Monday, April 4, 2022 – Pivot art exhibition: balancing traditional and contemporary
Graphics and images drawn from Native traditions are at the heart of the new art exhibition, “Pivot”, at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. What’s different is the images are all on skateboard decks. The creators of the show say it melds together the resilient Native work adapted to a decidedly non-Native medium.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022 – The future of the Great Salt Lake
Long before it became the inspiration to build what became Utah’s largest city, the Great Salt Lake was an important place for the Ute, Paiute, Goshute, and Shoshone nations among many others. Now, the lake is at half the volume it was just a few decades ago and it continues to shrink.  Ongoing climate change and over committed water resources point to a future without the lake recovering to its ideal volume.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022 – Uranium: threat and promise
Remnants of more than 500 uranium mines on the Navajo Nation have been a threat to residents for decades. But on the horizon is the promise of jobs and economic development funded by corporate settlements and federal sources to clean up the tailings and other contaminated waste left behind. There are many details and concerns to be worked out, but some Native entrepreneurs are laying the groundwork for a brighter, safer future.

Thursday, April 7, 2022 – The papal apology
The apology from Pope Francis sought forgiveness for the role the Catholic Church played in the atrocities meted out in church-run residential schools in Canada. It was a message of contrition and healing for the century of abuses and cultural oppression, delivered to an audience that included First Nations, Inuit and Metis representatives. But it comes too late for many of the survivors of those institutions, including the hundreds of Indigenous children whose final resting place has only recently come to light. We’ll recount the nuances of both welcoming and demanding more from the Vatican.

Friday, April 8, 2022 – Solving Native inmate deaths
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is promising reforms after a disproportionate number of inmates died while in custody in tribal detention facilities the bureau oversees. We’ll find out what the agency plans and what an internal investigation found out about the deaths of at least 19 jail inmates stemming from what a report referred to as ‘a pattern of neglect and misconduct’.

Monday, March 28, 2022 – Setbacks for basic respect 
A series of troubling incidents around the country appear to harken to a time of unchecked discrimination, racism and basic disregard for Native people. A South Dakota hotel owner publicly announces a ban on all Native Americans. Students at an Oklahoma school forcibly cut off a Kickapoo first grader’s hair. And a Texas high school doubles down on fake headdresses and other made-up imagery to bolster its “Cherokee values” brand. How, after all the media interviews, op-eds, awareness campaigns and personal pleas for change, can such ignorance of fundamental respect keep surfacing in 2022?

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 – Recognizing Native Vietnam veterans
More than 42,000 Native Americans fought in Vietnam. Nearly all were volunteers. We’ll take time on Vietnam Veterans Day to honor all those who served during what was initially called “a policy action”. We’ll hear the stories of heroism and healing from and about those who were there.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 – The wrestling tradition
Native Americans are well-represented on the wrestling mat at the high school and college levels. The NCAA wrestling championships have just ended and athletes and coaches are already eyeing prospects for next season. We’ll hear about notable Native wrestlers and find out the appeal wrestling presents for Native athletes.

Thursday, March 31, 2022 – Indigenous farmworkers
Itinerant farm work means putting in long, hard hours. It’s a job most people pass up. But it’s long been an avenue for employment for people from south of the U.S. border. Numbers are hard to come by, but one survey found the number of Indigenous farmworkers in California alone reached 140,000. On a day set aside to recognize noted farmworker advocate Cesar Chavez, we’ll get a better understanding of the role Indigenous people play in the nation’s agricultural economy.

Friday, April 1, 2022 – Just kidding
It’s the day to question (more than usual) every news article, social media post, and conversation. Every year, April Fools Day recalibrates our gullibility meter. We’ll spend an hour getting the absolute truth from Native comedians and others about what makes things funny.