A Radical Act of Hope with Siila Watt-Cloutier has won two top honors at the 2025 Signal Awards.
The limited series podcast has received a Gold Award from the competitions’ judging academy and the Listener’s Choice Award in the Limited Series: Activism, Public Service & Social Impact category.
Produced by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) at the University of Victoria, in collaboration with Everything Podcasts, A Radical Act of Hope features the story of Inuk climate and human rights advocate Siila (Sheila) Watt-Cloutier, PICS’ inaugural Indigenous Climate Fellow.
The limited series explores the life, work, and wisdom of Watt-Cloutier, one of the world’s leading voices on climate change, human rights, and Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
The podcast featured interviews with Indigenous women leaders and changemakers Leena Evic, Nicole Redvers, and Aleqa Hammond. Together, they discuss climate conscious leadership as Watt-Cloutier models it — an approach that prioritizes consensus, intergenerational wisdom, and long-term stewardship.
“This award affirms that my life’s work — and the voice of Indigenous peoples globally — continues to resonate as a beacon of hope, direction, and action to build a better world,” says Watt-Cloutier.
“I am grateful for the support from PICS and to the remarkable team at Everything Podcasts for allowing my voice, my life’s work, and the voices of other Indigenous women to be heard by a larger audience,” she says.
“This recognition affirms the global resonance of Siila’s message—one of leadership, resilience, and radical hope in the face of climate change,” says PICS Executive Director Ian Mauro, who was a podcast co-host. “We’re honoured to share her story and demonstrate the significance of our Indigenous Climate Fellows program here at PICS and UVic.”
“It is a profound honour to represent Siila Watt-Cloutier, one of the most important Indigenous leaders of our time, and help bring her extraordinary voice and vision to audiences around the world,” says Jennifer Smith, Founder and CEO of Everything Podcasts. “Working alongside Siila and PICS to create A Radical Act of Hope has been a true gift—an experience that reinforces the power of storytelling to guide a more hopeful and connected future. It is a privilege to have played a part in supporting their work.”
The Listener’s Choice Award, which is selected by public votes, is especially appreciated by the podcast team.
“Receiving the Listener’s Choice award reflects a growing recognition that climate action begins with relationship — with listening and connecting with each other,” says Janna Wale, PICS’ Indigenous research and partnerships lead, who was also a co-host on the podcast. “This recognition demonstrates that Siila’s approach of leading with climate conscious leadership is particularly resonant.”
The Signal Awards, which celebrate the podcasts that “define culture,” recognized this year’s winners from an extraordinary range of voices and genres worldwide. Other 2025 winners include high-profile shows such as The Wonder of Stevie, The Mel Robbins Podcast, Crime Junkie, and New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.
The Signal Awards received more than 385,000 public votes this year, a 126 per cent increase over 2024, and featured submissions from across the globe, including the U.K., Australia, Germany, and Qatar.
A Radical Act of Hope with Siila Watt-Cloutier is available on all major podcast platforms.
