powerful, relevant, and alive.

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Protecting Peace in Online Spaces

Despite facing racism and lateral violence online, Braden protects his peace by staying grounded in his values. He leans on his community, draws strength from his culture, and lives by the Inuktitut phrase: Anuhitkatyakhvithit — to live a good life.

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Some highlights from our conversation:

• Why his sobriety journey began in a moment of clarity and crisis

• How his mom and wife encouraged him to step into his voice online

• What it means to be an “urban Inuk” and how he stays rooted in his culture

• The power of representation—and what Inuit futurism means to him

• Writing his first book during isolation and offering it as a blueprint for healing

• How he protects his peace while navigating racism and lateral violence online

• The Inuktitut phrase that anchors his life: Anuhitkatyakhvithit — to live a good life

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Find His Work

You can find A Guide to Sobriety: Ten Gentle Reminders on Amazon and follow Braden’s journey across platforms @bradenkadlun

This conversation stayed with me long after we wrapped, and I hope it meets you wherever you are in your own healing.

Listen now wherever you stream your podcasts.

Hiy hiy,

Shayla