Native America Calling

Elise Pacshen’s (Osage) new book of poetry, “Blood Wolf Moon”, weaves Osage stories from the Reign of Terror with her experience as the daughter of famous major prima ballerina, Maria Tallchief. m.s. RedCherries’ (Northern Cheyenne) first poetry book, “mother”, was a 2024 National Book Award for Poetry finalist. It follows the Cheyenne protagonist who is exploring Indian identity as a former boarding school student reconnecting to her roots and larger Native community through the backdrop of the American Indian Movement. “Indigenous Poetics” is a collection of essays illustrating how Native poets use their craft as a critical tool to help readers understand, question, and realize deeper layers of Indigenous life and community. Aligning with National Poetry Month, we’ll dive into these new and recent publications by Indigenous poets. GUESTS Dr. Elise Paschen (Osage), poet and author of “Blood Wolf Moon” Inés Hernández-Ávila (Nez Perce and enrolled with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), co-editor of “Indigenous Poetics” with Molly McGlennen m.s. RedCherries (Northern Cheyenne Tribe), poet and author of “mother”

The state of Alaska is actively working to shut down a gaming hall just opened by the Native Village of Eklutna. The Chin'an Gaming Hall is doing a brisk business with pull-tabs and 85 bingo machines in an unassuming building just outside of Anchorage. But state officials maintain the operation is illegal because the tribe does not control the land it is on. Elsewhere, in Maine, tribes are also working against state resistance to expand gaming. They face a regulatory reality that is different from tribes in other states because of legislation in 1980 limiting Maine’s tribes’ gaming enterprise ability. GUESTS Aaron Leggett (Dena'ina Athabascan), president of the Native Village of Eklutna Aaron Dana (Passamaquoddy), Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Chez Oxendine (Lumbee and Cheraw), staff writer for Tribal Business News

The Trump administration scrapped a civil rights agreement 14 years in the making with the Rapid City, S.D. school system. The agreement was aimed at correcting inequities for Native American students. Data show Native students in the district are given harsher punishments than their white counterparts. The students also are less likely to be in higher level classes. The decision comes as President Donald Trump has terminated nearly half of the federal Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights staff. We’ll also look at a Virginia tribe’s suit against the commonwealth for what the tribe says is withholding Medicaid reimbursements for tribal citizens’ health care. GUESTS Walt Swan Jr. (Miniconjou Lakota), Rapid City Area Schools board member and executive director of Friends of the Children – He Sapa Tyresha Grey Horse (Oglala Lakota), chair of Title VI Parent Advisory Committee for Rapid City Area Schools and program director of Friends of the Children – He Sapa Sarah White (Oglala Lakota), executive director of the South Dakota Education Equity Coalition Thomas Badamo (Nansemond), tribal council treasurer for the Nansemond Indian Nation Jessie Barrington (Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians), attorney with Cultural Heritage Partners

The recent winter proved deadly for honey bee colonies. The Washington State University’s Honey Bees and Pollinators Program reports mass die-offs for commercial beekeepers. Honey bees, butterflies, and even small vertebrates like bats and birds are important to agriculture and are indicators of a healthy ecosystem. Their populations fluctuate and are affected by pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change. Tribes and Native groups like the Euchee Butterfly Farm are among those devoting resources to pollinator restoration work. We’ll talk with Native pollinator protectors about efforts to help turn the threat to pollinators around. GUESTS Nathan Moses-Gonzales (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), entomologist and CEO of M3 Agriculture Technologies Jane Breckinridge (Muscogee and Euchee), director of the Euchee Butterfly Farm and the Tribal Alliance for Pollinators Melanie Kirby (Tortugas Pueblo), professional beekeeper, founder of Zia Queen Bees Farm and Field Institute, extension educator and pollinator specialist at IAIA, and a founder of Poeh Povi Flower Path Network Pam Kingfisher (Cherokee Nation), beekeeper and water protector

At least one tribal library in New Mexico will have to close after the Trump Administration abruptly canceled federal grants administered through the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Many more libraries and museums in the state and around the country are forced to cut hours, eliminate staff, cancel traditional programs, and curb purchases for new books and other materials. They are among the latest in the on-going efforts by the Trump Administration to drastically change federal services. Those cuts also include supplements to low-income Navajo Nation citizens and hundreds more Native Americans nationwide who rely on the funds to help them heat their homes in the winter. We’ll get the latest rundown of staff and funding reductions by the federal government. GUESTS Dr. April Counceller (Alutiiq tribal member of the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak), executive director of the Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository Cassandra Osterloh (Cherokee Nation), New Mexico State Library tribal libraries program coordinator Alicia Allard, tribal Head Start consultant and specialist for Little Hawk Consulting Jill Falcon Ramaker (Turtle Mountain Anishinaabe), assistant professor in Indigenous food systems and land practices and director of Buffalo Nations Food Sovereignty at Montana State University Andrea Pesina (Isleta Pueblo), executive director of Isleta Head Start & Child Care and president of the National Indian Head Start Directors Association

Early Pueblo residents are known for their complex, multi-level dwellings that date back centuries, but continue to influence architectural design today. A new exhibit at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center examines the enduring elements of ancestral architecture and how contemporary Pueblo architects are reclaiming them. Modern designs fell victim to non-Native interpretations and modern building codes. The exhibit, “Restorying Our HeartPlaces: Contemporary Pueblo Architecture”, tells the story of how Pueblos are asserting their sovereignty over their enduring architectural knowledge. GUESTS Dr. Ted Jojola (Isleta Pueblo), co-curator of the exhibit and founder and director of the Indigenous Design + Planning Institute at the University of New Mexico Brian Vallo (Acoma Pueblo), former governor of Acoma Pueblo, independent consultant, and board member for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Charelle Brown (Santa Domingo Pueblo), advisory board member for exhibit, intern architect with Woven Architecture, and grad student in the masters of architecture program at the University of New Mexico Dr. Lynn Paxson, co-curator of the exhibit, university professor emeritus in architecture in the College of Design at Iowa State University and an affiliate of the Indigenous Design + Planning Institute at the University of New Mexico

Tens of thousands of federal job cuts, on-again, off-again tariffs on everyday goods, and policies affecting the operations of schools, businesses, and tribal governments are generating widespread uncertainty. Tribal leaders are working proactively to both influence decisions at the federal level and to prepare for inevitable changes. We’ll talk with tribal leaders about how they are adapting to the unpredictable and dramatic changes headed their way. GUESTS Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais (Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah)

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is overseeing an unprecedented cut of nearly a quarter of the department’s staff, drawing widespread concerns about possible adverse affects for thousands of Native Americans who depend on those services. Everything from bill processing to testing and research to prevent lead contamination in children could be constricted. At the same time, Sec. Kennedy successfully reversed Elon Musk’s termination of 900 Indian Health Service employees by the Department of Government Efficiency. Kennedy is also reaching out to tribes and maintaining contact through the department’s Tribal Self Governance Advisory Committee. We’ll look at the latest word on what some of the potential effects of the federal actions are on Native health and health care. GUESTS A.C. Locklear (Lumbee), CEO of the National Indian Health Board Kristen Bitsuie (Navajo), tribal health care outreach and education policy manager for the National Indian Health Board Kim Russell (Navajo), policy advisor for Sage Memorial Hospital

Philanthropy matches a donor's passion with an organization's drive to make a difference. It is an arrangement that helps build equity in areas that are not served by profit-driven interests. Philanthropy becomes even more important during times of financial uncertainty and government austerity. We'll get a view of the current directions for philanthropic giving and what the new pressures to fill the gaps. GUESTS Erik Stegman (Carry the Kettle First Nation), CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy Gina Jackson (Western Shoshone and Oglala Lakota), co-founder and CEO of the Return to the Heart Foundation

Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. calls the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEA) “one of the singular accomplishments of this country”. The legislation championed by President Richard Nixon opened the doors to tribal control over their own health care, law enforcement, natural resources management and economic development. We’ll look at the progress since ISDEA, and what tribes intend to strengthen self-governance in the future. GUESTS W. Ron Allen (Jamestown S'klallam), tribal chairman for the Jamestown S'klallam Tribe Jay Spaan (Cherokee), executive director of the Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium Laura Harris (Comanche), executive director for Americans for Indian Opportunity

In Larissa FastHorse’s (Sičháŋǧu Lakota) new play, a nonprofit works to accommodate “race shifters”, people who are compelled to change the ethnicity they're born with. “Fake it Until You Make It” is a satirical look at the serious topic of Native identity, helped out by a talented cast and Indigenous-grounded writing. The new children’s TV puppet series, Navajo Highways, is making the rounds on screens across the Southwest. Written and directed by Pete Sands (Diné), the show follows young Sadie from her urban home to her introduction to Navajo land, culture, language and food. With a nod to the popular PBS show, Sesame Street, it’s filled with characters Native audiences will find familiar. It’s slated for public distribution on FNX. GUESTS Larissa FastHorse (Sičháŋǧu Lakota), playwright Pete Sands (Diné), writer and director of “Navajo Highways” Kimberly Kee (Diné), tribal early childhood specialist and she plays Ms. Pete

Indigenous business leaders in the U.S. and all over the world will now have to adjust to the uncertain effects of President Donald Trump’s aggressive new series of tariffs. Economic experts predict some measure of chaos in the short term. It’s impossible to predict how the tariffs will play out in the long run, but it will certainly affect everything from the beads used in regalia to groceries to auto sales. Trump insists the new tariffs will put American businesses on a more level playing field and boost the federal government’s coffers. We’ll hear how Native business experts are responding to the new economic reality. GUESTS Tabatha Bull (Nipissing First Nation), president and CEO of Canadian Council for Indigenous Business John Desjarlais (Cree-Métis), executive director of the Indigenous Resource Network Dante Biss-Grayson (Osage), founder of Sky-Eagle Collection Tally Monteau (Hunkpati Dakota and Chippewa-Cree), program manager for the Native American Development Corporation (NADC) Triia program and beadwork artist Benjamin Haile (Shinnecock), owner of Thunder Island Coffee Roasters

Indigenous people in Canada suffered a noticeably disproportionate number of fatal interactions with law enforcement in 2024. In one three-month period, 15 Indigenous people died either in custody or from direct interactions with police. It prompted the Assembly of First Nations and other Indigenous leaders to call for a national inquiry. It also inspired the news program, APTN Investigates, to pry into the factors that contribute to such an imbalance in the justice system. Their new three-part series looks into the strained relationship between Indigenous people and law enforcement. We’ll talk with APTN Investigates team members about their findings. We'll also hear from Marvin Roberts, the Athabascan man who just settled a wrongful conviction lawsuit against the city of Fairbanks, Alaska for $11.5 million. Roberts is one of the men – all Native – deemed the "Fairbanks Four". They were all convicted and imprisoned for the 1997 murder of a teenager. They were released in 2015 after another man confessed to the crime. GUESTS Cullen Crozier (Gwich’in, Dene, and Métis), producer with APTN Investigates Tamara Pimental (Métis), video journalist with APTN Investigates Tom Fennario, video journalist with APTN Investigates Marvin Roberts (Athabascan), one of the "Fairbanks Four" Reilly Cosgrove, partner at Kramer and Cosgrove law firm

Punk rock’s rebellious anger aimed at the forces of economic and political oppression and its low-fi, DIY aesthetic are among the reasons the genre took hold with some Indigenous musicians. It’s a connection that continues to resonate with both players and audiences. Kristy Martinez (Yoeme and Chicanx) is both a punk performer and a graduate student researching the history of the Indigenous contributions to the legacy of punk, one short, loud, and angry song at a time. She is building an archive of Indigenous punk musicians, posters, and performances on social media. We’ll hear from Martinez about her growing archive of Indigenous punk history and what the art form has to offer to today’s listeners. GUESTS Kristen Martinez (Yaqui and Mexican), archivist for the Indigenous Punk Archive and graduate student in musicology at UCLA Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe), visual artist and lead vocalist of the Dead Pioneers Toni Heartless (Diné, Choctaw, Filipino), artist and front man for Heart Museum

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in western Oregon signed away their subsistence hunting and fishing rights in exchange for federal recognition in 1980. Now, after years of work, those rights are fully restored, opening up a rich store of traditional food for tribal members. Author Brook Thompson was inspired to write her children's book, I Love Salmon and Lampreys, after witnessing a salmon kill in the Klamath River in 2002. Her book, illustrated by Anastasia Khmelevska, is an approachable story about environmental stewardship. Indigenous chef and restaurateur Bleu Adams reimagines American cuisine at her new eatery, The Continental, in Provo, Utah, "celebrating the land, the seasons, and the stories that shape us." GUESTS Brook Thompson (Yurok and Karuk), author, civil engineer, activist, artist, and full-time Ph.D. student at the University of California, Santa Cruz in environmental studies Bleu Adams (Diné, Mandan and Hidatsa), owner and chef of The Continental and served as an emissary for the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Robert Kentta (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians), Siletz Tribal Council member

For the first time in decades, tribes in the Pacific Northwest will be able to forage for wild huckleberries in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest without competition from commercial companies. The development comes after decades of work by the Yakama Nation and other tribes in a contentious dispute, all while the culturally important wild berry abundance has dwindled. Foraging is also important to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in southern Colorado. A collaboration between the tribe and a conservation nonprofit to facilitate foraging on nearby private land just got a significant boost. GUESTS Bronsco Jim Jr., chief of the Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation Josephine Woolington, journalist in Portland Treston Chee (Diné), Indigenous lands program field coordinator with Trees, Water & People

The Trump Administration is backtracking on some of the looming changes at the Social Security Administration (SSA) after widespread complaints from the public, advocates, and elected leaders. But staffing and budget cuts are already creating backlogs and delays for recipients. SSA is delaying for two weeks a new requirement for in-person identity checks, but significant changes are still on the way. We’ll talk about what those changes are for Native American elders and how they can prepare for them. GUESTS Rosalind Asetamy (Comanche), chairperson for the elder council of the Comanche Nation Larry Curley (Navajo), grant writer and consultant Judith Kozlowskiindependent Elder Justice consultant and is a consultant for the International Association for Indigenous Aging Michael Bird (Santo Domingo Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh), past president of the American Public Health Association and past national consultant for AARP

Vaccines for the coronavirus have reduced the scope and severity of COVID-19 infections, but for as many as a third of the people who contract COVID, symptoms of the disease persist and cause potentially disabling affects day after day. Long COVID affects as many as 23 million Americans. Symptoms include persistent headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, and memory and concentration problems. In addition to the personal and medical burdens, several studies indicate the global financial drain from long COVID is anywhere from $1 trillion to $6 trillion. The Trump administration just announced it is closing the federal office that facilitates research and information-sharing among medical institutions on long COVID. GUESTS Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee), writer, advocate, host of the podcast This Land, and author of By the Fire We Carry Rita Bilagody (Navajo), activist and grandma Troy Montserrat-Gonzales (Lumbee and Chicana), mental health therapist and health care consultant Dr. Ivy Hurowitz, associate professor Division of Infectious Diseases at University of New Mexico Department of Internal Medicine Dr. Douglas Perkins, professor of Medicine and director of the Center for Global Health in the University of New Mexico Department of Internal Medicine

The unpredictable availability of salmon and other fish in Alaska is putting additional pressure on the practice of subsistence fishing for Alaska Native residents. A federal board just opened up subsistence fishing and hunting — something reserved only for rural residents — to all 14,000 residents of Ketchikan. The State of Alaska is fighting a federal panel’s approval of a COVID-era emergency subsistence hunt for citizens in Kake. Meanwhile, stakeholders are closely watching a legal conflict over fishing on the Kuskokwim River that has implications for decades of legal precedents over subsistence fishing access. GUESTS Ilsxílee Stáng / Gloria Burns (Haida), president of the Ketchikan Indian Community Nathaniel Amdur-Clark (Citizen Potawatomi), partner at Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Miller, and Monkman, LLP

Native Hawaiian writer Norma Kawelokū Wong tells us our current reality is “drifting haphazardly in the riptide of collapse”. Wong is both a Zen Master and an experienced political strategist, having advised prominent figures including Hawaii’s first Native Hawaiian Governor, John D. Waiheʻe III. She also offered guidance and mediation on some of Hawaii’s most high profile and vexing conflicts, including the U.S. Navy’s $344 million clean-up of munitions on Kahoʻolawe Island, telescope construction on Mauna Kea, and recovery following the devastating wildfire in Lahaina. In her new book, When No Thing Works, she weaves poetry, politics, and spiritual wisdom together into a lesson for navigating crises.