Monday, May 6, 2019 – The drive to solve the MMIW problem
The four Native American members of Congress just introduced a bill to create an advisory committee on missing and murdered Indigenous women. Some states like New Mexico and Wyoming assembled task forces to address the issue. Washington State is requiring the State Patrol to establish “best practices” for investigating missing Native Americans. Will more task forces, research reports and policy guidelines help solve the ongoing problem that disproportionately harms Native women? We’ll hear about some of the latest efforts and hear from experts about what the most promising approaches are.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019 – Caring for relatives with dementia
People with dementia frequently can’t perform many of the basic functions of life, including feeding, cleaning and dressing themselves. Those tasks often fall to relatives, who must also cope with the confusion, anxiety and hostility that can accompany the disease. A 2016 study published in the Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association found Native Americans have among the highest rates of dementia. We’ll discuss the latest thinking on the best ways to care for loved ones with dementia. We’ll also get advice for those taking on the role of caregivers.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – Resources for crime victims
The U.S. Department of Justice is in the process of distributing about $100 million to tribal victim support programs. The money comes from federal criminal fines, fees and special assessments and goes toward victim advocacy, crisis intervention, staff training and individual counseling. The idea is to help reduce suffering and build stronger communities for a population that, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, suffers violent crime at higher rates than others. We’ll get a glimpse of what tribal victims support programs offer and what difference they aim to make in their communities.
Thursday, May 9, 2019 – Revising tribal governments’ building blocks
Taking on the task of changing a tribal constitution can be long and sometimes contentious. The Oglala Sioux Tribe is currently struggling to determine how best to include member input in their constitutional reform effort which includes 50 proposed amendments. The White Earth Nation worked on constitutional reform for years with little progress. The process divided the tribe and prompted the tribal chairwoman to resign. We’ll get updates on some current reform efforts and hear about what to expect if your tribe decides to update its constitution.
Friday, May 10, 2019 – What does it take to be a Native mom?
Becoming a mother means sacrificing time, money and personal comfort to care for another human being. Moms also help pass on cultural knowledge and language to future generations. They also share a special kind of never-ending love that might eventually extend to grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As we head into Mother’s Day we’ll hear from moms about what they think their job description entails and how that’s sometimes different than what they expected.
