Monday, November 12, 2018 – What citizenship means
President Trump wants to end “birthright citizenship” in the United States for those born to parents who are not citizens. Making such a change would likely require changing the U.S. Constitution. There are parallels for Native Americans. Each tribe has its own requirements for citizenship, and not all of them fall into the category of birthright. Being a citizen of a nation comes with privileges as well as responsibilities. What does it mean to be a citizen of your tribe?
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 – Taking on student loans
Average in-state tuition at a public, four-year college has increase almost 170 percent in the last 20 years. Those numbers from the College Board show the cost of higher education are significantly outpacing inflation. To pay for college, students are having to rely more and more on loans. The resulting debt is a crippling figure for many students. On this show we’ll talk about the choice to take on student loans, and the options for paying them off.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 – Fighting uranium mines
Weak demand and regional moratoriums have slowed uranium mining in recent years. But tribes, like the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, remain on the front lines, fighting efforts to revive and expand old, shuttered mines in the future. At an October hearing by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, Oglala Sioux Tribe representatives reiterated their contention the panel cannot legally issue a mining permit without proper resource studies with adequate tribal participation. The ASLB rejects that claim. The US Supreme Court is currently weighing the legality of a uranium mining ban in Virginia. That could have implications for mining moratoriums on tribal land elsewhere.
Thursday, November 15, 2018 – It’s Rock Your Mocs Day!
Whether it’s moccasins, mukluks or some other traditional footwear, Native people are showing them off this week at work, school, or running errands. Rock Your Mocs is an annual pride campaign to spread awareness of Native people and culture. We’re celebrating too by sharing stories about the origins of moccasins and learning about their place in Native culture. Tell us about your moccasins.
Friday, November 16, 2018 – Native in the Spotlight: Georgina Lightning
Georgina Lightning (Samson Cree Nation) is an award-winning First Nations actress, filmmaker, screen writer and advocate. She’s appeared on TV shows like “The West Wing” and “Blackstone” and had a role in the 2018 film “Land.” Lightning is also a co-founder of Tribal Alliance Productions, a film production company focused on Indigenous perspectives that produced the award-winning film “Older Than America.” We’ll talk with her about her career and upcoming projects.
