Monday, August 2, 2021 – Native in the Spotlight: Rico Worl
The United States Postal Service just picked Rico Worl’s (Tlingit and Athabaskan) illustration for a new forever stamp. It’s the first stamp design by an Alaska Native artist. Worl’s work as an artist and as the owner of a design shop aims to celebrate and uplift Indigenous art, culture and stories from southeast Alaska. We’ll talk with Worl about his work, the raven story and his collaboration with his sister, also an accomplished artist.
Tuesday, August 3, 2021- The tireless vigil for MMIWR
Cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and relatives continue to make headlines across the country. And their family members and Native women’s advocates continue working to keep their memories in the eyes of the public, law enforcement and policy makers. Tribal efforts to address MMIWR across the country include collaborations with local, state and federal law enforcement. We’ll look at promising initiatives to address the issue.
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021 – Employers on the search for workers
As the pandemic subsides, the number of job openings is soaring. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said new job openings at the end of April rose to an unprecedented 9.3 million. That’s good news for job seekers. Not so much for small businesses and other employers who are having a hard time finding qualified workers. At the same time, Native Americans typically face higher unemployment conditions than the population as a whole. The Minneapolis Federal Reserve is putting what they say is good data and research toward helping policy makers and elected leaders make informed decisions for Native employees and employers both.
Thursday, August 5, 2021 – The Gold King Mine spill six years later
Toxic sludge from the Gold King Mine in Colorado poured into the Animas and San Juan rivers on Aug. 5, 2015. It created an environmental disaster for hundreds of miles downstream, including parts of the Navajo Nation. The bright orange plume from the original spill is gone, but legal fights and restoration projects continue. And heavy metals from the three million gallons of mining wastewater remain in waterways used by communities, farmers and ranchers. We’ll review the lasting effects these many years later.
Friday, August 6, 2021- Re-awakening summer tribal tourism
People are hitting the roads, boarding flights and planning late-summer vacations across the U.S. They are looking forward to traveling after COVID-19 restrictions kept them close to home for months. Native tourism destinations are among the popular places attracting sightseers and tribes, cultural centers, businesses and artists have all felt the economic hit from the pandemic. Some reservations remain closed, but many tribes and Native centers are welcoming tourists back, with some precautions, to help their economic recovery and extend programs, recreation and educational resources to the public.
