Monday, January 17, 2022 – The Native perspective on Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King often included Native people in his push to end racial oppression and segregationist policies. His monumental efforts to change the course of history built a foundation that Native Americans continue to build on. As we mark the federal holiday, we’ll reflect on the progress and setbacks since his historic civil rights fight.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 – Building your financial foundation for 2022
If you’ve been putting it off, January is a good time to prepare your financial goals for the coming year. Also, it’s never too early to start preparing your annual tax forms. We’ll talk about some financial steps you can take to get yourself ready for 2022.

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 – Remembering Clyde Bellecourt
Clyde Bellecourt is among the handful of true giants of the American Indian Movement. He devoted his life to challenging injustices and building a more equitable world for Native Americans. From his early years patrolling the streets of Minneapolis to curb police brutality against Native residents, to his work helping establish job, education and health centers, Bellecourt formed a foundation that all Native people can now stand on.

Thursday, January 20, 2022 – Documenting Native progress and needs
The Indigenous Futures Survey is entering its third year. In that time it has been the most comprehensive data set for Native priorities, opinions and perspectives ever collected. The most recent survey counted more than 6,500 Native respondents. The results inform federal policy decisions and paint a more accurate picture of the issues important to Native people. We’ll review the contributions of the Indigenous Futures project and get a look at what else is in store.

Friday, January 21, 2022 – Native filmmakers at Sundance Film Festival
A Karuk girl embarks on a journey with her tribe’s revived coming of age ceremony; exploring the connection of creative expression balanced with Cherokee tradition, language and land; a Kanaka Maoli perspective of the nearly 40 minutes in 2014 when Hawaii residents were under what they could only assume was a credible threat of a ballistic missile attack. Those are among the films utilizing Native filmmakers recognized at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

Monday, January 3, 2022 – Is social media a threat to sacred places?
People think nothing these days of snapping selfies and sharing it with their followers on social media. But that can be problematic for both non-Native and Native people on tribal land or in places considered sacred. Tribes have a variety of rules and guidelines to help protect places from unwanted exposure. We’ll learn what works and what doesn’t when it comes to social media on tribal land. That’s coming up right after the news.

Tuesday, January 4, 2022 – Oklahoma’s McGirt: the complicated path to sovereignty
The 2020 U-S Supreme Court decision related to the McGirt criminal conviction is forcing significant changes in Oklahoma. State officials describe the scenario as ‘chaos’. In asserting their sovereignty, tribes say the state’s reactions are more than exaggerated. Still, there are a lot of details to be worked out, almost all through the courts. There’s a chance the Supreme Court could reconsider its previous decision.

Wednesday, January 5, 2022 – Fixing Passamaquoddy’s drinking water problem
Some residents of the Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation have either hauled water or used bottled water for years, even decades. The tribe’s water source is a lake that members say is unsafe despite tests show that it is largely within federal limits. Tribal leaders say a long-term solution requires a change to a 1980 law that limits the tribe’s ability to acquire land where the tribe could establish wells.

Thursday, January 6, 2022 – Yurok’s MMIW emergency
In response to ongoing tragedies and increased reports of human trafficking attempts, the Yurok Tribe declared a missing and murdered Indigenous women emergency. Tribal officials intend to raise awareness in an attempt to fight statistics that Native women are trafficked at disproportionate rates and murders of Native women are much more likely to go unsolved.

Friday, January 7, 2022 – Sooyii: Blackfeet language film sets a new standard
The tragedy of a contagious disease set against the dramatic backdrop of Montana’s Blackfeet reservation, Sooyii tells a story of resilience in the face of devastating loss. With a dialogue entirely in the Blackfeet language, Sooyii is also an exercise in language revitalization.

Monday, December 27, 2021 – The Menu: wrapping up a year in Indigenous food
They don’t call this an Indigenous food movement for nothing. Every year, Native food warriors are taking bigger strides creating a wholesome Native food system, one based on tradition and culture and supported by today’s markets, media and palate. 2021 included Native restaurant openings, new food businesses, cookbook releases and tribes fighting to protect traditional resources from a variety of threats. We’ll review 2021 in Indigenous food and discuss the trajectory of this culinary movement.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021 – The full picture of California’s missions
For the longest time, history books and local festivals celebrated California’s missions with pride. But the missions have another legacy when it comes to that state’s Indigenous people that includes slavery, abuse, disease and massacres that cut the Native population to a fifth of what it was. We’ll find out how California is coming to grips with its past treatment of Native people.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 – Triumph, heartbreak and bareback horse relay racing
The documentary film, “Pure Grit,” follows a young champion as she competes in the exhilarating and dangerous sport of horse relay racing. It’s more than a movie about competition; With visuals of both breakneck action and quiet, kitchen table confessions, it delves into the personal successes and setbacks of rider Sharmaine Weed and her family on the Wind River Reservation.

Thursday, December 30, 2021 – Woodstock remembered
A group of young Native artists received VIP treatment leading up to what became the storied event starting on August 15, 1969. They were excited to offer their work to a new East Coast audience and take in the impressive line-up of musical acts. But they were in for a big surprise as the adventure on Max Yasgur’s farm in New York took on a life of its own and became a historic gathering. We’ll get remembrances from those who were there and what the experience means to them now.

Friday, December 31, 2021 – Music Maker in Review
We celebrate a great year in Native music. We touched in with old favorites like Keith Secola, established artists like PIQSIQ taking their connection to culture to new frontiers, and up-and-coming talents like Ailani making connections with new audiences. We’ll take a look at the last 12 months of outstanding Native talent.

Monday, December 20, 2021 – Finding foreign markets
From seafood to information technology to staffing consultation, tribes are finding additional markets in foreign countries. Businesses are always working to expand their customer base and tribes are uniquely positioned to capitalize on international expansion. We’ll find out what goods and services are in demand outside the U.S.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021 – Prosthetics: a step toward healing
Many tribes believe people enter the world whole and leave the world in the same way. But, because of injuries or disease, limb amputations are part of healing. Prosthetics offer better mobility and a way to manage daily tasks. We’ll discuss the high tech advancements for prosthetics and the benefits they provide for the people who need them.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 – Solar Sovereignty
“Solar warriors” are touting the benefits to tribes of solar power, both as economic development and as a sustainable energy solution. For some rural tribal areas, solar power is the best alternative compared to getting connected to the grid.

Thursday, December 23, 2021 – 2022: resolutions for a better year.
A year ago at the height of the pandemic, your resolution for the coming year might have included getting out more, maybe seeing a live band with a crowd of other vaccinated fans. The expectation that we’d see the end of the pandemic never materialized. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t looking forward to a healthier, more social 2022.

Friday, December 24, 2021 – ‘Nets’: making waves on the basketball court in southeast Alaska
The documentary film ‘Alaska Nets’ follows the quest by a pair of athletes from Alaska’s only reservation. It premiered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and focuses on the two main concerns in these young mens’ lives: basketball and salmon fishing. We’ll hear about the film and get a glimpse of life on the remote island of Metlakatla. This is an encore show so we will not be taking live phone calls.

Monday, December 13, 2021 – Drawing inspiration from the Native 40 under 40
Leadership, initiative, dedication. Those are the three words inscribed on the National Center for American Indian Economic Development’s 40 Under 40 badge. The organization is celebrating this year’s inductees who exemplify those qualities, including the Yup’ik, Global Director of the Nature Conservancy, the Choctaw executive at Microsoft, and the Lakota legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. We’ll hear from members of this year’s class of 40 inspiring Native leaders under the age of 40.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021 – Year in review: gains and setbacks
Just as tribes were getting a handle on the spread of COVID-19 infections, a new variant and uneven vaccination rates revived the virus and brought new threats. That’s one of the key issues tribes faced in 2021. Other important issues of the year include Debra Haaland’s first months in office as the Secretary of the Interior, Oklahoma’s first full year adjusting to the McGirt Supreme Court decision, and an unprecedented level of emergency federal aid for tribes. We’ll look back at 2021 from an Indigenous perspective.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021 – Help for family caregivers
At least 44% of Native caregivers surveyed say they are the only person available to tend to their loved one. And at least 8 out of 10 say their cultural commitment is an important factor in caring for an elder or someone else needing it. But people don’t always have to take on giving care alone. Tribes and organizations offer a wide range of options to ease the burden.

Thursday, December 16, 2021 – Update: COVID and the holidays
Omicron, booster vaccines. travel restrictions. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to make global headlines and require constant vigilance by tribal health officials. We’ll sort through the rush of information to find the key details you need to know as you navigate family get-togethers.

Friday, December 17, 2021 – Book of the Month: The Diné Reader
“The Diné Reader: An Anthology of Navajo Literature” brings together many voices to speak about the life and culture of the Diné Nation. From creatives to academics, the contributors to this collection of nonfiction prose, fiction and poetry offer a deeper understanding of Diné history and culture. The anthology includes interviews with the authors and is a resource for teachers and students.

 

Monday, November 29, 2021 – Making strides in Native-led school curricula
A survey in 2019 backed by the National Congress of American Indians concluded that the lack of access to adequate funding, equitable curricula, and professional development hinders suitable Native American lessons in schools. The good news is many states since then have recognized those barriers and are making strides to introduce Native-led curricula into schools. The state of Minnesota, for instance, is committing an extra $1.3 million for recruiting and training Native teachers, bringing in more input from Native educators and connecting better with Native students.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 – Uncovering the history of U.S. boarding schools
Researchers in Nebraska have worked for years to find and organize documents from the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School. Part of the project includes identifying students who were buried on school grounds whose records were lost over the years. As the federal government begins its scrutiny of the country’s boarding schools, we’ll hear about what it takes to adequately uncover the truth about the 300 schools aimed at forced assimilation of Native children.

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 – Music Maker: PIQSIQ
The Indigenous voice has a lot of power. That power is amplified when it echoes the sounds of our Indigenous nations. The Indigenous artistry of Inuksuk Mackay (Inuit) and Tiffany Ayalik (Inuit), known as PIQSIQ, exemplify that power with their latest album “Live from Christ Church Cathedral.” You hear Inuit throat singing in a space that the duo says was once forbidden and highlights a lively moment in time when the duo improvised on the spot. Each song narrates a part of the journey to resist the colonization that once demonized Inuit culture and identity.

Thursday, December 2, 2021 – Taking control of the Food Distribution Program
The Oneida and Lummi nations and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium are among those taking part in an effort to operate their own federal commodity food programs, known as “Commods”. The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation’s Self-Determination Demonstration Project offers authorization to tribes under Public Law 93-638 to select foods included in program food packages for the first time. It’s a big step toward tribal food sovereignty and a move that could boost local and tribal food economies.

Friday, December 3, 2021 – Connecting with small Native businesses
It’s the time of year many small Native businesses rely on for a major portion of their annual income. There are always challenges to stand out among the big box stores and online retailers during the gift-giving season. In addition to the ongoing pandemic, many small merchants have to also cope with difficulties getting materials through a supply chain slowdown. We’ll check in with some Native sellers about the joys and difficulties of this time of year.