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We’re highlighting recent notable news, including discussions about the U.S. Supreme Court nominee’s track record on Indian Country and the ongoing reorganization of the Dept. of Interior. We track some of the most important issues that affect Native Americans.

Guests:

Dan Huculak (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) – station manager for WGZS

Debra Utacia Krol (Xolon Salinan Tribe) – independent journalist

Matthew Fletcher (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians) – law professor at Michigan State University-College of Law and author of the Turtle Talk blog

Antonia Gonzales (Navajo) – anchor and producer of National Native News

Break 1 Music: BreakSun Up, Sun Down (feat. Mato Nanji) (song) Indigenous (artist) Time Is Coming (album)

Break 2 Music: Tha Mash Up (song) Wayne Silas, Jr. (artist) Infinite Passion (album)

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Powwow specials add just a little bit extra. They can include couples contests, teams, tiny tots and themes like hats and boots. They are an extension of powwow dancing and always help to reinforce cultural ties. Most of all specials can bring extra fun.

Guests:

Ruben Little Head (Northern Cheyenne) – Powwow MC

Benno Cleveland (Inupiaq) – Chairman for the Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow

Alicia John (Tk’emlups te Secwepemc) – Program Coordinator for Kamloopa Powwow

Natasha Watson (Shoshone-Bannock) – Powwow Dancer

Break 1 Music: Sneak Up (song) Red Bull (artist) Greatest Hits (album)

Break 2 Music: Tha Mash Up (song) Wayne Silas, Jr. (artist) Infinite Passion (album)

Also mentioned on the show: Mni Ki Wakan: World Indigenous Peoples’ Decade of Water Summit

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U.S. Census numbers determine the number of a state’s congressional seats. They also inform the distribution of federal funding for Indian health, housing and infrastructure projects. The 2020 Census may be a little less than two years away, but now is the time to start talking about how important it is to get an accurate count in Native America.

Guests:

James Tucker – attorney at law for Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP

Carol Gore (Aleut) – president and CEO of Cook Inlet Housing and vice chair of the National Advisory Committee on racial, ethnic and other populations for the US Census

Break 1 Music: Side-Step (song) Pipestone (artist) Tribute To The Old Timers – Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live At Prarie Island (album)

Break 2 Music: Tha Mash Up (song) Wayne Silas, Jr. (artist) Infinite Passion (album)

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Running long distances was a much needed and useful skill to have in the past. Tribes had runners who would carry messages hundreds of miles. Tribes also incorporated running in ceremony and for spiritual purposes. Today, some of those same running traditions are carried on by Native athletes who run for spiritual and health reasons as well as competition. Some even take it to the extreme as marathon and ultra-marathon runners. We’ll explore what it takes to run 26 miles or more and how running the distance connects Native people to their culture.

Guests:

Dustin Martin (Diné) – executive director of Wings of America

Delta Higdon (Navajo) – ultra-marathon runner

Caroline Sekakaptewa (Hopi and from Second Mesa) – early childhood teacher, marathon and ultra-marathon runner

Ro Werito (Muscogee Creek and Navajo) – cultural program coordinator for the OK public school NA student services

Break 1 Music: The Road (feat. Black Bear) (song) A Tribe Called Red (artist) Nation II Nation (album)

Break 2 Music: Tha Mash Up (song) Wayne Silas, Jr. (artist) Infinite Passion (album)

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“Water is life.” It’s one of the key touchstones for Native nations. What’s not always highlighted is the basic job of providing clean water to Native communities. Many tribes operate their own water treatment and wastewater facilities. They have to navigate around issues like pollution, access, changing technology, drought and water rights. Tribes also deal with shortages of trained and certified employees, said Brian Bennon, director of the Tribal Water Department of the Intertribal Council of Arizona. We’ll learn about what it takes to provide clean water to Native residents.

Guests:

James Temte (Northern Cheyenne Tribe) – director of the National Tribal Water Center

Mia Heavener (Yupik) – civil engineer

Brian Bennon – director of the Tribal Water Department of the Intertribal council of Arizona

Darcy Longie (Spirit Lake Sioux) – operator for the Spirit Lake Sioux Utilities Department

April Garza – regulatory and compliance specialist for Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community public works department

Break 1 Music: The Gift of Life (song) Randy Wood (artist) The Gift of Life (album)

Break 2 Music: Tha Mash Up (song) Wayne Silas, Jr. (artist) Infinite Passion (album)

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Technology that eliminates diabetes. A holographic treaty that fully realizes and compensates all tribes for their sacrifices to colonization. Virtual reality that allows all members to speak and understand their language fluently. Several innovative scholars and artists are envisioning what is possible for Native Americans far in the future while considering the context of the past. The science fiction genre has always imagined the future, but Indigenous people are largely invisible. For example in the HBO series “Westworld,” Native characters are only robots replaying the past. On this show we’ll talk with individuals imagining the Native future.

Guests:

Dr. Lee Frances IV (Laguna Pueblo) – CEO and publisher of Native Realities Press and founder of the Indigenous Comic Con

Jason Edward Lewis (Cherokee/Native Hawaiian/Samoan) – co-director of Aboriginal Territories in Cyber Space and university research chair in computational media and the Indigenous future imaginary at Concordia University

Skawennati (Mohawk) – artist and co-founder and co-director Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace and partnership coordinator for the Initiative for Indigenous Futures.

Break 1 Music: Ayikis – The Frog Song (song) Asani (artist) Listen (album)

Break 2 Music: Stick Game Song #9 (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Stick Game Songs of the Paiute (album)

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Sex workers—including exotic dancers, escorts and film actors—are in a stigmatized industry. Numerous studies also point out that many sex workers face higher risks for violence, drug abuse, and disease than other occupations. Now, a new law designed to cut down on sex trafficking has the potential to push some sex workers into even more dangerous situations. And there are few places for sex workers to turn for help. We hear from people who work to help keep Indigenous sex workers safe and healthy.

Guests:

Becki Jones (Diné) – Sexual health educator for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains

Cheyenne Antonio (Diné) – sex trafficking program coordinator for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women

Alex Trujillo (Laguna Pueblo) – trans sex worker

Shane Sable (Gitxsan) –  convening member of Virago Nation, two spirit Gitxsan artist and activist, project coordinator for We Have a Voice, Indigenous Women Who Do Sex Work Speak Up

Maud – Indigenous sex worker

Break 1 Music: Iskwesis (song) Randall Paskemin (artist) Goodnight, Sweet Dreams, I Love You

Break 2 Music: Stick Game Song #9 (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Stick Game Songs of the Paiute (album)

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The United States refused to endorse an otherwise uncontroversial World Health Organization resolution to promote breast-feeding. U.S. delegates also pressured other countries to reject the resolution. The move shocked health officials around the world who consider breast-feeding the healthiest, most natural and most accessible food source for infants. Breast-feeding advocates told the New York Times the U.S. position aligns with baby formula companies and the dairy industry. Native advocates are among those struggling to raise breast-feeding rates, partly to improve health outcomes for children. We’ll hear from Native breast-feeding experts about what this new revelation about the Trump Administration’s position means for their efforts.

Guests:

Amanda Singer – Navajo Nation Breastfeeding Coalition coordinator

Camie Goldhammer (Sisseton Wahpeton) – clinical social worker and lactation consultant, founder and chair of the Native American Breast-feeding Coalition of Washington, and creator of the Indigenous Breast-feeding Counselor Training

Melissa Brown (Diné and Anishinaabe) – Anishinaabe and Diné midwife, and co-founder of Zaagi’idiwin

Kimberly Moore-Salas (Navajo) – lactation consultant

Break 1 Music: Migwitch Mahnomen (song) Chippewa Pow-Wow Drum Group In Ball Club, Leech Lake Reservation (artist) Songs of the Chippewa, Vol. 1 – Minnesota Chippewa Game and Social Dance Songs (album)

Break 2 Music: Stick Game Song #9 (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Stick Game Songs of the Paiute (album)

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The Trump administration recently removed some protections for transgender inmates instituted in the waning months of the Obama administration. The new rule requires transgender inmates to be housed according to their biological sex and not the gender they identify with. It also restricts hormone treatments and other gender transition therapies. That’s one instance that creates confusion and possibly dangerous conditions for LGBTQ and two spirit people in jail or prison. We’ll talk with Native LGBTQ2 people about the unique challenges they face behind bars.

Guests:

Hayley Domingo (Navajo) – former prisoner and a student

Renee Gray (Navajo) – independent consultant on LGBTQ issues

Cathy Kapua (Native Hawaiian) – trans advocate

Max Lucky (Northern Cheyenne/Choctaw) organizer with the advocacy group Trans Pride Initiative

Break 1 Music: Enaemaekisaeh (song) Wayne Silas Jr (artist) Infinite Passion (album)

Break 2 Music: Stick Game Song #9 (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Stick Game Songs of the Paiute (album)

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Sticking to a vegan diet takes a pretty big commitment. No meat, milk, eggs or anything derived from animal products. But it doesn’t mean your meals have to be boring. There are a number of traditional Native foods that are vegan including, blue corn mush, acorn stew, and wojapi. Some people choose to be vegan for health reasons. Others focus on animal welfare. We’ll talk with Native vegans about their reasons and hear about some time-tested recipes.

Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne Mohawk)  co-host of the  podcast Native Trailblazers and associate editor at Indian Country Today

Delores Schilling –  co-host of the  podcast Native Trailblazers

Tina Archuletta (Jemez Pueblo)  –  owner of Itality : Plant Based Wellness

Vegan Recipes by Vincent Schilling and Delores Schilling

Break 1 Music: Niizh Straight (song) Niizhoo Sullivan (artist) Rez Kid Rhythm (album)

Break 2 Music: Stick Game Song #9 (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Stick Game Songs of the Paiute (album)