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Wearing face masks is proven to be effective for slowing the spread of the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conclude wearing a mask protects the wearer and the people they come in contact with. The CDC recommends everyone over the age of two wear a mask in public settings. But it’s a new concept for most people and it’s getting pushback by some who see mask mandates as an infringement of personal liberties. Officials in 13 states, including some with the highest infection rates, refuse to issue statewide mask mandates. We’ll go over some of the facts about masks and gauge predictions about how long they’ll be needed.

Guests:

Rona Johnson (Athabascan/Alutiiq) – primary care nurse director for Southcentral Foundation

Jerilyn Church (Cheyenne River Sioux) – president and chief executive officer for the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Health Board

Darren Brown (Cochiti Pueblo/Choctaw) – senior content producer for Cheyenne and Arapaho TV

Kris Winterowd – northeast regional coordinator of the Health Insurance Assistance Medicare Program for the  New Mexico Aging and Long-term Services Department

 

Break 1 music: Idawadadi (Let Us Speak Our Voice) (song) Dawn Avery (artist) Our Fire Native American Contemporary Songs (album)

Break 2 music: Dat One (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album)

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Those struggling with addiction are at greater risk for contracting COVID-19 according to a recent study from the National Institutes of Health. In Native communities, public health officials are working to reduce those risks with a harm reduction approach. Harm reduction involves supporting individuals struggling with addiction, not punishing them. It can involve providing clean needles for intravenous drug users or arming the community with the overdose-reversing drug, Naloxone. We’ll talk with public health experts advocating for harm reduction as a way to offset the added risks the pandemic poses for addicts.

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Coronavirus infection rates continue to climb just as families are planning holiday gatherings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report record-breaking numbers of new infections as the pandemic reaches its tenth month. The CDC is recommending people take extra precautions and even consider cancelling or postponing family gatherings altogether this season. States and tribes are making their own COVID-19 safety protocols. We’ll get details on what public health officials say about holiday gatherings and whether families are likely to make any changes.

Guests:

Amber Torres (Walker River Paiute) – tribal chairman of the Walker Rive Paiute Tribe

Dr. Mary Owen (Tlingit) – director of the Center of American Indian and Minority Health at the University of Minnesota

Brian Vallo (Acoma Pueblo) – governor of the Pueblo of Acoma

Jonathan Nez (Diné) – president of the Navajo Nation

 

Break 1 music: Naawakinta (Thanks You My Fathers) (song) Clark Tenakhongva (artist) Öngtupqa (album)

Break 2 music: Chant (song) Mihana (artist) One Little Dream (album)

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It’s easy to pack on an extra pound or two as the pandemic throws off your regular schedules and limits the people and places you normally connect with. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns carrying extra weight can increase the severity of COVID-19 for those who contract the disease. Staying fit during the pandemic doesn’t necessarily mean a strict exercise regimen. It can be as simple as adding extra movement to your day and mixing in healthier food choices. We’ll talk with health experts about how to get motivated to stay fit during these challenging times.

Guests:

Dallas Arcand Sr. (Alexander First Nation) – Three-time world champion hoop dancer, entrepreneur, artist and D.J. Crazy Cree

Jason Brown (Penobscot) – jewelry and designer and co-owner of Decontie and Brown

 

Break 1 music: Hoka Hey (feat. Jayden Paz & Dancin Dave) [Radio Version] (song) DJ krayzkree (artist) Future Generations (album)

Break 2 music: Chant (song) Mihana (artist) One Little Dream (album)

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Most states are seeing a rise in COVID-19 infections. In response, tribes are reinstating curfews and monitoring borders to keep infections numbers down. In October, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw saw an alarming rise in COVID-19 infection rates and deaths. Numbers compiled by the New York Times showed 10% of tribal members were infected and made up the majority of deaths for the Mississippi county where most tribal members live. We’ll look at what’s behind the increases and check in with tribal community members about what they’re doing to keep their communities safe.

Guests:

Chairman Douglas Yankton Sr. (Spirit Lake Tribe) – chairman of the Spirit Lake Tribe

Chief Cyrus Ben (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians) – tribal chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Kaci Wallette (Assiniboine) – registered nurse and councilwoman for the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes

Richard Tuluk (Chevak Traditional Council) – Mayor of the city of Chevak, AK

 

Break 1 music: Turtle Island Reggae (song) Cempoalli 20 & Quese Imc (artist) Osahwuh (album)

Break 2 music: Hunting Chant (song) Art Napoleon (artist) Miyoskamin (Early Springtime) (album)

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A global pandemic, devastating forest fires, record unemployment, a historic recession, racial unrest and a contentious election are all piling up to make for a stressful year. The onslaught of disasters has earned 2020 derogatory labels. And all signs point to a long, drawn-out recovery extending well into 2021. It takes fortitude and a personal strategy of resilience to stay above worrisome headlines. We’ll get insights from motivational speakers about how they are living their best life despite the long list of bad news.

Guests:

D.J. Vanas (Odawa Nation) – motivational storyteller, bestselling author and owner of Native Discovery Inc.

Gabriel Ayala (Yaqui) – musician, motivational speaker and multi-dimensional artist

 

Break 1 music: Learned from the Late Ernest Redbird, Sr. (2) (song) Kenneth Cozad & Group (artist) Songs of Our Old People – Old-Time Round Dance Songs of Oklahoma (album)

Break 2 music: Mehcinut (song) Jeremy Dutcher (artist) Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa (album)

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People who get COVID-19 face many more potential outcomes than either death or full recovery. The Mayo Clinic says many long-term effects of the disease are still unknown but lists a number of potential health problems including permanent lung and heart damage, blood clots and weakened blood vessels. It can even lead to Post Traumatic Stress for people who endured extended intensive care to fight the infection.

Guests:

Deidre Roanhorse (Navajo) – COVID-19 survivor

Dr. Jon Femling – emergency medicine doctor and assistant epidemiologist at the University of New Mexico Hospital

Dr. Laurelle Myhra (Red Lake Band of Ojibwe) – director of behavioral health at the Native American Community Clinic

Lewis Joe (Navajo) – COVID-19 survivor

Clarissa Klain (Navajo) – COVID-19 survivor

 

Break 1 music: Rainbow Gratitude (song) Joy Harjo (artist) Red Dreams, A Trail Beyond Tears (album)

Break 2 music: Mehcinut (song) Jeremy Dutcher (artist) Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa (album)

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The federal government is pouring billions of dollars into the effort to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus. At least four pharmaceutical companies say they are ready to conduct vaccine trials on human volunteers—a needed step before widespread distribution. Scientists emphasize the importance of testing the vaccine in diverse populations. Leaders of at least three tribes, the Navajo Nation, the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Indian Tribe, agreed to allow vaccine trials involving their citizens. But many of those citizens harbor distrust of scientific experiments because of previous missteps.

Guests:

Carolyn Angus-Hornbuckle (Mohawk) – chief operating officer and director of the National Indian Health Board Health Policy Center

Daniel Tso (Diné) – chairman of the health, education and human services committee of the Navajo Nation Council

Dee Vigil (Pueblo from Nambé) – research program coordinator for the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health

Tosheena Nez (Navajo) – health educator and community connector

 

Break 1 music: 5TH WORLD ORDER instrumental (song) Randy Boogie (artist) THE BLESSINGWAY BOOGIE (Deluxe Edition) (album)

Break 2 music: Badger Boogie (song) Arvel Bird (artist) Animal Totem 2 (album)