Monday, August 16, 2021 – Limiting Indigenous history in schools
South Dakota’s Department of Education drastically reduced the number of references to Oceti Sakowin in school social studies standards recommended by a working group of educators, public officials and parents. That would limit lessons on important concepts like treaties, the development of the state’s reservations and key historical figures. At the same time, tribes in Montana are suing the state for failing to adequately comply with a constitutional mandate to integrate Indigenous lessons into public education.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021 – A new round of Native stories on film
Native filmmakers from more than two dozen tribes are ready working on a number of film projects. When finished, the documentaries, short films and episodic series supported by Vision Maker Media will broadcast on PBS. The subjects include Native doctors working through the COVID-19 pandemic, the decline of wild salmon, traditional fire management and confronting gender norms. We’ll hear from filmmakers and representatives from Vision Maker Media about the projects and the power of Native documentary film.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 – Is a normal school year ahead?
Native students are heading back into classrooms. After more than a year of forced distance learning and canceled events because of the pandemic, there was some excitement about resuming regular K-12 and post-secondary classes. But new COVID-19 variants and inconsistent vaccinations and mask-wearing requirements prompt concern and confusion as the school year starts.

Thursday, August 19, 2021 – The resilience of Native culture
Native people across the country are learning to adjust to life in the pandemic after a bumpy road this past year. Over the next two days, we’re going to be lifting up Indigenous people, culture, and traditions. We’re bringing in Native artists to reflect on the hardship of the pandemic, talk about the resiliency of Indigenous people, and shine a bright light on the future. Hundreds of artists from Native Nations are gathering in Santa Fe, New Mexico for markets, events and festivals featuring arts and crafts, food, fashion, music, film and more.

Friday, August 20, 2021 – Indigenous arts and the lingering pandemic
It’s a big week coming up in the Native arts world. The largest assembly of Native artists is resuming in Santa Fe on a limited scale. The Santa Fe Indian Market was an online-only event last year because of the pandemic. A number of other in-person events are also scheduled, all featuring the talents of Native artists, many of whom lost their primary or supplemental incomes over the last year. We’ll get a look at what’s in store and hear from artists who had to find creative ways to stay afloat.

Monday, August 9, 2021 – Innovative ideas for addressing Native homelessness
Homelessness is an unfortunate reality for a disproportionate number of Native Americans, especially in urban areas. Some tribes are having some success with ‘tiny homes’ as one solution. The Menominee tribe recently completed tiny home village on their reservation in Wisconsin. The Puyallup Tribe is planning a similar project in Tacoma. The homes with a small footprint and lower costs than conventional sized dwellings, but they are not always welcomed by surrounding neighborhoods.

Tuesday, August 10, 2021 – COVID-19 vaccine progress and lapses
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found Native Americans are vaccinated at a higher rate than the rest of the population. Many tribes are success stories for getting COVID-19 under control. At the same time, persistent distrust and misinformation has taken hold in parts of the country, many of which are seeing new spikes in infections. We’ll get updates on vaccine progress and stumbles and get a glimpse of a documentary that puts the COVID-19 vaccine in context with similar efforts throughout history.

Wednesday, August 11, 2021 – Native women’s success in business
Women are statistically paid less in the workplace. And they face additional hurdles as entrepreneurs. A report by American Express found Native women make up just 1.4% of all women-owned businesses. The good news is, they are growing at almost twice the rate of women-owned business overall. We’ll look at the contributions Native women are making in the business world and how they cope with persistent obstacles they encounter.

Thursday, August 12, 2021 – The totem’s continuing journey on the ‘Red Road to D.C.’
Lummi carvers, tribal leaders and members of grassroots groups delivered a totem pole to the Biden administration in Washington, D.C. It culminates a journey across the country stopping at sacred locations along the way. But the message that accompanies it will be harder to fulfill. We’ll hear about the totem and the ongoing movement behind it to protect sacred places and to honor tribal consultation.

Friday, August 13, 2021 – Balancing goals, stress, and personal sacrifice
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and pro tennis player Naomi Osaka are two top athletes who made high profile professional sacrifices in favor of their own mental health. They helped spark conversations about knowing your limits and when to tap the brakes on your goals to avoid problems down the road. We’ll get some perspectives on maintaining balance to avoid serious injuries, major health problems and work burnout.

Monday, August 2, 2021 – Native in the Spotlight: Rico Worl
The United States Postal Service just picked Rico Worl’s (Tlingit and Athabaskan) illustration for a new forever stamp. It’s the first stamp design by an Alaska Native artist. Worl’s work as an artist and as the owner of a design shop aims to celebrate and uplift Indigenous art, culture and stories from southeast Alaska. We’ll talk with Worl about his work, the raven story and his collaboration with his sister, also an accomplished artist.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021- The tireless vigil for MMIWR
Cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and relatives continue to make headlines across the country. And their family members and Native women’s advocates continue working to keep their memories in the eyes of the public, law enforcement and policy makers. Tribal efforts to address MMIWR across the country include collaborations with local, state and federal law enforcement. We’ll look at promising initiatives to address the issue.

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021 – Employers on the search for workers
As the pandemic subsides, the number of job openings is soaring. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said new job openings at the end of April rose to an unprecedented 9.3 million. That’s good news for job seekers. Not so much for small businesses and other employers who are having a hard time finding qualified workers. At the same time, Native Americans typically face higher unemployment conditions than the population as a whole. The Minneapolis Federal Reserve is putting what they say is good data and research toward helping policy makers and elected leaders make informed decisions for Native employees and employers both.

Thursday, August 5, 2021 – The Gold King Mine spill six years later
Toxic sludge from the Gold King Mine in Colorado poured into the Animas and San Juan rivers on Aug. 5, 2015. It created an environmental disaster for hundreds of miles downstream, including parts of the Navajo Nation. The bright orange plume from the original spill is gone, but legal fights and restoration projects continue. And heavy metals from the three million gallons of mining wastewater remain in waterways used by communities, farmers and ranchers. We’ll review the lasting effects these many years later.

Friday, August 6, 2021- Re-awakening summer tribal tourism
People are hitting the roads, boarding flights and planning late-summer vacations across the U.S. They are looking forward to traveling after COVID-19 restrictions kept them close to home for months. Native tourism destinations are among the popular places attracting sightseers and tribes, cultural centers, businesses and artists have all felt the economic hit from the pandemic. Some reservations remain closed, but many tribes and Native centers are welcoming tourists back, with some precautions, to help their economic recovery and extend programs, recreation and educational resources to the public.

Monday, July 26, 2021 – The legacy of Haunani-Kay Trask
Known for her incredibly strong voice and fierce love for her people and land of Hawaii, Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask was a force to be reckoned with. She is one of the founders of Hawaii’s sovereignty movement who inspired generations of Kanaka Maoli to speak up and take back space in academia, politics and the cultural landscape. She was an author, poet, activist, professor and founder of Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. Trask passed away on July 3, 2021 at the age of 71. We’ll remember her accomplishments.

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 – The debut of Reservation Dogs
The breakthrough series, Reservation Dogs, is ready to drop its first two episodes on FX on Hulu Aug. 9. The highly anticipated show from Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi zeroes in on four Indigenous teenagers getting by and dreaming big growing up in rural Oklahoma. The production is rich with Indigenous talent on both sides of the camera.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 – Book of the Month: “Healer of the Water Monster” by Brian Young
Navajo writer Brian Young’s debut novel “Healer of the Water Monster,” features the story of Nathan who makes a trip to his grandmother’s place on the Navajo Nation. He encounters a holy being who prompts him to become a helper. It’s his courage that lands him the role of being the big thinker. As Young says, his kindness makes him the true hero of the story inspired by a dream the author had when he was seven. We’ll hear more about the book on our July Book of the Month when we visit with Brian Young.

Thursday, July 29, 2021 – Welcoming home children who died at Carlisle Indian School
With both grief and relief, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe welcomed the return of nine children who were buried at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania 140 years ago. The effort took more than six years and was driven by young people from the tribe. It’s part of the ongoing effort to repatriate remains from the U.S. boarding schools that aimed to assimilate Native children.

Friday, July 30, 2021 – A big Thank You from Tara Gatewood
In September of 2005, Tara Gatewood (Isleta Pueblo/Diné) joined Native America Calling as an associate producer. She later moved into hosting our national talking circle where each weekday she has engaged with many guests and experts connected to our different Indigenous circles. For nearly 16 years she has worked diligently with a full heart to help uplift the voices of our Native nations through our Indigenous airwaves. Her work has helped open up more understanding of who we are as Native people and the strong foundations that we come from and the issues we face. Today Tara honors her time with Native America Calling and the many voices who’ve shared space with her on-air as she gets ready to take on a new chapter in her life. Join us as we celebrate her work and wish her well on her new journeys.