Native America Calling

In his newest album, “Waiting for a Sign,” Hitaałiinez Wheeler (Diné), better known as ‘Hitaałii,’ takes listeners through Navajo country with his signature hazy and dreamy aesthetic. Christian Wallowing Bull’s (Northern Arapaho) new album “My First Buffalo Hunt” is gritty and wrought with the landscape of his Wind River, Wyoming home. And Sierra Kihega (Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee), who goes by Sierra Spirit, released new singles from her forthcoming collection of indie pop songs, “coin toss,” about personal growth. We’ll talk with these Indigenous artists about their new tunes to add to your Native Playlist.

An Albuquerque, N.M., organization is cutting the ribbon on a new building they say will help in their mission to developing Native entrepreneurs. New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC) has had to be flexible to meet Native business owners “where they are” to provide mentorship, business consultation, and other services that help them succeed. They’re among a number of business incubation efforts with a personal approach to help start and work with people who have ideas, but are from populations that statistically need more assistance to get going. GUESTS Henry Jake Foreman (Absentee Shawnee), Program Director at New Mexico Community Capital Liz Gamboa (Mexican/Apache descent), Executive Director of New Mexico Community Capital Adrian Tsosie (Diné/Zia/Jemez/Hopi/Comanche), Business Owner of Coat of Colors Carla Catolster (Crow), Business Incubator Manager and IDA Coordinator at the Plenty Doors Community Development Corporation

Republican U.S. Senate challenger Tim Sheehy is drawing fire from Montana tribal officials for comments deemed derogatory against the state’s Native American residents. A recording of the comments at a previous public appearance surfaced at the end of August. In a candidate debate, incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) called on Sheehy to apologize. In a state with 70,000 Native Americans and seven federally recognized Native reservations, how the candidates appeal to Native voters could make a difference in the outcome of a close race. Plus, we'll get updates on Hurricane Helene damage from North Carolina. GUESTS Levi Black Eagle (Apsáalooke), secretary of the Crow Tribe Jordan James Harvill (Cherokee and Choctaw), national program director for Advance Native Political Leadership Anthony Sequoyah (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), secretary of operations for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

The increasing demand for power is prompting challenges from a number of tribes who say the means to transmit that power is harming culturally significant tribal land. The Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Zuni, and San Carlos Apache tribes were dealt a legal setback by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year in their opposition to a proposed $10 billion transmission line through a pristine Arizona canyon. And pueblos and other tribes say they are concerned about additional transmission capacity planned to boost power at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. In both cases, tribal officials say the proposals did not adequately take cultural and archaeological significance into consideration. GUESTS Stephanie Stringer, deputy manager for business, security, and mission for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Los Alamos field office Reyes DeVore (Jemez Pueblo), project manager for the Pueblo Action Alliance

Tlingit warriors enjoyed an initial victory in defending their home against Russians intent on re-establishing their settlement in Sitka. But after first driving the Russians back and wounding their leader, Alexander Baranov, in the first week of October, 1804, the Tlingits concluded they couldn’t sustain another armed assault. They moved to the far end of the island that now bears Baranov’s name, but remained contentious cohabitants with the Russians, keeping the settlers on guard. Even though the Tlingits lost, the battle was a landmark event that influenced Russian settlement that came after. We’ll hear about the Battle of 1804, and also the 1869 American assault on the Village of Kake, for which the U.S. Navy just formally apologized. GUESTS Louise Brady (citizen of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska), Kiks.ádi clan member Yeidikook’áa Dionne Brady-Howard, (citizen of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska), Kiks.ádi clan member and educator Joel Jackson (Tlingit), president of the Organized Village of Kake

How much do the proposed USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reflect what industries want to promote as opposed to what Native Americans consider nutritious? When the new version of the guidelines is released, it has implications for the food that makes its way into school lunches, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and SNAP. Former President Donald Trump won't back away from promoting a false rumor about Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating cats and dogs. The Haitian residents now fear for their safety and say Trump is dehumanizing them for political gain. The same tactic has been used against Native Americans as well, and food is one means to do it. GUESTS Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet and Cherokee), CEO of Indigikitchen Sharla Strong (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians), traditional foods educator Carly Griffith Hotvedt (Cherokee), interim executive director of the Indigenous Food & Agriculture Initiative

With help from Lakers’ superstar Lebron James, a Native director and cast tell the story of trauma and healing playing out within a reservation small town high school basketball team. Sydney Freeland (Navajo) is a gifted storyteller (Echo, Reservation Dogs, Drunktown’s Finest), teaming up with Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee) to tell the sometimes heartbreaking, always human drama of the fictional Chuska Warriors. It’s sure to resonate with current and past rez ball warriors and adds to the growing list of films that show the world what can be achieved when Native talent delivers Native stories. GUESTS Sydney Freeland (Diné), filmmaker Kauchani Bratt (Quechua/Coahuiltecan), actor Dallas Goldtooth (Diné and Dakota), actor Ernest Tsosie III (Diné), actor

Two years after the EPA found high levels of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination in the drinking water at the K-12 tribal school on the Leech Lake Reservation, students and staff are still forced to consume only water brought in from outside the building. Leech Lake is one place tribes are having to respond to the presence of PFAS, a class of man-made chemicals used in fire suppressing foam, water repellents on textiles, and older nonstick cookware. High PFAS exposure is connected to some health problems including cancer and thyroid disease. Nearly 100% of Americans have PFAS in their body. Information specific to Native Americans is limited. We’ll talk with some tribes that are trying to address PFAS in their water and explore what can be done. GUESTS Laurie Harper (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe), director of education for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Michael Jacobs (Waccamaw Siouan Tribe), Chief of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe Fred Corey, natural resources assistant for the Mi'kmaq Nation Dr. Kimberly Garrett, environmental health toxicologist at Northeastern University

Playing college athletics takes more than just a love of sports. To be successful at that level takes years of dedication, focus, and a good deal of talent. We’ll hear from athletes turning athletics into a pathway to academics at Division 1 colleges about how to recognize and develop their own skills, lessons they learned along the way, and how to deal with setbacks. GUESTS Eliana Malnourie (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe, MHA Nation, Cochiti Pueblo), fourth year undergraduate student and cross country athlete at the University of North Dakota Julian Greendeer (Ho-Chunk/Oneida), (University of) Detroit Mercy Titans Men's Lacrosse team player Lance Kelley (Creek, Shoshone-Paiute), college instructor at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Break 1 Music: The Move (song) DDAT (artist) DDAT (album) Break 2 Music: Zumbi (song) XOCÔ (artist) XOCÔ (album)

There is a flip side to the narrative about the cultural richness that Spanish colonists brought to California. Likewise, the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill in 1848 did more than just spark the largest settler migration in the country’s history. In both cases, the damage to the lives and cultures of the state’s Indigenous populations was profound. At the time, there were far more Indigenous people than the Spanish or European-descended Americans. In its effort to provide Native-led historical instruction, the National Museum of the American Indian has developed curricula that provides perspective about the people who were there long before anyone else. We’ll learn about NMAI’s educational goal and how it’s being used. GUESTS Irene Kearns (citizen of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria), program manager for Native Knowledge 360 at the National Museum of the American Indian Aaron Golding (Seneca Nation), co-chair of the education committee for the Chicago American Indian Collaborative and senior program administrator at the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University Maria DesJarlait (Arikara from MHA Nation and Ojibwe from the Red Lake Nation), education presenter, children’s author, and teacher Melissa Kiesewetter, vice chair of the Native American Heritage Fund in Michigan

A new study finds the five federally recognized tribes in Idaho contribute some $1.5 billion to the state’s economy every year. Another new study finds the economic impact of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians alone reaches $1 billion for that state’s annual total bottom line. Both studies echo similar research over the years in other states that show tribes are major players in their states’ economic viability. And the sources aren’t just gaming — categories like construction, tourism, government operations, and education are major economic contributors. GUESTS Ann McCormack (Nez Perce), economic development planner for the Nez Perce Tribe Tralynna Scott (citizen of the Cherokee Nation), chief economist for Cherokee Nation Businesses and special envoy to the U.S. Department of Treasury Andrew Huff (Cree enrolled at Rocky Boys), senior policy and legal advisor to the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Steven Peterson, clinical associate professor in economics at the College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho

The fire that killed 101 people and destroyed much of the town of Lahaina on Maui Island left financial, environmental, and emotional damage in its wake that will require years and significant resources to overcome. Not least on the list is a mountain of toxic burned debris that residents and officials are having trouble finding a suitable place for. Officials are studying whether the charred landscape will harm the delicate coral reef just offshore. Somewhere in the country, a new wildfire appears at least once a week during the most active season, and many of those leave lasting implications for tribes and residents. GUESTS Dr. Andrea Kealoha (Native Hawaiian), assistant professor of oceanography at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Duane Duffy (Mescalero Apache), vice president of the Mescalero Apache Tribe Bodie Shaw (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs), deputy regional director for the Northwest Region of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Blaze Lovell, reporter for the Honolulu Civil Beat

Tribes in California are urging President Joe Biden to designate three new national monuments in order to protect what the tribes say are natural and cultural treasures. The proposed Sáttítla National Monument would cover 200,000 acres in northeastern California important to the Pit River and Modoc Nations. The California State Assembly also signed onto the push to designate 627,000 acres as the Chuckwalla National Monument and almost 400,00 acres as the Kw'tsán National Monument. The effort comes as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected weigh in on a challenge to President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to set aside some 1.5 million acres of land, including the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. GUESTS Tomas Tortez Jr. (Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians), Tribal Council Chairman of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Brandy McDaniels (Pit River), Sáttítla National Monument Working Group Lead for the Pit River Nation Delaine Spilsbury (Ely Shoshone), tribal elder Rick Spilsbury (Ely Shoshone), tribal elder and retired engineer Monte Sanford, Bahsahwahbee National Monument campaign director

Inadequate infrastructure is only one of the problems contributing to the fact that Native Americans and Alaska Natives lag behind everyone else when it comes to broadband access. Digital rights advocates say tribes need more say in how readily available data pathways that already exist are divvied up. We’ll hear about the role digital spectrum plays in connectivity that determines the course of business development, access to healthcare, and educational opportunities. GUESTS Darrah Blackwater (Diné), attorney and conceptual artist Geoffrey Blackwell (Chickasaw, Choctaw, Omaha, and Muscogee), general counsel and chief of staff for the National Congress of American Indians Kevin Gifford, professor at University of Colorado Boulder

The Florida Everglades are on "life support". That’s the assessment of Miccosukee environmental advocate Betty Osceola, who says the famed wetlands are under relentless threat from urban encroachment, pollution, and poor management. Osceola is a dedicated defender of her homelands that are also home to at least 39 endangered or threatened species including the Florida panther and the American crocodile. She is sounding the alarm over historically high water levels that are destroying habitat and drowning culturally important sites. We'll talk with Osceola about her connection to the Everglades and her passion to preserve them. She joins us as this month's Native in the Spotlight.

A Washington state man will be sentenced soon for his part in killing some 3,600 eagles and other protected birds and selling their feathers and other parts on the black market. The crime reaches a shocking new level of destruction in violation of federal law and respect for the sacred animals. But it highlights the pressure to fulfill demand for feathers and what some people are willing to do to work around established protections. We’ll find out about black market channels for eagle and hawk feathers and talk about what else can be done to protect the endangered birds.

Native American-run organizations are jumping into the clean energy economy with both feet. The group Indigenized Energy is administering some $135.6 million in federal grants for both solar installations and manufacturing. The Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund has a continuous string of funding opportunities to get tribes in on solar projects. We’ll get updates on some promising trends that help provide both clean energy and tribal economic development.

The last presidential debate marked the beginning of the end for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. What of consequence will come out of the debate between his replacement, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump? Neither of the main party campaigns have so much as mentioned tribes and Native issues in any major public appearances. We’ll ask Native political watchers about how they think the debate propels—or hampers—the things Native voters are most concerned about. GUESTS Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), publisher and editor of Native News Online and Tribal Business News Mike Stopp (Cherokee and Muscogee), CEO and president of SevenStar Holdings, LLC Isaac Casados (Diné), secretary of the Democratic Party of New Mexico

Millions of dollars are flowing into tribal nations right now as a means to encourage small business development. The money is an extension of the federal COVID relief package known as the Small Business Credit Initiative (SBCI), allowing tribes to administer lines of credit that are often hard to come by. We’ll find out about some of the promising plans for SBCI loans and what might come of them. GUESTS Jessica Stago (Diné), co-founder of Change Labs Casey Pearlman (Iñupiaq), executive director of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Economic Development Corporation Elly O’Rourke (Karuk), co-owner of Salmon River Outpost Jon Bittner, executive director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center

As the 2024 Paralympic Games wrap up, we will get a glimpse into the world of competition for disabled Native Athletes. Dozens of Indigenous athletes competed in the Games in Paris. And while the big production in France is always something to shoot for, para-athletics isn’t just for elite competitors. They are also an everyday recreational and creative outlet with built-in social and health benefits. GUESTS Cheri Madsen (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska), ten-time Paralympic medalist Dan Ninham (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), freelance reporter for ICT News and director of the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame Noah Blue Elk Hotchkiss (Southern Ute, Southern Cheyenne, and Caddo), founder of the Tribal Adaptive Organization Jimmy Squire (Absentee Shawnee), amputee golfer Benjamin Cuevas (Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo), college wheelchair basketball player at Eastern Washington University, mentor, and trainer