Monday, February 26, 2018 – The realities of Trump’s proposed budget
If history’s any guide, President Trump’s most recent budget proposal has zero chance of passing Congress intact. But the spending decisions tell a story of the administration’s priorities. On one side, the budget includes an increase to the Indian Health Service, including funding for opioid addiction programs. But it also calls for cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and Native housing help. The administration also proposes eliminating a handful of programs—like low income home heating assistance and youth job education—that benefit Native Americans. We’ll speak with experts about the consequences of these proposed funding changes.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018 – Building bridges through archaeology
If done right, the discipline of archaeology is a powerful tool to help tell the stories of the past. But archaeologists haven’t always adequately respected Native culture, leading to mistrust between tribes and outside scientists. New methods are taking hold and more Native people are bringing their perspectives to the field. More and more, tribes are finding ways to collaborate with those who study the past. We’ll talk with a Native archaeologist who encourages others to consider archaeology as a profession.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018 – Treating addicted babies
The opioid epidemic continues to rise and affect families. Pregnant mothers can expose their unborn children to these addictive substances while in the womb. The newborns face what’s known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), and it can lead to serious health problems for the baby. We’ll talk about treatments for addicted Native mothers, caring for babies with NAS, the short and long term medical problems, and the resources available.
Thursday, March 1, 2018 – ”I want to thank the Academy…”
The good news is the list of Native artists voting in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grew by three in the past year. The bad news is no film featuring Native actors, characters or story lines was nominated for an Oscar. Still, there were some notable films to talk about, including the Hollywood dramas “Wind River,” and “Hostiles,” and a documentary about Wilma Mankiller. As we gear up for the film industry’s biggest night, we will look back at some of the highlights for Native artists in the last year and get some insights from the voting members. What was your favorite film?
Friday, March 2, 2018 – Breaking down traditional food barriers
Traditional foods like caribou and seal meat were not on the menu at an elder care center in Kotzebue, Alaska. That’s because the center couldn’t allow anything the U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn’t approve of. Some residents went from their traditional diets to eating cafeteria spaghetti and packaged pudding. That all changed when the Maniilaq Association helped build a traditional foods processing center. Tribes are finding the importance of restoring traditional diets for their people in institutional settings, even though it can take years to satisfy state and federal rules.
