Monday, February 10, 2020 – The State of Indian Nations
Climate change, missing and murdered Indigenous women, and challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act are all significant issues on the minds of Native Americans heading into 2020. Fawn Sharp (Quinault), newly elected president of the National Congress of American Indians, gives her take on the key triumphs, opportunities and threats facing Native people in her first State of Indian Nation addresss. We’ll bring you the full speech and the congressional response.

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 – Disenrollments on the rise?
Removing long-standing members from tribal rolls appears to be picking up after a brief lull. It’s a controversial practice. So much so that opponents established an annual “Stop Disenrollment Day” to call attention to the harm it causes. Some disenrolled members trace their identity to their tribes for generations. Tribal leaders defend their actions as an effort to purge their membership of those who don’t belong. We’ll get observations on current disenrollment trends and some of the factors that go into tribes’ decision-making.

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 – A good new home
Before homeless Native young people can thrive, they need to heal and a secure base of culture and safety to build on. That’s what the Ain Dah Yung (Our Home) Center in Minnesota’s Twin Cities hopes to provide. They offer an emergency shelter for children as young as five and temporary transitional housing for teens. They also just opened the Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung Center (Good New Home) to offer permanent housing aimed at helping Native homeless for 18-24 year olds. The $17 million project has 42 efficiency apartments but is more than a place to stay. It has communal gathering spaces, teaching kitchens, and places for beading, hide tanning and sewing. The physical space is accompanied by mental, cultural and structural support. We’ll talk with the director and staff members about the work they do to help Native youth.

Thursday, February 13, 2020 – Book of the Month: “The Cheyenne Story: An Interpretation of Courage” by Gerry Robinson
We look at the personal and emotional side of Cheyenne history though the fictional work of Northern Cheyenne author Gerry Robinson. “The Cheyenne Story: an Interpretation of Courage” is set in the time after the Battle of the Little Bighorn when Robinson’s people were pushed to Oklahoma. Our February Book of the Month allows us to walk along this side of Native History.

Friday, February 14, 2020 – Native songs of love
It can be a big leap to show that special someone how deep your affection runs or to ask to share a life together. On this Valentine’s Day we explore showing these desires through song. Some Native nations simply call them courting songs and they are often played on the Native American flute. They’re meant to express deep emotions. We’ll hear how different nations turn to songs to start and build strong unions.

Monday, February 3, 2020 –Native women’s art on a the national stage
“Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists,” an art exhibit celebrating the artistic contributions of Native women, is taking a tour across the country with upcoming stops in Washington, D.C. and Tulsa this year. The exhibit includes over 100 pieces from women of different tribes and from different times. We’ll talk with the curators and some of the artists about how women are a driving force in the art world.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 – Freshmen power
Many Native college freshman have their first semester behind them and are getting back in the groove for the rest of the school year. We’ll check in with some students about how their transition to college life is going and get some help from education experts about what kind of support students need to sustain their momentum.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 – Beavers: environmental architects
To preserve salmon habitat, the Tulalip Tribe is relocating beavers to create wetlands with their dams. Native youth in a project with Blackfeet Tribe learn how beavers naturally restore waterways through an Indigenous scientific lens. Beavers and their dams can drastically change landscapes. They are important to many tribes who see them as architects, teachers and a valuable resource.

Thursday, February 6, 2020 – The weight loss surgery decision
Getting surgery to lose weight is a drastic step, but may be necessary for some people struggling with severe obesity. Native American adults are 50 percent more likely to be obese than whites according to the Office of Minority Health. There are four types of weight loss surgery, each with their own risks and benefits. In this hour we’ll talk with experts about why someone might choose to go this route and the benefits and risks.

Friday, February 7, 2020 – Tax scam self-defense
It’s time again to start thinking about doing your taxes. And the schemes to separate you from your tax refund are already gearing up. Some are perfectly legal. Commercial tax preparers offer loans in advance of your tax refund, but they might come with high interest rates or steep fees. Most people are eligible for free online tax programs, but ProPublica found the companies often steer customers toward premium services that cost money. Other schemes are illegal. The Federal Trade Commission warns this time of year criminals step up efforts to get personal information they can use to steal peoples’ money. The FTC designated February 3 through 7 Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. We’ll talk about ways to avoid getting taken for a ride this tax season.

Monday, January 27, 2020 – Count on being counted
The very first person to be counted this month for the 2020 U.S. Census was 90-year-old Lizzie Chimiugak, a Yup’ik woman from Toksook Bay Alaska. The Census Bureau started the process in the country’s largest state where it’s historically difficult to get an accurate count. Language, geography and mistrust of revealing personal information to the federal government are among the reasons Alaska Natives and Native Americans are often undercounted. Census numbers are the main way officials determine election boundaries and the allocations of trillions of federal dollars for public services. We’ll talk with census experts about why they think this year’s census is the most important one yet.

Tuesday, January, 28, 2020 – In the hoop
With a whirl of colorful circles, shapes and movement, hoop dancers tell vivid stories. The exact origins of hoop dancing are unclear. Traditionally, the hoops were made with willow or some other pliable wood. Today, hoops might be made out of metal or plastic. The practice incorporates colorful regalia and has grown to include energetic competitions. We’ll hear from hoop dancers about what drives their passion.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020 – Music Maker: Levi Platero Band
We’re going to find out what the Levi Platero Band is packing in their new self-titled album. The band’s headman, Levi Platero, is from the Navajo Nation and is known for his exhilarating blues rhythms and soulful lyrics. What rests in this album has been building for some time and echoes the energy of the many stages and communities that this band has touched down on over the years. Get ready to let the blues do the talking on this month’s musical spotlight.

Thursday, January 30, 2020 – Super Bowl highlights NFL’s continued offensiveness
Football fans let the team names for Kansas City and San Francisco roll off their tongues with no second thought. But both mascots for the teams playing for the championship cause many Native people to cringe. The Chiefs often face protests by Native people to change their name, mascot and the offensive imagery that arises every game they play. The 49ers refers to more than just a number; it invokes a bloody time in history when thousands of Indigenous people were killed or displaced by settlers hoping to strike it rich in California. We’ll take time to fill in some of the missing details behind this year’s Super Bowl team names.

Friday, January 31, 2020 – January in the News
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (Cherokee Nation) is asking a federal court to shut down tribal gaming in the state because he says their compacts have expired. It’s the latest in an ongoing struggle between the governor and tribes on how the compacts are interpreted. That story and more are on our regular news round up.

Monday, January 20, 2020 – Native film at Sundance
The upcoming Sundance Film Festival is screening five films by Indigenous filmmakers. They include a documentary about raising a Haida totem pole in British Columbia, a fictional account of two strangers crossing paths on Oklahoma tribal land, and a biological exploration of lichen. Before they head to Utah for the festival, some of the filmmakers are taking time to talk about us about their films and what it means to have a Native perspective behind the camera.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020 – Breathing easier indoors
Indoor pollutants like smoke, radon and mold can contribute to heart disease and cancer, which are the leading causes of death for Native Americans. They can also exacerbate respiratory illnesses like asthma. The Environmental Protection Agency links poor indoor air quality to disproportionate health issues among Native people. We’ll get reminders on paying attention to air quality inside homes and businesses and hear how some tribes are breathing life into clean air programs.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020 – Clash over Canadian pipeline reignites
With a the backing of a recent court ruling, the premier of British Columbia says the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline will be built. But the traditional leadership of the Wet’suwet’en Nation vow to protect their territory and will continue their years-long blockade against construction. The stage is set for another clash over resource development and preservation of traditional Indigenous territory.

Thursday, January 23, 2020 – The high stakes hearing for ICWA
Dozens of tribal leaders, 26 states, 77 members of Congress and 486 federally recognized tribes have signed on to defend against the latest challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act. After initially striking down a ruling by a Texas judge, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is rehearing the case claiming ICWA is improperly based on race. We’ll hear from tribal leaders and legal experts about what’s at stake in this case and what the future holds for ICWA.

Friday, January 24, 2020 – Book of the Month: “The Language Warrior’s Manifesto” by Anton Treuer
Making sure our Indigenous languages are available for future generations is a charge many language warriors have taken on. Making this happen comes with ups and downs. We chronicle the peaks and valleys of this terrain with our look at Leech Lake Ojibwe author and educator Anton Treuer’s new book “The Language Warrior’s Manifesto: How to Keep Our Languages Alive No Matter the Odds.” He recounts his own struggles learning Ojibwe as an adult. He also shares inspiring accounts of programs that succeed in building a firm language foundation for future generations. We visit with this Native culture advocate to here more about the relationship between language and culture and ways to keep it strong.