Monday, February 15, 2021 – Protecting your heart from disease and COVID-19
Medical professionals are pointing to possible long-term heart problems in some COVID-19 patients. The American Heart Association says it’s too soon to tell for sure, but widespread COVID-19 infections might cause a surge in cardiovascular disease and death in the coming months and years. In addition, people with heart problems are more at risk from the COVID-19. The good news is healthy life choices is good at lowering people’s risks. For Heath Health Month we’ll get reminders of the benefits that exercise, stress reduction and a healthy diet have on your heart.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021 – Courts back Line 3 pipeline construction despite risks
Two recent court decisions denied efforts by Minnesota tribes and environmental groups to halt the controversial Line 3 Replacement Project last week. Despite the setback, the chairman of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa says his tribe will not stop fighting the 1,097-mile pipeline project. The Enbridge Energy pipeline is slated to go across northern Minnesota, carrying crude oil from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin. The planned route skirts the Red Lake and White Earth reservations and crosses through the Fond du Lac reservation. The company expects the project to take about 9 months to complete.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021 – Navigating the pandemic with disabilities
Advocates for people with disabilities praised initial federal efforts at the start of the pandemic such as expanding food access through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But they worry efforts since then have fallen short. In addition, support programs are subject to closures or limited access for safety reasons. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights issued guidance to Indian Health Service facilities for serving the needs of individuals with disabilities. We’ll discuss what that guidance means and whether it’s working for Native people with disabilities.

Thursday, February 18, 2021 – Medical experts: don’t lower guard on COVID-19
COVID-19 rates are going down overall and vaccines are promising relief. But officials warn that the pandemic is far from over and this is no time to get complacent. While strict precautions are improving the picture, some places continue to feel the pressure on medical and support resources. We’ll get updates from tribal leaders and health officials about how they’re keeping their communities engaged and on alert after more than a year since the start of the pandemic. We’ll also hear from a medical expert about the threat from new strains of COVID-19.

Friday, February 19, 2021 – Indigenous films at the Sundance Film Festival
Four films made by Indigenous filmmakers from around the globe premiered at this year’s Sundance Festival. The fictional portrayals and real-life documentaries tell stories of Indigenous traditions, righteous protest and dark criminal dramas. We’ll catch up with a few of the filmmakers to discuss their art and the future of film during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monday, February 8, 2021 – A new direction on borders and immigration
President Joe Biden signed executive orders within days of taking office reversing some of the previous administration’s immigration policies. The new president called to reunite immigrant families and protect asylum seekers and he proposed legislation to give legal status to about 11 million immigrants who are currently living in the U.S. without documentation. Biden also halted border wall construction and diverted the funds elsewhere. Displaced Indigenous people are part of the migrant groups that come to the U.S. from Mexico and Central and South America. What does a new presidential administration mean for future immigration policy and the treatment of Indigenous people who cross the border?

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 – The year of living with the pandemic
It’s been a year since the first case of COVID-19 arrived in the United States. The first weeks were marked with uncertainty and fear as public health experts and policy makers could only guess what the full effect would be. Now we know Native nations have been disproportionately affected, both by the human toll and economic losses. The Indian Health Service alone reports nearly 180,000 positive coronavirus tests and that’s likely a fraction of the total number of Native COVID-10 cases. We’ll hear about what lessons have been learned in the past year and get updates from communities continuing to cope with the ongoing pandemic.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 – Exposing false Native heritage
After a CBC investigation called her claimed Indigenous heritage into question, Canadian filmmaker Michelle Latimer resigned as director of the CBC-TV series “Trickster,” a show she co-created. The National Film Board also dropped its intention to distribute her film “Inconvenient Indian” and pulled it from a Sundance Film Festival screening. It’s the latest in a continuing series of prominent people who initially benefitted from their Indigenous identity but were forced to backtrack when those claims couldn’t be documented. We’ll hear about the latest incident and an effort to expose those who improperly cash in on Native heritage.

Thursday, February 11, 2021 – Music Maker: Bryden Gwiss
There are many vibrant examples of culture blending by Native artists. Traditional powwow singer and song maker Bryden Gwiss (Ojibway, Odawa, Potawatomi, Delare, Mik Maq and Oneida) uses what he’s learned—and taught—on the Powwow Trail to create a new sound. It both highlights the energy of the traditional dance circle and takes it to a new circle rich in hip-hop, electronic and dubstep sounds. The 2017 Juno Award nominee is our January Music Maker and he’ll be sharing compositions from his second album, “The Forgotten T.R.U.T.H ( The.Real.Un.Told.History).”

Friday, February 12, 2021 – More than what they carry
Bandolier bags come from Woodlands tribes like the Ojibwe, and can include glass seed beads, spot stitching and woven straps. Pipe bags are often from Plains tribes and serve as holders for sacred ceremonial pipes. In the Pacific Northwest octopus or finger bags have intricately decorated ‘fingers’ hanging from the bottom of the bag. We’ll explore the utility and decoration of Native bags. We’ll also hear from bag makers about their craft and passion for the things they carry.

Monday, February 1, 2021 – The COVID-19 vaccine and protecting elders
The vaccine is already offering a sigh of relief to thousands of people. But many Native people remain wary for a variety of reasons. Health officials are looking for ways to get the message out that the vaccine is safe and effective, especially compared to the alternative. Meanwhile, tribal leaders and others are particularly worried about the toll the disease is taking on elders and what that means for tribal language and culture.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021 – Native in the Spotlight: Kevin Washburn
Kevin Washburn (Chickasaw) took a temporary leave as dean of the University of Iowa College of Law to head the U.S. Department of Interior review team for Joe Biden’s transition into the White House. Washburn served as Interior’s assistant secretary of Indian Affairs for the Obama Administration. He was also an attorney for the U.S. Justice Department and a federal prosecutor. He is an expert on tribal gaming and the intersection of federal Indian law and criminal law. We’ll talk with him about his passion for teaching and his influence on the new administration’s approach to Indian Country.

Wednesday, February 3, 2021 – Making room for stress management
A lot of people are turning to stress relievers to help cope with the ongoing pandemic, economic worries, and political anxiety, all on top of the regular day-to-day pressures. Without proper management, stress can cause symptoms such as changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating, headaches, and even worse health problems. Some people resort to unhealthy remedies to stress like self-medicating with alcohol or drugs. But there are a number of healthy alternatives, including traditional Native methods. We’ll devote some time to talk with experts about techniques that provide results and are easy to incorporate in your daily routine.

Thursday, February 4, 2021 – The Cherokee Syllabary bicentennial
When Cherokee leader Sequoyah introduced a written version of his language 200 years ago, his fellow Cherokees were skeptical. He eventually won them over and now the Cherokee Syllabary evolved to be included on typewriters, printing presses, and even mobile phone apps. This year the Cherokee Nation is celebrating the bicentennial of its written language. We’ll get the history of Sequoyah’s 12-year process to develop the series of symbols and letters that represent the spoken language. We’ll also talk about ways the syllabary is helping keep the language thriving.

Friday, February 5, 2021 – Bread: A Native staple
Every culture has its own version of bread. Among Native cultures, Pueblos in New Mexico have a distinctive loaf, Canadian First Nations in Canada have variations on bannock, and almost everyone is familiar with fry bread. Different tribes have unique approaches to bread even though recipes can be vastly different among bakers within a tribe. Many Native versions of bread are adaptations from recipes and ingredients introduced by outsiders, but the flatbreads and loaves have become a big part of tribal food culture today. We’ll hear about corn and wheat and crusts and crumbs as we celebrate Native bread.

Monday, January 25, 2021 – Speech and language disorders
The National Institutes of Health says early intervention and speech therapy are key to helping children with speech and language disorders learn to communicate. But many children who need help don’t always get it. Also, one study suggests looking at disorders from a Native perspective can help professionals distinguish actual language disorders from speech associated with cultural and linguistic traits. We’ll look at the benefits of speech therapy and how to recognize when it’s in order.

Tuesday, January 26, 2020 – Philanthropy: helping each other during the pandemic
Native American organizations raised and donated $32 million during the first seven months of the pandemic according to a new report from Native Americans in Philanthropy. A portion of the money was through funding platforms like Go Fund Me. The money is aimed at helping other Native institutions and individuals thrive during difficult economic times. We’ll take a look at Native philanthropy and the difference it’s making in Native nations.

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 – Is the Keystone XL Pipeline dead?
In his first day in office, President Joe Biden revoked the permit for the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline which would’ve transported crude oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast. Indigenous environmental rights groups and some tribes along the pipeline route, like the Fort Belknap Indian Community and Rosebud Sioux Tribe, praise the move and are hopeful that a new administration will usher in a change in climate and energy policy making. What does a halt on the Keystone LX Pipeline mean for the environment and the future of extractive industry in and around Native land?

Thursday, January 28, 2021 – Music Maker: Bryden Gwiss
There are many vibrant examples of culture blending by Native artists. Traditional powwow singer and song maker Bryden Gwiss (Ojibway, Odawa, Potawatomi, Delare, Mik Maq and Oneida) uses what he’s learned—and taught—on the Powwow Trail to create a new sound. It both highlights the energy of the traditional dance circle and takes it to a new circle rich in hip-hop, electronic and dubstep sounds. The 2017 Juno Award nominee is our January Music Maker and he’ll be sharing compositions from his second album, “The Forgotten T.R.U.T.H ( The.Real.Un.Told.History).”

Friday, January 29, 2021 – January in the news
What lessons are we left with from the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Donald Trump’s second impeachment and Joe Biden’s inauguration all within the first month of 2021. Also, among the many pardons President Trump issued in the final hours of his presidency included one for a Lakota woman serving a 30 year sentence for dealing methamphetamine. We’ll take a look at those stories and more on our regular news roundup.

Monday, January 18, 2021 – Black and Indigenous solidarity
Indigenous and Black people have similar experiences of oppression in this country and both groups still grapple with systemic racism. Indigenous support for the Black Lives Matter movement during the protest spurred by the death of George Floyd, shined a light on what solidarity could look like and how both communities need to do more to include one another. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’ll talk with some Indigenous community leaders and others who are forging tighter bonds among racial groups.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 – Democracy in crisis: a history lesson
Both those who stormed the U.S. Capitol and those who condemn the action claim the fate of democracy is at stake. Centuries ago, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy assembled a system of governance to create peace among warring Native Nations. Colonial leaders used similar principles to draft the Constitution and give birth to the United States. Can Indigenous values provide any guidance now on where to go from here? We’ll look at the legal issues and get a historical perspective, from the Boston Tea Party to the rise of the Confederacy, and how history may view what we’re living through now.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 – New administration, new agenda
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are set to be sworn in and turn the page on a contentious political chapter. But even as a new administration starts, there is little optimism for bridging the issues that divide the nation. Still, Biden has signaled a willingness to include tribes in his agenda. The nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) for Secretary of Interior sends a strong message. Restoring protections for Bears Ears National Monument, placing Mashpee land into trust, and reestablishing the White House Tribal Nations Conference are some of the items that tribal leaders would like the administration to tackle. We’ll talk with policy experts about what they hope is in store for the next four years.

Thursday, January 21, 2021 – Oak Flat at a crossroads
Just days before the end of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Forest Service took action that paves the way for a massive copper mine on sacred Apache land in Arizona. The grassroots Apache Stronghold group filed a lawsuit to save Chi’chil Bildagoteel, also known as Oak Flat. They say the Forest Service’s environmental review was rushed in order to take advantage of the Trump Administration’s pro-development stance. The Stronghold maintains the mine proposal violates an 1852 treaty and First Amendment rights to religious practice. We’ll get an update on this years-long battle.

Friday, January 22, 2021 – The value of Native-owned bookstores
You can find books by several big-name Native authors in the mainstream online outlets. But Native-owned bookstores have a commitment to carrying and promoting books the public might not find otherwise. The number of Native-owned bookstores remains small, but it’s growing. We’ll talk with bookstore owners about what it takes to compete with Amazon and Barnes & Noble and what literary gems they have to offer.