Monday, April 3, 2017 – The enduring Pocahontas myth
The lingering American perception of Pocahontas is some form of the Disney film version: a tribal chief’s daughter bravely steps in to save Jamestown settler John Smith from a grisly execution by his Indigenous captors. There is little to no evidence any of that happened. Pocahontas is currently making headlines because England is devoting a considerable amount of attention to the 400th anniversary of her death. Will the general public ever really learn the truth about Pocahontas? Historians and tribal members help us update our portrait of Pocahontas’ life.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 – Internet for everyone
A report for the FCC in 2015 found nearly two million people living on tribal land lack access to the internet. Even more than that can’t sign onto broadband. That digital divide makes it harder for Alaska Natives and Native Americans living in rural areas to complete tasks online that the rest of us take for granted: paying bills, looking for a job, and communicating with each other.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017 — Getting your affairs in order
The average funeral costs more than $7,000, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. That’s a hefty sum, especially when a family doesn’t plan ahead. Families face additional confusion when there’s no will for valuables, homes or land left behind. We will go over some basic, appropriate ways to prepare for the inevitable.

Thursday, April 6, 2017 — Native perspectives in public schools
The governor of Wyoming recently signed the Indian Education For All bill, which requires educators to create Native curricula for public schools statewide. The bill mandates organizers work with Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes to come up with the lesson plans. Wyoming is one of a handful of states putting an emphasis on teaching Native viewpoints.

Friday, April 7, 2017 — Go ahead, boycott Hawaii!
When a federal judge in Hawaii put a halt on President Trump’s travel restrictions, supporters of the policy vowed to boycott Hawaii. The boycott appears to have fizzled, but not before Native Hawaiians actually expressed support of the boycott. They were expressing their frustration over losing more and more control of their culture and island homeland. The news comes on the heels of a legal tussle involving an island purchased by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. We’ll get an update from Native Hawaiians.

Monday, March 27, 2017 – A budget to make America great again?
The Donald Trump administration’s budget blueprint suggests serious cuts to education, programs for the poor and health care while increasing funding for the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. The proposed budget, called America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again, is a limited snapshot of what the president aims to cut and bolster. But it does give us a glimpse into the administration’s priorities.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 – Culture in the classroom for school success
One school on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota puts a focus on culturally based education and it might be getting results. From sugar bushing to round dance competitions, cultural practices are part of the educational process. Overall, only 56 percent of American Indian students graduated on time in Minnesota in 2015, according to the Minnesota Department of Education. The average is 84 percent. In this continuation of our collaboration with the American Graduate initiative, we’ll talk with educators from the White Earth Reservation about their approach and what they’re seeing.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017 – Book of the Month: “The Woman Who Married A Bear” by Tiffany Midge
“The Woman Who Married A Bear” by Standing Rock Sioux Nation author and poet Tiffany Midge is racking up awards, including a recent 2017 Western Heritage Award. The book, filled with poetry about Native identity and culture, allows readers to celebrate both the simplicity and complexity of our emotions and relationships.

Thursday, March 30, 2017 — Encouraging young entrepreneurs
The Native American Youth Empowerment Symposium aims to get young Native people thinking about finances and business. At this year’s gathering in New Mexico, Native youth are getting the chance to network, apply for scholarships and learn from seasoned entrepreneurs. The goal is to provide tools to young people to be leaders in their Native communities.

Friday, March 31, 2017 – March in the News
Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has a long history of hearing cases involving Indian Country. We’ll explore what his nomination could mean for the Supreme Court. The FBI raided the Eastern Band of Cherokee Housing Authority as part of a fraud investigation. The tribal chief is enduring calls for his impeachment. And we’ll get the latest on the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline, on our news round-up.

Monday, March 20, 2017 – Protecting wild rice
For wild rice, or manoomin, water literally is life. The grass species grows in shallow bodies of water. It is food for people and animals alike. But when the water is polluted wild rice becomes the “canary in the coal mine.” Since the 1970s, Minnesota has had water quality standards to protect wild rice. Now, the state’s Pollution Control Agency is in the process of changing the standards. Some tribes are concerned the rice is in danger.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017 – The tricky business of marijuana
It’s a confusing time for the marijuana legalization movement. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana use. But the federal government maintains its criminal designation. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently said that heroin is only “slightly worse” than marijuana. For tribes getting into the business, confusion around pot legality is just as murky. The “Cole Memo” appeared to provide a green light for tribes in states that legalized recreational use. But there a few high profile setbacks.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 — HIV and AIDS prevention
Fortunately, HIV and AIDS rates remain lower for Native Americans than for some other groups. One exception: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a 2011 study that Native injected drug users experience the highest rates of HIV infections than any other demographic. National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is this week. The theme is “Unity in CommUnity, Stand Strong to Prevent HIV.”

Thursday, March 23, 2017 –Music Maker Rhonda Head
Opaskwayak Cree Nation singer Rhonda Head’s latest CD “Kisahkihitan” stems from her passion for classical music. The Cree language title of the album translates to “I love you”. And there is plenty of love in the way Rhonda sings her own compositions. She says a lot of inspiration for these songs comes from the landscape of her First Nation.

Friday, March 24, 2017 — Racist resurgence?
A Montana radio host suggested Native basketball players should host their own tournament because the players are “unruly.” Also in Montana, Native basketball fans say they couldn’t claim their seats for a game until the white people are seated first. The problem isn’t limited to the U.S. At a forum organized by the CBC, one Cree woman said concert security assumed she was the source of other fans’ complaints about an intoxicated person being belligerent. The problem turned out to be a white man sitting nearby. She was sober. Are anecdotes about racism increasing, or are they just par for the course?

Monday, March 13, 2017 – Fear of change
Has the current political climate caused you to press the pause button on plans to make changes in your life? For some people, life changes are a challenge, whether it’s getting a new job, starting an exercise routine or remodeling a house. It takes resilience and patience. It’s even harder if you feel uncertain about things you can’t control. How can we rely on our communities and traditions to get moving again?

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 – The future of health care
Republican congressional leaders are in the process of keeping their promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. They propose the American Healthcare Act as an alternative. The new law does not address the Indian Healthcare Improvement Act, which is part of the Affordable Care Act. It also casts doubt on the future of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion that, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, greatly helps American Indians and Alaska Natives. What does this proposed law mean for Native America?

Wednesday, March 15, 2017 — Disenrollment and re-enrollment
The Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians granted tribal membership back to 60 people who were disenrolled nine years ago. The action is a departure from a recent wave of disenrollement among some tribes in the west. Disenrolled members are no longer federally recognized tribal citizens and as a result lose benefits like health care, percap income and even housing. The Nooksak Indian Tribe is suing the federal government over sanctions imposed over election disputes stemming from disenrollment. Sovereignty gives independent tribal nations the ability to determine their members. But campaigns against disenrollment are aiming to change opinions.

Thursday, March 16, 2017 – U.N. human rights and Indigenous people
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples spent 10 days collecting information from tribes and U.S. government officials. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz heard comments about the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota and oil and gas exploration in New Mexico and Arizona. Among other things, she says she recognizes a need for better consultation and a consistent federal policy for projects that affect tribes.

Friday, March 17, 2017 — Reaching out to domestic violence survivors
A new helpline, StrongHearts, offers help to victims of domestic violence in a culturally appropriate way. The helpline was created by Natives for Natives. Advocates say they cater to unique Native situations, laws and culture. That understanding is one reason for reaching out with culturally appropriate methods. We’ll explore how culturally appropriate methods pay off for domestic violence work and prevention.

Monday, March 6, 2017 — Moon time: an open discussion
In addition to a certain amount of stigma and inconvenience that comes once a month for most women, imagine having to endure an inflated cost for feminine hygiene products. That’s the reality for some Aboriginal girls and women in Canada. One group is trying to help by getting donations to cut costs. We’ll also have a frank discussion about menstruation and some of the challenges Native American women face.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017 – Preparing kindergartners for opportunity
Educators know that getting kids ready for kindergarten is one of the best ways to improve a child’s long-term academic performance down the road. In Anchorage, Alaska three separate organizations joined forces to identify common goals for helping Alaska Native students achieve better success at school. One of the goals involves working with parents to get more kids ready to start school. They hope that will boost Alaska Native graduation rates that lag behind the national average.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 — The bathroom debate
Last month, President Donald Trump threw out federal guidelines set by President Barack Obama on Title IX, which deals with gender discrimination in schools. Political leaders are debating whether to leave decisions about which bathrooms transgender students should use to states. We’ll talk with Native transgender and Two Spirit people and others about the implications of a policy about bathrooms.

Thursday, March 9, 2017 – The status of the Standing Rock fight
Many people will descend on Washington DC to express solidarity and support for the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline on Friday. We’ll talk with a variety of unique voices about the lessons learned from the pipeline fight, and what happens next. What can we take away from the experience at Standing Rock? Where does this momentum go?

Friday, March 10, 2017 – Salmon
Every year the Yurok tribe holds a salmon festival to celebrate the gifts from the Klamath River in northern California. Last year the historic low number of returning fish meant there was no actual salmon at the festival. Whether it’s coho, sockeye or pink, salmon are important to a number of tribes in the Pacific Northwest and in Alaska.