Native America Calling

Named a “legendary Lakota horseman” by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Fred Ecoffey (Oglala Lakota) has enjoyed a celebrated 68-year career as a jockey. After winning his debut race in 1957, Ecoffey went on to compete in more than 17,500 races, earning inductions into both the Nebraska Racing Hall of Fame and the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame. Ecoffey, 88, has retired from professional racing, though he still helps one of his daughters with her barrel racing from time to time. Today, a new generation of young Native jockeys is taking up the mantle and finding success on the racetrack. Among them is Talliyah Timentwa (Colville Tribes), a two-time national Indian Relay champion who made her debut at Washington state’s Emerald Downs racecourse last year. We’ll speak with Native horse riders about cultivating the art of horsemanship across disciplines, from relay races and jockeying to the sport of dressage.   Break 1 Music: My Horse (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album) Break 2 Music: Medicine Wheel (song) Logan Staats (artist) Rainwater (album)

A piece by artist Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Band of Choctaw and Cherokee) titled “Yet With a Steady Beat” is part of an exhibit in the brand new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which opened to the public in June. The large, colorful canvas is dotted with political buttons that would’ve been seen in movements for Native rights, farmers’ rights, and civil rights. Being handpicked by the Obamas for the exhibit is just one of several prestigious honors and awards garnered by Gibson in recent years. Meanwhile, up-and-coming artist and influencer Tyler Free-LaMere (Winnebago) is being recognized for her music composition work. Her music combines the Ho-Chunk language, which caught the attention of the National Endowment for the Arts. With the organization’s partnership, Tyler is now a published musician and her work was made available for music lessons and curriculums as an example of contemporary Native music. These are two of many Native artists making waves in the arts world.   Break 1 Music: Cherokee County (song) Kalyn Fey (artist) Garden (album) Break 2 Music: Medicine Wheel (song) Logan Staats (artist) Rainwater (album)

As the country commemorates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, several galleries are exploring the enduring strengths of Native Americans through both traditional and contemporary works. “Paper Trails: Unfolding Indigenous Narratives” at the Museum of Contemporary Native Art in Santa Fe, N.M. aims to stretch the boundaries of the paper medium while also examining Native cultural survival in the face of colonization. “Constellations of Place” at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College is centered on a visual history of Native people in Colorado. And Seattle’s Tidelands Gallery compiles a narrative inspired by “Lushootseed Creation Stories”. We’ll talk with artists and curators about how art inserts itself into the narratives being told about the origin of America. We’ll also hear about the year-long streaming Native film festival, “Everything is Connected”, developed by Vision Maker Media. This is an encore presentation so we won’t be taking calls GUESTS Alana Stone (Sičhą́ǧu Lakȟóta and Diné), curatorial specialist at Vision Maker Media Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip), author, photographer, and CEO of Tidelands Native Art Gallery Melissa Melero-Moose (Northern Paiute), artist and co-curator of “Paper Trails: Unfolding Indigenous Narratives” Dr. Meranda Roberts (Yerington Paiute Tribe and Chicana) guest curator for “Constellations of Place”   Break 1 Music: Atomic Drop [feat. Northern Cree] (song) The Halluci Nation (artist) Path of the Heel (album) Break 2 Music: Tsudadatla Tsisqwa (song) Kalyn Fay (artist) Garden (album)

Carol Juneau (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation) helped build and shape the foundation of what is now the Blackfeet Community College in the late 1970s. Her educational work led her to advocacy and elected office as she served 12 years in the Montana legislature. Juneau is one of six Native leaders in this year’s class of National Native American Hall of Fame inductees. In this program, we’ll learn more about Juneau and other Native legends including Dwight Birdwell (Cherokee), an honored marine veteran who’s about to mark his 50th year practicing law. GUESTS James Parker Shield (Little Shell Chippewa), founder and CEO of the National Native American Hall of Fame Carol Juneau (MHA Nation), 2026 National Native American Hall of Fame inductee, retired educator, and politician Brandon Yellowbird Stevens (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), strategist for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Dwight Birdwell (Cherokee), 2025 NNAHOF inductee, Army veteran, and attorney   Break 1 Music: 20/20 (song) Blaine Bailey (artist) Indian Country (album) Break 2 Music: Tsudadatla Tsisqwa (song) Kalyn Fay (artist) Garden (album)

Fifteen days after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the new nation signed its first international treaty with the Wolastoqey and Mi’kmaq Nations of present-day Maine. It’s a history that historian and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians ambassador Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald wishes more Americans knew. Brown University assistant professor and Narragansett Nation citizen Dr. Mack Scott III is working to get Black and Indigenous histories better integrated into the K-12 curriculum in northeastern schools. This includes histories like how Narragansett citizens fought in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, a unit long celebrated as an all-Black unit. We’ll hear from Native historians about reclaiming these narratives along with their tribes’ stories from 1776. GUESTS Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald (Wolastoqey). tribal ambassador for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Mack Scott III (Narragansett), assistant professor at Brown University Jeremy Johnson (Delaware Tribe of Indians), cultural education director for the Delaware Tribe of Indians   Break 1 Music: Wolastoq Song by Saqatay (song) Mawi Sakolikapuwicik Singers (artist) Break 2 Music: Tsudadatla Tsisqwa (song) Kalyn Fay (artist) Garden (album)

A new café in Vancouver, British Columbia faced mounting criticism from the Indigenous community for its questionable use of Indigenous branding. The incident ignited conversations about the potential harms of cultural appropriation. Santa Ana Pueblo just entered into a partnership with New Mexico’s largest winery. The vineyard on the tribe’s reservation is just one of a handful that are owned and operated by a tribe. As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we’ll discuss how Indigenous foods are integral to America’s historical origins and culinary identity and how the last 250 years has impacted Indigenous food. GUESTS Gov. Myron Armijo (Santa Ana Pueblo) Inez Cook (Nuxalk Nation), owner of Salmon n’ Bannock Bistro Devon Mihesuah (Choctaw), author and Cora Lee Beers Price professor at the Hall Center for the Humanities at the University of Kansas   Break 1 Music: Susqwimtmacwaw (song) Nuxalk Radio (artist) Nusximta (album) Break 2 Music: Tsudadatla Tsisqwa (song) Kalyn Fay (artist) Garden (album)

A Swiss private collector is selling a massive collection of thousands of Indigenous pipes, firearms, and cultural items, valued at over $17 million. A group is leading an effort to repatriate the items that are nearly 200 years old. They originated with First Nations and potentially U.S. tribes. The group is hoping to raise millions of dollars to bring these items home before they fall into another private collector’s hands. We’ll discuss the struggle to reclaim items from overseas private collectors, alongside a broader push to make museums and universities return ancestral items by a 2029 deadline. Plus, we’ll look at a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court case deciding the future of birthright citizenship, just as their current term ends. GUESTS Shannon O’Loughlin (Choctaw), chief executive and attorney for the Association on American Indian Affairs Coleen Rajotte (Cree), journalist, Sixties Scoop survivor, and repatriation advocate Lance White (Santee Dakota and Arikara), repatriation advocate Robert Miller (Eastern Shawnee), law professor at Arizona State University and tribal judge Gerald Neufeld, repatriation researcher and advocate   Break 1 Music: Ancestors (song) Mike Bern (artist) Ancestors (album) Break 2 Music: Tsudadatla Tsisqwa (song) Kalyn Fay (artist) Garden (album)

If you’re looking for an alternative to screens for the youngsters and young adults in your life over summer break, a new book by a Native author might be the solution. There is a wealth of new and familiar stories that feature Native characters. We’ll hear from our panel of avid readers — who are also authors of books for kids and young adults — about some of their favorite new reads as well as some that are yet to be released. GUESTS Stacy Wells (Choctaw), author and librarian Andrea L. Rogers (Cherokee), author and a PhD student at the University of Arkansas Byron Graves (Ojibwe and Lakota), author and skateboarder   Break 1 Music: A Turtle’s Honour Song [NDN Jazz] (song) Mwalim (artist) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

First Nations and Métis leaders in Alberta are actively opposing the province’s secession movement. Alberta will hold a referendum this October on whether to separate from Canada. Premier Danielle Smith is in a war of words with First Nations leaders and faces legal challenges from tribes for pushing forward with the vote. Smith publicly admonished tribal leaders to “check themselves” after the main provincial First Nations chiefs organization said Smith’s actions amounted to “treason”. So far, the public overwhelmingly opposes separation, but the debate is highlighting a very real question whether the provincial government can actually act on separation in light of historic treaties signed with the British Crown long before Alberta was established. GUESTS Chief Troy Knowlton (Piikani), Chief of the Piikani Nation and president of the Blackfoot Confederacy Danette Starblanket (Star Blanket Cree), assistant professor with the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina Bruce McIvor (Métis), founder and senior partner at First Peoples Law LLP and an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law Matthew Wildcat (Ermineskin Cree), assistant professor and director of Indigenous Governance in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta Jon Eagle Sr. (Hunkpapa Lakota and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), former tribal historic preservation officer for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe   Break 1 Music: Old Alberta (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

Sweeping legislation in Congress is aimed at lowering the cost of housing. The fate of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is still questionable, but if it is approved it would, among other things, remove some barriers to housing construction, especially in major cities. While the bill enjoys relatively rare bipartisan support, Native American affordable housing advocates say it is a missed opportunity to address long-standing issues faced by a population disproportionately affected by housing affordability. It includes provisions for tribal housing improvement, but Native housing experts say it falls far short of what’s needed. Mostly, Native advocates are pushing for reauthorizing the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA), the block grant program driving the construction and repair of thousands of homes in Native communities over the last three decades. It’s authorization expired more than a dozen years ago. We’ll discuss recent progress and ongoing needs in affordable housing. GUESTS Jackie Pata (Tlingit), president and CEO of the Tlingit and Haida Regional Housing Authority; First Vice President of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska; co-chair of the HUD Secretary’s Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee; and board member of the National American Indian Housing Council Derrick Belgarde (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and Chippewa Cree), executive director of the Chief Seattle Club Lenny Fineday (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe), general counsel for the National Congress of American Indians Griffin Hagle-Forster, executive director of the Association of Alaska Housing Authorities   Break 1 Music: Kunax yak’ei gayshagook (song) Khu.éex’ (artist) Siy​á​adlan (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

Citizens of Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and other tribes are making their way to Montana to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Greasy Grass, also known as the Battle of the Little Bighorn. They are going there to mark a milestone for one of the most significant battles on U.S. soil. Many of them can directly trace their lineage to the warriors who were there. Among them is Jodi Rave Spotted Bear, whose great-great grandfather, Bear With Horns, died in the fight. His story was preserved by his younger sister Lucy Poor Buffalo, who was seven years old and witnessed the battle. Spotted Bear and others from the online news site, Buffalo’s Fire, are collecting the stories in a Memorial Wall to pay tribute to the Native warriors. We’ll hear from Spotted Bear and other descendants whose stories have been handed down over the generations. GUESTS Ernie LaPointe (Lakota), great-grandson of Sitting Bull and veteran Jodi Rave Spotted Bear (Mandan, Hidatsa and Mniconjou Lakota), executive director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance and editor-in-chief of Buffalo’s Fire Donovin Sprague (Miniconjou Lakota), historian, archivist, and professor at Sheridan College   Break 1 Music: Remembering The Warrior (song) Porcupine Singers (artist) Alowanpi – Songs Of Honoring – Lakota Classics: Past & Present, Vol. 1 (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

The Declaration of Independence infamously contains the phrase, “merciless Indian savages”, an indication of just where Native Americans fit into this year’s celebration of the founding document’s 250th anniversary For much of that time, the federal government, colonial historians, and the general public have fetishized a version of Native culture, all while working to extinguish that culture from continued existence. Acclaimed Cherokee journalist Rebecca Nagle takes on the semiquincentennial from the Native perspective in her new six-part podcast, “First America“. Nagle is also the creator of the podcast, “This Land”, which earned a Peabody Award nomination and won the 2020 American Mosaic Journalism Prize, and she wrote the national best-selling book, “By the Fire We Carry”. We’ll hear from Nagle and some of the historians and academics who provided insights on the Native influences on early democracy and the uneasy balance between Native people and America ever since. GUESTS Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee), creator and host of the “First America” podcast; author of “By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land”; and creator of “This Land” podcast Philip Deloria (Yankton Dakota), professor of history at Harvard University Dr. Nick Estes (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe), associate professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota   Break 1 Music: Old Hallicrafter Radio (song) Samantha Crain (artist) Gumshoe (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

“Rainwater and Whiskey” and “Empty Hands” are the latest singles off Mohawk singer-songwriter Logan Staats‘ forthcoming third album. These songs further explore Staats’ vintage country, soul and blues sound that were showcased on his 2023 Juno-nominated album, A Light in The Attic. His songwriting often centers on Indigenous rights and reclaiming identity. He continues to build on his mainstream success from winning a national Canadian music competition television series in 2018. Cherokee and Muscogee singer-songwriter Kalyn Fay‘s new album, “Garden”, channels quiet, rural life in Oklahoma. Fay waited two years before releasing the album because they “wanted to give the songs time to breathe.” The songwriting on the album is both personal and confessional, drawing inspiration from their family, their Native community, and the landscapes of Oklahoma.   Billboard Music: Seven (song) Kalyn Fay (artist) Garden (album) Break 1 Music: Holy Man (song) Logan Staats (artist) A Light In the Attic (album) Break 2 Music: Round Dance (song) Black Lodge (artist) Enter the Circle – Pow-Wow Songs (album)

Tribes in Washington State and Vancouver, British Columbia are presenting their culture and history to soccer fans all over the world. The Puyallup Tribe’s partnership with FIFA is the first time an Indigenous nation is formally represented at the World Cup for the games in host city, Seattle. The Musqueam Indian Band and Squamish Nation also have hosting and planning agreements in Canada. They are all contributing cultural events, visual arts, and music during the matches that are attracting fans from all over the world. At the same time, Native victims advocates like the Seattle Indian Health Board are preparing resources to combat the expected increases in Indigenous human trafficking that inevitably accompanies such large, high-profile events. GUESTS Jamin Zuroski (ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation, Polish, Ukrainian), artist Tamia Overes (səlilwətaɬ [Tsleil-Waututh Nation]), artist Chelsea Hendrickson (citizen of the Northern Arapaho Nation, and Cup’iq), survivor leader Hope Sandstrom (Puyallup), digital media manager for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), executive vice president of Seattle Indian Health Board and director of Urban Indian Health Institute   Break 1 Music: Seattle Theme x FIFA World Cup 26 (song) Sango (artist) Break 2 Music: Beauty Way (song) Summit Dub Squad (artist) The Beauty Way (album)

As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases its 20-year dredging plan for the Columbia River, tribes say they want more of a say in how the operation affects their fishing and cultural priorities. The Corps acknowledges that its ongoing work to maintain the 43-foot deep channel is detrimental to salmon and other species. The Trump administration, which cancelled a historic river co-management agreement with tribes, now wants to facilitate larger, more powerful shipping barges on the river that already transports more than 26 million tons of grain a year. But the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Cowlitz Tribe, and others say the waterway is more than just a highway for agricultural exports. They want their voices reflected in future river dredging decisions. GUESTS Roger Amerman (Choctaw), geologist and ethnogeologist Virgil Lewis (Yakama), fish commissioner for Yakama Nation with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Erik Holt (Nez Perce), chairman of the Nez Perce Tribe Fish and Wildlife Commission   Break 1 Music: To Keep the World We Know (song) Bruce Cockburn (artist) O Sun O Moon (album) Break 2 Music: Beauty Way (song) Summit Dub Squad (artist) The Beauty Way (album)

A racial discrimination lawsuit by a non-Native resident of Hawaii threatens to dismantle a Native Hawaiian land benefit established by Congress more than a century ago. The suit challenges the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921, a federal law reserving more than 200,000 acres of land in a public trust for Hawaii’s Native population. Residents need to prove they have a 50% blood quantum to qualify for 99-year lease. The plaintiff argues he was denied a lease based on an unconstitutional racial preference. It is one in a series of challenges for similar benefits including school admissions and a health studies scholarship, all giving preference for Native Hawaiians, who do not share the same political protections as Native Americans. We’ll discuss how the lawsuits brings issues of equity, blood quantum, and historic land dispossession to the forefront. GUESTS Robin Danner (Native Hawaiian), senior advisor to the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Association Elizabeth Ho’oipo Pa Nakea (Native Hawaiian), attorney, founding president of Hui Na’auao, and executive director of the Native Hawaiian Advisory Council Patrick Kahawaiolaa (Native Hawaiian), homesteader and elder Derek Kauanoe (Native Hawaiian), assistant professor of law at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa   Break 1 Music: Ke Aloha I Ka Pu’uwai / He ‘Ili ‘Ula Au a He Hawai’I (song) Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu (artist) Call It What You Like (album) Break 2 Music: Beauty Way (song) Summit Dub Squad (artist) The Beauty Way (album)

Overall support for many key LGBTQ+ issues remains overwhelmingly high among Americans, but a new survey shows that support declining for the first time in years. Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey shows 69% of those surveyed favor same-sex marriage, for instance. But that is down from 71% two years ago. The new direction comes as more anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation are surfacing. A handful of cities and states are opting to show support for traditional families rather than back Pride events. At the same time, annual parades, events and public discussions show no signs of slowing down. We’ll get a view of what Pride means in 2026. GUESTS Dr. charlie amáyá scott (Diné), independent scholar, public speaker, and content creator Steven Barrios (Blackfeet), co-founder of the Montana Two Spirit Society; knowledge and wisdom keeper David Herrera (Mestizo), co-founder of the Montana Two Spirit Society Myk Mendez (Shoshone-Bannock), cultural activist and organizer, owner of Marvelous Beads, and a published comic book author Lenny Hayes (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), owner and executive director of Tate Topa Consulting, LLC   Break 1 Music: Common Feelings (song) Darksiderz (artist) Ancestors EP (album) Break 2 Music: Beauty Way (song) Summit Dub Squad (artist) The Beauty Way (album)

A major housing and retail development proposal in Virginia threatens to pave over the birthplace of one of America’s most influential historical leader. Paramount Chief Powhatan is the notable late-1500s leader who united local tribes into what became known as the Powhatan Confederacy to face the first waves of English settlers. He was the being father of Matoaka, also known as Pocahontas. The nonprofit organization Preservation Virginia placed the site on its 2026 list of most endangered places. Tribal leaders are actively working to halt the development project, saying it would be “an immeasurable loss to tribal communities and the Commonwealth of Virginia.” We’ll hear from tribal leaders about Powhatan’s birthplace and his enduring legacy. GUESTS Chief Kevin Brown (Pamunkey) Chief Frank Adams (Upper Mattaponi)   Break 1 Music: A Beautiful Darkness [Feat. Nadjiwen] (song) Sultans of String (artist) Break 2 Music: Trick Song (song) Battle River (artist) Hard Times (album)

New infections aboard a cruise ship have thrust the hantavirus into the global spotlight. Hantavirus infections remain rare, with only about 1,000 cases reported in the U.S. in more than 30 years. What the world knows about the illness started in 1993 on the Navajo Nation. After struggling to identify the dangerous respiratory illness, medical researchers gained crucial insights from Navajo elders, noting that traditional oral histories had long associated spikes in deer mouse populations — driven by specific rainfall patterns — with deadly disease. That knowledge directly informed the scientific discovery of what we know now as the Sin Nombre virus. The discovery also offers a lesson in public notification of diseases. Early media reports labelled the pathogen as the “Navajo flu”, which stigmatized the community for years afterward. We’ll look at the history of the hantavirus and the current efforts to prevent its spread. GUESTS Dean Seneca (Seneca), CEO of Seneca Scientific Solutions+, adjunct professor at the School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University at Buffalo, and Adjunct Instructor at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Dr. Steven Bradfute, associate professor in the Center for Global Health at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine Dr. Erin Phipps, New Mexico State public health veterinarian  Dr. Victoria Sutton (Lumbee), distinguished Horn Professor at Texas Tech University School of Law Dr. Jonathan Iralu, Indian Health Service infectious diseases physician   Break 1 Music: Healing Song (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Circle Dance Songs of the Paiute and Shoshone (album) Break 2 Music: Fearless I Live (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)

The cost of fuel is a major expenditure for farmers, commercial fishermen, long-haul truckers, and dozens of other businesses. The persistently high cost of gas since February’s start of the Iran War is eroding the profit margin for those businesses. They ultimately either absorb those costs, pass them on to customers, or shut down. For individuals, the price of oil is showing up in everything from people’s vacation plans to how much they heat their homes at night. We’ll hear about where the cost of petroleum shows up beyond just the gas pump and how Native businesses and individuals are coping. GUESTS Boyd Gourneau (Lower Brule Sioux), chairman of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Bill McCabe (Diné), principal of McCabe and Associates Jason Pitre (Houma), owner of Bayou Rosa Oysters Kiera McCabe (Diné), founder of Skoden Farm Lionel Bigthumb (Diné), co-owner and CEO of Blackstreak Holdings   Break 1 Music: Mr. Businessman’s Blues (song) DM Lafortune (artist) Beauty and Hard Times (album) Break 2 Music: Fearless I Live (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)

A dedicated effort to learn more about Native elders living in urban areas reveals they suffer a high rate of chronic illnesses and have limited social interactions. Those conclusions come from the most recent Native Urban Elder Needs Assessment Survey that aims to fill a void of information about the needs of Native American elders — the vast majority of whom live in cities. The survey is among the efforts to better understand and provide effective services for Native elders. The effort is all the more pressing as federal cuts to Medicaid and Medicare approach, costs for medical care rise, and pressure increases to cut support for the Indian Health Service. GUESTS Dr. Collette Adamson (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians), director of the National Resource Center on Native American Aging and research assistant professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota Michael Bird (Kewa Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh), past president of the American Public Health Association and past national consultant for AARP Dr. Emily Haozous (Fort Sill Chiricahua-Warm Springs Apache Tribe), research scientist for the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation   Break 1 Music: Grandmother’s Song (song) Fawn Wood (artist) Iskwewak (album) Break 2 Music: Fearless I Live (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)

A former DJ who once struggled as a student, Cailean Dakota MacColl built her way to medical school from the ground up. She’s now graduating from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Jerrick Hope-Lang took on preserving a Tlingit clan house in Sitka, Alaska that was named on the America’s most endangered historic places. Now he’s a Henry Luce Foundation Indigenous knowledge fellow and a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts. Lawren “Lulu” Goodfox is a budding actor balancing film and stage roles with especially busy extra-curricular activities like tennis, student council, honors society, and preparation for traditional dances. She is now graduating from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma and setting off to study drama at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts. We’ll talk to each of them about what’s ahead for the class of 2026. GUESTS Dr. Cailean Dakota MacColl (Lac La Ronge Indian Band), University of Minnesota Doctor of Medicine graduate Jerrick Hope-Lang ( Tlingit and Tsimshian), director of Point House Revitalization and a 2026 Luce Knowledge Fellow Lawren “Lulu” Goodfox (Osage and Pawnee), 2026 graduate of Stillwater High School Brandin Naabaahi Upshaw (Diné), 2026 graduate of Navajo Preparatory School   Break 1 Music: Wahzhazhe (song) Scott George (artist) Killers of the Flower Moon Soundtrack (album) Break 2 Music: Bad Dude (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)

The Native fashion show was always among the most popular offerings at the annual Santa Fe Indian Market put on by the Southwest Association for Indian Arts. Now SWAIA’s Native Fashion Week returns for the third year as a standalone celebration of wearable Native creativity. Designers include Jamie Okuma and Lauren Good Day, who are making strides in the mainstream fashion arenas. This year, organizers aim for a scaled-back, intimate event that includes a curated fashion show, Indigenous food, vendors, and public discussions. We’ll get a preview of the upcoming Native Fashion Week in Santa Fe, N.M. We’ll also talk with Ruth-Ann Thorn (Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians), founder of the brand N8iV Beauty, that was just named one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2026. GUESTS Jamie Schulze (Northern Cheyenne and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), executive director of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) Jamie Okuma (Shoshone-Bannock, La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, Wailaki, and Okinawan), artist and fashion designer Lauren Good Day (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara), traditional arts designer Ruth-Ann Thorn (Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians), founder of N8iV Beauty   Break 1 Music: Hoka Hey (feat. Jayden Paz & Dancin Dave) [Radio Version] (song) DJ krayzkree (artist) Future Generations (album) Break 2 Music: Bad Dude (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)

Tribes in Wisconsin are celebrating that state’s new law that gives them exclusive control over sports betting in the state, but a similar attempt to secure tribal control of sports betting fell flat in Oklahoma. Both actions come as prediction market companies like Kalshi and Polymarket are raking in hundreds of millions of dollars offering wagers on nearly everything including sports. One attorney says prediction market companies pose an existential threat to Native American gaming. We’ll speak with tribal leaders and Native academics about the legal and political fight over ground in the multi-billion dollar sports betting market. Also, President Donald Trump’s move to reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive status is a win for the Omaha Tribe. The tribe is working to open a medical marijuana operation after tribal council voted in 2025 to legalize medical marijuana on tribal lands, but the effort continues to face roadblocks, including the Nebraska governor, who has opposed legalization. GUESTS Tehassi Hill (Oneida), chairman of the Oneida Nation and vice chairman of the Indian Gaming Association Jeff Crawford (Forest County Potawatomi), attorney general for Forest County Potawatomi Community Patrice Kunesh (Standing Rock Sioux descent), professor of law at the University of New Mexico and fellow at The Brookings Institution Gary Pitchlynn (Choctaw), professor of law at the University of Oklahoma Amanda Hallowell (Omaha), cannabis commission chairwoman for the Omaha Tribe John Cartier, attorney general for the Omaha Tribe   Break 1 Music: Porcupine Singers’ Song (song) Porcupine Singers (artist) Alowanpi – Songs Of Honoring – Lakota Classics: Past & Present, Vol. 1 (album) Break 2 Music: Bad Dude (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)

MMIP advocates fault police in Anchorage for not acting fast enough when young Alaska Native woman went missing in January. Kelly Hunt’s body was discovered in April. Her death is now under investigation. It’s the latest case revealing the persistent lack of trust Native communities have when it comes to MMIP cases. Hunt’s case comes as the Trump administration is touting a surge in federal agents in selected locations to address the backlog in unsolved serious crimes, but tribal leaders and advocates say there’s no real progress on the lingering disconnect between Native people and law enforcement officials on all levels. And despite some recent progress, there are serious hurdles when it comes to jurisdictional confusion and information sharing across agencies. GUESTS Regina Antone (Gila River Indian Community), lieutenant governor of the Gila River Indian Community Stephen Roe Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community Alexis Savage (Iñupiaq), MMIP advocate LaRenda Morgan (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma), Cheyenne and Arapaho MMIP chapter chairwoman and the governmental affairs officer for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma   Break 1 Music: Nakoda Healing Song (song) YB Nakota (artist) Break 2 Music: Bad Dude (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)

Right now, crude oil flows unimpeded through the Dakota Access Pipeline under the dammed Missouri River in North Dakota. Construction of the pipeline that traverses Lake Oahe near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation was a defeat for protestors who became known as “water protectors”. But the resistance against that pipeline that started ten years ago was a galvanizing moment for sovereignty and public awareness for Native Americans. It grew into a movement that eventually included thousands of Indigenous activists, tribal leaders, celebrities, and supporters from around the world. ICT News is among the outlets marking the 10-year anniversary of the #NoDAPL movement with a series of articles reflecting on the stand-off and assessing the lasting implications. We’ll hear about that and check in with people who were there. GUESTS Amelia Schafer (Brothertown Indian Nation descendant), north central bureau correspondent for ICT Jon Eagle Sr. (Hunkpapa Lakota and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), former tribal historic preservation officer for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe   Break 1 Music: Standing Rock [feat. Nick Ørbæk Jacobsen] (song) Uyarakq (artist) Miseraq (album) Break 2 Music: Heartbreaker (song) Sage Lacapa (artist) Heartbreaker (single)

Native Guitars Tour keeps up their busy schedule of performances with the annual signature appearance during the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, N.M. It is a night Under the Native Stars featuring a diverse musical line-up, a fashion show, and traditional tattoo demonstrations. It’s an annual Native America Calling tradition to get a sampling of what’s in store. The Guitars Tour is coming off a series of dates in Las Vegas. We’ll find out what’s in store for the future. GUESTS Jir Anderson (Cochiti Pueblo), founder and executive director of Native Guitars Tour and lead singer for the Jir Project Cameron Osceola (Seminole and Kiowa), guitarist and singer for the Osceola Brothers Sheldon Osceola (Seminole and Kiowa), drummer for the Oseceola Brothers Sage Lacapa (White Mountain Apache), musician Kirin Lacapa (Jicarilla Apache), musician Arianna Lauren (Cowichan Tribes), traditional tattooist   Billboard Music: Heartbreaker (song) Sage Lacapa (artist) Break 1 Music: One To Hold On To (song) The Osceola Brothers (artist) One To Hold On To (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

Diné hip-hop artist and educator Def-i has been a singular, independent voice in elevating Native hip-hop and championing other Native artists. This year makes 14 years that he has spearheaded the annual two-day competition, Gathering of MCs. Some of the top Native rappers from around the country bring their best beats, bars, and freestyles to vie for cash prizes. This year’s event takes place alongside what organizers say is the final Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, N.M. We’ll speak with Def-i and other performers about the power and importance of Native hip-hop. GUESTS Def-i (Diné), hip-hop artist and educator Illmac (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians), hip-hop artist She Real, hip-hop artist   Billboard Music: Mmhmm feat. Paul Wall [remix] (song) Stella Standingbear (artist) Break 1 Music: Small Things (song) Illmac (artist) Small Things (single) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

Through interviews with relatives, community knowledge keepers, and her work as a climate activist and lawyer, Katłı̨̀ą Catherine Lafferty (Yellowknives Dene) shares Dene wisdom and perspectives about the land that provide possible solutions for the climate crisis in her new book, “Mother Earth is Our Elder: A Northern Indigenous Path Toward Sustainable Living”. Her primary sources for the book include Yellowknives Dene chief Fred Sangris, former chief of the Łutsël K'é Dene First Nation Steven Nitah, and elder Randy Baillargeon. We’ll hear from Lafferty about her book and how it informs the day set aside to acknowledge the Earth. We’ll also talk with Innu cultural guardian Jodie Ashini (Innu) about how the tribe’s flag ended up on the Artemis II mission through space around the Moon.

The Trump administration settled a lawsuit this month challenging its year-long effort to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and agreed to honor past grants that were clawed back last year forcing public libraries across the country (including tribal libraries) to scramble for alternative funding, cut programming, lay off employees, or close their doors. Tribal libraries get numerous grants from the IMLS and, while library directors and advocates welcome reinstated IMLS funds, they are looking to strengthen funding and support for the long term. On National Library Week, we’ll get an update from tribal library advocates about the longevity of these much-needed programs and facilities. We’ll also learn about continued efforts to keep all books (including those written by Indigenous writers) on public and school library shelves. A handful of states passed legislation that reduces the risk of books being banned in schools and public libraries. This is in response to numerous book ban controversies in states like Texas and Florida that pit librarians and authors of books about certain LGBTQ2+, racial, and historical subjects against conservative Christians. Now, a bill that would ban similar books has been introduced to Congress. GUESTS Jennifer Himmelreich (Diné), senior consultant for the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums’ Tribal Library Council Cassandra Osterloh (Cherokee), New Mexico State Library tribal libraries program coordinator Laurel Goodluck (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Tsimshian), author and member of the Freedom to Read New Mexico coalition   Break 1 Music: Dee Zee (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

“Python’s Kiss” by Louise Erdrich (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) is a collection of short stories that are just as poignant and rich as her novels. In “Domain,” Erdrich imagines an afterlife run like a corporate business. In “Wedding Dresses”, the protagonist relives her past marriages and what led to pain and heartbreak. Each creative story is brilliantly told through Erdrich’s wide range of compelling characters and illustrated by Aza Erdrich Abe, Louise’s daughter and long-time book cover artist. Louise and Aza join us on Native Bookshelf, our regular literary feature. Some stories in “Python’s Kiss” made previous appearances in The New Yorker, Granta, and other literary publications. Two of them are slated to appear in forthcoming prize-winning collections “The Best American Short Stories 2026” and “The Best Short Stories 2026: The O. Henry Prize Winners”. Erdrich is the author of many books that earned her multiple literary awards including the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.   Break 1 Music: War Dance Song A1 (song) Ponemah Chippewa Singers (artist) Chippewa War Dance Songs for Powwow (album) Break 2 Music: Feels Like [feat. Sheena Shandea] (song) Nataanii Means (artist)

Filmmaker Kelly Moneymaker is dedicated to documenting how Indigenous people across the world — especially in the Arctic — are adapting to a rapidly changing climate. Moneymaker, who is Samoan and was raised by an adoptive Iñupiaq father, pivoted her career after a successful run in pop music to highlight Indigenous stories on film. Her work has been showcased at United Nations Climate Conferences, prestigious film festivals, and previous Arctic Encounter Summits in Anchorage, Alaska. We’ll speak to Moneymaker about her film work and Rachel Kallander, Arctic Encounter Summit founder and CEO, will join us for a review of this year’s convening of global leaders and stakeholders.   Break 1 Music: Humma [Feat. Kendra Tagoona & Tracy Sarazin] (song) Sultans of String (artist) Break 2 Music: Me & You (song) Manitou Mkwa Singers (artist) Me & You (single)

There are no casinos or lotteries in Alaska. The state has some of the most restrictive gaming laws in the country, but the small Dena’ina Athabascan Village of Eklutna, located in Anchorage’s municipality, is pushing the envelope on tribal gaming rights in the state. The Chin’an Gaming Hall is still open even after a year of legal disputes and threats by the state to close its doors. The village is also at the forefront of climate advocacy in southcentral Alaska. They have been working to restore their river’s namesake and salmon habitat. We’ll speak with the Eklutna’s president Aaron Leggett, live from the Arctic Encounter Summit in Anchorage, an annual gathering of policymakers, diplomats, Indigenous leaders, and stakeholders. We’ll also hear from Alaska Native elders and subsistence rights advocates from St. Lawrence Island about whaling and contamination from a former military site on the island. GUESTS Aaron Leggett (Dena’ina Athabascan), president of the Village of Eklutna Vi Waghiyi (Yupik), environmental health and justice program director at the Alaska Community Action on Toxics Merle Apassingok (Yupik), elder and leader from the Native Village of Gambell Dr. Sara Olsvig (Inuit), chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council   Break 1 Music: Kunax yak’ei gayshagook (song) Khu.éex’ (artist) Siy​á​adlan (album) Break 2 Music: Me & You (song) Manitou Mkwa Singers (artist) Me & You (single)

President Donald Trump is pushing for more oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic, a decision directly impacting Iñupiaq communities. Millions of acres in the National Petroleum Reserve were opened for oil and gas leasing and the administration’s reversal of Biden-era protections has the potential to open up the pristine National Wildlife Refuge for leasing and drilling. Some Iñupiaq communities welcome the potential for more oil drilling that promises to boost revenue and jobs for shareholders. Others worry about the environment and their ability to carry on subsistence lifestyles. We’ll get perspectives from Iñupiaq leaders about the future of economic development in the Arctic. We’re broadcasting live from the 2026 Arctic Encounter Summit in Anchorage, Alaska. GUESTS Asisaun Toovak (Iñupiaq), mayor of Utqiagvik, Alaska Pearl Brower (Iñupiaq), president and CEO of Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation Nagruk Harcharek (Iñupiaq), president and CEO of The Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat (VOICE)   Break 1 Music: Ikitaa (song) PIQSIQ (artist) Break 2 Music: Me & You (song) Manitou Mkwa Singers (artist) Me & You (single)

The work of Margaret Pearce (Citizen Potawatomi) as a cartographer does not separate Indigenous people, stories, culture, and memory from a place that she is mapping. She works with tribes, Native scientists, and culture keepers to bring forth map layers often overlooked by the mainstream. One of her recent projects, “The Cold at Inuit Nunangat”, maps the ways Inuit protect their homelands in northern Canada and how colonization interferes with that connection. Her current mapping project, “Mississippi Dialogues”, depicts the Mississippi River through the perspective of Indigenous people and their stewardship. Pearce was named a National Geographic 33 in March and is a recipient of a 2025 MacArthur Fellowship and genius grant. She is our April Native in the Spotlight. We’ll also visit with photographer and National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan (Nanai Hèzhé) about his photography book, “Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet“. The book, which launched in April, is a culmination of photos from his travels to Indigenous communities throughout the globe with a focus on Indigenous connections and stewardship of land.   Break 1 Music: Someone Drew a Line (song) Vincent Craig (artist) Vol. 1 (album) Break 2 Music: Me & You (song) Manitou Mkwa Singers (artist) Me & You (single)

The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is one of the first tribes to pass a moratorium against the construction of hyperscale data centers. The nearby Muscogee Nation also turned down an opportunity to build a data center after Muscogee citizens spoke out in force against the plan. Large tech companies are stepping up the pressure to build hyperscale data centers to house the processing power for data storage and generative AI. The federal government is providing incentives for tribes to get involved in this part of the tech boom. It is part of the Trump administration’s push to unleash American technological power, but such facilities typically require a lot of power and water. Native environmentalists warn data center companies are only looking to take advantage of tribes’ sovereignty and resources. GUESTS Cheyenne McNeill (Coharie), editorial fellow at Mother Jones Jordan Harmon (Muscogee), policy specialist at Indigenous Environmental Network Ashley Leitka (Absentee Shawnee Tribe and Oglala Lakota), co-director of the sovereignty and self-determination department for Honor The Earth Dr. Karen Jarratt Snider (Choctaw), professor of applied Indigenous studies at Northern Arizona University   Break 1 Music: Show the People (song) Bear Creek (artist) On The Move – Powwow Songs Recorded Live at Apache Gold Break 2 Music: Me & You (song) Manitou Mkwa Singers (artist) Me & You (single)

Paying to have a sandwich delivered to your door or even replacing a broken appliance is as easy as clicking an app and worrying about the bill later. Apps like Klarna and Afterpay allow consumers to pay installments for goods they can have in hand right away. A new report by Lending Tree finds 4 in 10 Americans now use pay later loans for groceries, an increase from the previous year fueled partly in a rise in prices. Financial literacy experts warn of the potential for consumers to quickly lose control of spending with such apps, but even for consumers using conventional methods, keeping on top of increasing costs for food and gas means more disciplined spending, at least in the short term. We’ll go over ideas for keeping a lid on personal finances. We’ll also hear about the uncertain future of a federal Native financial grant and loan program that is slated for elimination with President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget proposal. The $28 million program aids Native communities with homeownership, credit building, and entrepreneurship, but the administration says it is promoting “cultural Marxism“. GUESTS Chantay Moore (Diné), certified financial educator Pete Upton (Ponca), CEO and chairperson of the Native CDFI Network and the executive director of the Native360 Loan Fund   Billboard Music: Money (song) Pink Floyd (artist) The Dark Side of the Moon (album) Break 1 Music: C.R.E.A.M. [Instrumental] (song) Wu-Tang Clan (artist) Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers [Instrumentals] (album) Break 2 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album)

Indigenous women skaters shove and elbow their way around the oval roller derby track — and along the way they are finding sisterhood and a sense of pride. Clad in helmets and knee pads, they take full-contact laps around the track that also serves as an arena for visibility and representation. The international team, Indigenous Rising, is a ground-breaking pack made up of skaters from dozens of tribes who otherwise compete on local teams. The documentary, “Rising Through the Fray”, follows the team’s journey and the personal passions and sacrifice individual players put into this unique and fast-paced sport. GUESTS Kristina “Krispy” Glass (Cherokee), coach and manager for Indigenous Rising Roller Derby Sherry “Sour Cherry” Bontkes (Saulteaux Ojibwe from the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba), roller derby player Angelene “Niketah” Ketah (Tlingit), roller derby player Kapulani “Hawaiian Blaze” Patterson (Kanaka Maoli) Courtney Montour (Kanien’kehá:ka), filmmaker, writer, and director of “Rising Through the Fray”   Break 1 Music: Head High (song) Wavelengths (artist) Break 2 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album)

President Donald Trump’s federal budget proposal includes a 75% funding cut to a diabetes prevention and treatment program specifically for Native Americans. It also calls for up to $65 million in cuts to Indian Health Care facilities improvements. The Republican-controlled Congress has a mixed record on supporting Trump’s budget cuts to Native health care, but the proposals are cause for concern for tribes like Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico that is contending with costly repairs for its aging health clinic. It also comes as the country faces the looming dropoff in Medicaid reimbursements that jeopardizes the future for hundreds of mainly rural hospitals across the country. We’ll assess the threats to Native health care as we know it and other potential challenges that the ongoing shift in federal priorities is bringing to the surface. GUESTS Liz Malerba (Mohegan), director of policy and legislative affairs for the United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund A.C. Locklear (Lumbee), CEO of the National Indian Health Board Jerilyn Church (Cheyenne River Lakota), president and CEO of the Great Plains Tribal Leader’s Health Board Kurt Riley (Acoma Pueblo), chairman of the Acoma Pueblo Health Board and former governor of Acoma Pueblo   Break 1 Music: Intertribal (song) Blackfoot Confederacy (artist) Confederacy Style (album) Break 2 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album)

The Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak, Alaska is telling the story of 11 children taken from the area and shipped off to the Carlisle Indian Boarding School more than a century ago. The museum was instrumental in securing the return of one of those children who was buried on school grounds. It is part of an ongoing effort by the museum to document and repatriate Alaska Native ancestors under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. We’ll hear about their work. GUESTS Dehrich Chya (Alutiiq, Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak), director of language and living culture at the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository Benjamin Jacuk (Dena’ina Athabascan and Sugpiaq), director of Indigenous research at the Alaska Native Heritage Center Nyché Andrew (Yup’ik/Iñupiaq)   Break 1 Music: They Sing to Each Other (song) Pamyua (artist) Side A Side B (album) Break 2 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album)

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision opens a new path for the controversial practice known as “conversion therapy”, a method aimed at questioning or even changing a person’s sexual orientation. More than 20 states ban the practice. It is condemned by major medial establishments including the American Psychological Association and the American Medical Association. LGBTQ2+ advocates at the Trevor Project call the Supreme Court’s ruling a “tragic step backward“. It is also one in the growing number of legal and policy challenges ranging from a ban on Pride flags to defunding HIV/AIDS treatment. We’ll hear from Native LGBTQ and Two-Spirit advocates and legal experts about the landscape for LGBTQ2 protections. GUESTS State Rep. Liish Kozlowski (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa/D-MN), first non-binary person elected to the Minnesota Legislature Shelby Chestnut (Assiniboine), executive director of the Transgender Law Center Lenny Hayes (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), owner and executive director of Tate Topa Consulting, LLC Mattee Jim (Diné), Native transgender advocate   Break 1 Music: ‘Cause I Like A Girl (song) Ailani (artist) Heartbroken Bones (album) Break 2 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album)

This year’s Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario, included historic wins and high-profile performances by Indigenous artists, celebrating their roles as central, defining voices in contemporary Canadian music. Oji-Cree singer-songwriter Aysanabee secured two major honors: Alternative Album of the Year and Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year for his project Edge of the Earth. Veteran powwow group Bear Creek won for Traditional Indigenous Group — their first Juno in a nearly 30-year career. William Prince performed his song For the First Time, and Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq appeared onstage as part of a tribute to Nelly Furtado. We’ll hear more about Indigenous milestones by Indigenous artists at Canada’s biggest celebration of music. GUESTS Aysanabee (Oji-Cree, Sucker Clan of Sandy Lake First Nation) Jai King-Green (Mississaugas Anishinaabe), singer from the Manitou Mkwa Singers Joe Syrette (Ojibwe from Batchewana First Nation), head singer for Bear Creek Yellow Bear Nakota (Nakoda), Indigenous Sioux singer   Break 1 Music: Further From the Country (song) William Prince (artist) Further From the Country (album) Break 2 Music: Save the World (song) Tribz (artist) Trimmed (album)

A jury convicted Google and social media giant Meta of failing to do enough to prevent the harmful effects of their projects on children. Plaintiffs, including several tribes, argued children too young to be on social media platforms are subjected to bullying and suffer poor self-esteem because of content they encounter online. At the same time, retailers are able to strip personal information from young people — and others — who use social media. Does social media have any redeeming value? We’ll find out what might change in light of the recent legal decision. GUESTS Dr. Amanda Cheromiah (Laguna Pueblo), executive director for the Jim Thorpe Center for the Future of Native Peoples at Dickinson College Dr. Deidre Yellowhair (Diné), research assistant professor in the division of community behavioral health for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of New Mexico Merri Lopez-Keifer (San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians), executive director of the Center for Indigenous Law & Justice at the University of California Berkeley School of Law Tim Purdon, partner at Robins Kaplan LLP   Break 1 Music: Current (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album) Break 2 Music: Save the World (song) Tribz (artist) Trimmed (album)

The historic heat dome moving across the country smashed hundreds of high temperature records. Several places in Arizona and California reached 112 degrees — an unheard-of high in March. The Tohono O’odham Nation in southern Arizona issued an extreme heat warning after an official high temperature hit 108 degrees. The temporary weather phenomenon is slowly moving on, but not before drying out watersheds and melting snowpack that are critical sources of summer for people and agriculture. And climate experts say the abnormally hot start to the year is only the beginning. We’ll speak with researchers and others who are keeping track of climate trends for the year on what people can expect in the months ahead. GUESTS Roberta “Birdie” Wilcox-Cano (Diné), mayor of Winslow, Ariz. Mary “Cathy” Cathleen Wilson (Tohono O’odham), climate journalist and advocate Dr. Eugene Livar, Chief Heat Officer for Arizona Department of Health Services Alexander “Sasha” Gershunov, research meteorologist for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego Rob Fairbanks (Leech Lake Ojibwe), comedian aka The Rez Reporter   Break 1 Music: To Keep the World We Know (song) Bruce Cockburn (artist) O Sun O Moon (album) Break 2 Music: Save the World (song) Tribz (artist) Trimmed (album)

Kickapoo chef Crystal Wahpepah documents the intertribal flavors and characteristics of contemporary Native American cuisine and her upbringing in Oakland, Calif. in her debut cookbook, “A Feather and a Fork: 125 Intertribal Dishes from an Indigenous Food Warrior.” Woven through the recipes and gorgeous food photos, Wahpepah gives readers and cooks a tour of her restaurant, Wahpepah’s Kitchen, and present Oakland Native food sovereignty initiatives — and poignant personal and cultural stories that ingredients and flavors hold. Near the end of winter, ooligan (eulachon or smelt), a small oily fish, would come rushing up rivers by the millions in the Pacific Northwest, according to historical accounts and elders’ stories. Today, ooligan are listed as a threatened species with sporadic springtime runs that more often do not support subsistence fishing. We’ll hear from the Nuxalk Nation in British Columbia about their ooligan studies and restoration, and from fishermen in Metlakatla, Alaska about this spring’s ooligan haul. GUESTS Crystal Wahpepah (Kickapoo), chef and owner of Wahpepah’s Kitchen and author of “A Feather and a Fork: 125 Intertribal Dishes from an Indigenous Food Warrior” Cindy Wagner (Tsimshian and Haida), fisherman Louie Wagner (Tsimshian and Tlingit), fisherman Jason Moody (Nuxalk), Nuxalk fisheries and wildlife planning coordinator and owner of Nan Adventure Tours   Break 1 Music: Boujee Natives (song) Snotty Nose Rez Kids (artist) Trapline (album) Break 2 Music: Save the World (song) Tribz (artist) Trimmed (album)   Editor’s Note: The publisher of “A Feather and a Fork” is a sponsor of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. That plays no role in Native America Calling’s editorial coverage decisions.

In the early 2000s, an investigation found a handful of tribes in at least four states were paying exorbitant fees to a lobbying firm headed by Jack Abramoff. The tribes were looking to gain ground in the rapidly evolving Native gaming political landscape. The investigation and the resulting fraud and bribery trials would convict Abramoff and a dozen others, including congressional staffers, in a scheme that totaled at least $80 million. One tribal official called them “the contemporary faces of the exploitation of Native peoples“. While he was taking their money, Abramoff privately referred to the tribal officials he was dealing with as “monkeys” and “morons.” A Blackfeet tribal member was instrumental in exposing Abramoff’s crimes. We’ll look back at this significant event in tribal gaming history and what has changed in the 25 years since. GUESTS Philip Hogen (Oglala Lakota), former chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission and of counsel for Hogen Adams PLLC Tom “One Who Rides His Horse East” Rodgers (Blackfeet), founder of Carlyle Consulting and named one of Politico’s most powerful people on race, culture and politics in 2023 Monica Lubiarz-Quigley, attorney and former lawyer for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe   Break 1 Music: Thick as Thieves (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album) Break 2 Music: Save the World (song) Tribz (artist) Trimmed (album)

Born in Greenland, Aaju Peter did not begin to explore the breadth of her own Inuit culture until she moved to Nunavut, Canada. It was there that she got in touch with an internal drive to learn about and strengthen language, education, policy, and the arts toward improving Inuit representation on an international scale. That has resulted in a varied career as an activist, lawyer, clothing designer, and musician. Among her many accolades is the Order of Canada, awarded for her preservation and promotion of Inuit culture. Aaju Peter joins us as our Native in the Spotlight.   Break 1 Music: The Great Angakkuq [feat. Kevin Qamaniq-Mason] (song) Silla (artist) Sila Is Boss (album) Break 2 Music: Hard Times Will Be Coming (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)

The Oneida Nation went from having nearly all of their land stripped from them to being one of the most powerful political and economic entities in Wisconsin. In "Unsettling Territory: The Resurgence of the Oneida Nation in the Face of Settler Backlash", Oneida author and historian Douglas Metoxen Kiel reveals how the tribe turned displacement into opportunity and managed to strengthen and grow their presence in the face of organized opposition that many Native Americans are familiar with. Diné writer Dorothy Denetclaw and journalist Matt Fitzsimons uncover the events leading up to the murder trial involving two sons of the Navajo spiritual leader, Ahdilthdoney, also known as Gunshooter. The book, "The Sons of Gunshooter: A Navajo Resistance Story", tells the story of the 1919 shooting death of Charles Hubbell, a member of a prominent trading family. The authors access archival research and oral storytelling to arrive at a different conclusion than what the courts and news media landed on at the time. It goes on to also tell a larger story of resistance against outside colonial oppression.

The Hopi Tribe, along with several others in northeastern Arizona, is hoping a proposed $5 billion settlement in Congress can bring relief to the water-parched region. Hopis have long grappled with clean water access, encountering persistent hurdles for both quantity and quality. Some have to haul water to their homes. Others have to contend with contamination from uranium mining and other pollutants. We’ll also talk about an effort to improve reading levels for Hopi children and get an update on the tiny, but mighty radio station KUYI. GUESTS Carrie Nuva Joseph (Hopi), director of the Department of Natural Resources for the Hopi Tribe Deborah Baker (Hopi), parent liaison for Hopi Day School Darion Kootswatewa (Hopi), operations coordinator for KUYI-Hopi Radio Nikki Qumyintewa (Hopi), program coordinator at KUYI-Hopi Radio   Break 1 Music: The Center of the Universe (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Su’Vu’Yo’Yungw (album) Break 2 Music: Hard Times Will Be Coming (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)

Cities are moving to take down monuments, memorials and street signs honoring César Chávez. Organizers are cancelling the annual events planned In honor of his March 31 birthday. While his contributions for migrant farmworkers and Chicano-Americans are indisputable, Chávez’ heroic status among those he fought for is now challenged by troubling allegations surfacing in a New York Times investigation decades after the fact. We’ll discuss the future of the movement Chávez is best known for, likely going forward without his name. We’ll also discuss any lessons his downfall may have for the tendency to build a cause around one man. GUESTS Brenda Nicolas (Zapotec), assistant professor in the Department of Global and International Studies at the University of California, Irvine Arcenio Lopez (Ñuu Savi), executive director of the Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) Desiree Tody (Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), Ashland and Bayfield County outreach program coordinator for the Center Against Sexual & Domestic Abuse Joaquín Baca, Albuquerque City Councilor for district 2   Break 1 Music: Healing Song (song) Red Hawk Medicine Drum (artist) New Beginnings (album) Break 2 Music: Hard Times Will Be Coming (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)