Podcast: Play in new window | Download (27.0MB) | Embed
The 1950s Urban Relocation Program had the stated goal to help address poverty in rural reservations. The intent was to move Native American families to a handful of big cities where there were more job opportunities. The program failed to fix poverty. It also diminished Native communities. But it did create a new urban landscape for Native Americans. We’ll take a look inside these urban communities six decades later and see how the “relocatees” have created and maintained a strong Native connection.
Guests:
Pamela Peters (Navajo) – multimedia indigenous documentarian
Dr. Dorene Wiese (Minnesota Chippewa) – president of the American Indian Association of Illinois
Break Music: Canoe Song (song) Chenoa (artist) Spirit of Salishan (Album)
I am available to talk about the Chicago Indian community, if you need a panelist. I head an American Indian nonprofit organization in Chicago, am an enrolled Minnesota Chippewa, have worked in this urban Indian community for almost 50 years, was the last President of NAES American Indian College, the only Urban BA degree granting American Indian college ever established, and now run arts and culture programs for American Indian youth and adults.I also have served as the Chair of our American Indian Health Services Clinic and currently serve on the advisory committee for our local workforce programs. I advocate for funding for urban programs in proportion to the number of Indians we have in our communities and at the very least a recognition by the federal government that Indians live in cities and that funding is not reaching urban Indians.