Monday, March 15, 2021 – Native women leaders make their mark
Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani (Kanaka Maoli) is remembered as a fierce advocate for her people. Wilma Mankiller (Cherokee) was a trailblazer and an important figure in developing the Cherokee Nation’s self-governance. Those are among the many Native women who distinguished themselves in the face of adversity. For Women’s History Month we’re celebrating prominent Native American women leaders.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 – Indigenous Canadians lead the push for change
A Mi’kmaw man in Nova Scotia is mounting a legal challenge in the ongoing fight over lobster fishing rights. Wet’suwet’en Nation traditional leaders continue their stand against a pipeline in western Canada. And advocates are calling for better services after a Yellow Quill First Nation woman froze to death following her release from jail. We’ll catch up on the major issues in Canada and how Indigenous people are setting the course to influence change.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 – Momentum for Choctaw Freedmen?
After the recent historic change in the Cherokee constitution opening the door to Black Cherokee citizenship, the Choctaw Nation is now facing a fight pitting sovereignty against formal recognition for Choctaw Freedmen. The chief of the Choctaw Nation opposes proposed language in congressional legislation that would require the tribe to allow Freedmen enrollment. The bill is in response to Freedmen—descendants of slaves who also claim Choctaw heritage—who say they are denied citizenship because of their race. But Choctaw Chief Gary Batton says the tribe, not Congress, determines enrollment. We’ll get an update on the status of the ongoing Choctaw Freedmen issue.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 – Healing the land: Tribal ecological restoration
The Oneida Nation successfully restored wetlands that can now support culturally significant fish. Bizhibayaash (Circle of Flight) was a large project that was successful in restoring wetlands which helped revitalize waterfowl and wild rice in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has multiple land and animal restoration programs in and around the St. Lawrence River that are supported by a 2013 settlement. We’ll highlight recent examples about how tribes are helping the land with traditional ecological knowledge, science and environmental justice work, at a time when preservation is as important as ever.

Friday, March 19, 2021 – Rolling the dice on Native role-playing games
A new tabletop role-playing game focuses on Indigenous people in a future where colonization never happened. Coyote & Crow blew past the game designers’ $18,000 Kickstarter goal in 45 minutes, and currently is almost $500,000 and counting. The game joins a list of other mainstream role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons that have their own Native following. We’ll hear from Native role-playing gamers who are passionate about playing these types of games.

Monday, March 8, 2021 – Rematriation: Indigenous women restoring balance
Indigenous women in the United States and Canada are leading efforts to reclaim culture and knowledge through matrilineal power. On International Women’s Day, we’ll learn about re-matriation to honor Mother Earth and to change the narrative about Indigenous women.

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 – Are school sports safe yet?
With COVID-19 infection rates decreasing across the country, there’s added pressure on schools and rec leagues to start up again. A court settlement just opened up school sports in the state of California. Many states continue to hold off or are debating whether or not to resume. Sports are an important part of life for Native athletes and their parents.

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 – Another federal COVID relief bill: Is it enough?
The proposed $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus plan includes another $20 billion for tribes. It also includes additional funding for housing assistance and the Bureau of Indian Education. It’s another lifeline to offset the economic devastation in the wake of the pandemic. We’ll learn more about the current funding plan and whether it and the previous CARES Act money are enough to keep tribes afloat until the public health threat and its subsequent financial crisis passes.

Thursday, March 11, 2021 – Avoiding the top threats to kidney health
A new study just released by John Hopkins Medicine researchers suggests lab tests could help predict the likelihood of serious kidney problems. In the UK, health officials are trying out a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence to diagnose kidney disease earlier. Those are among the advances that offer promise for earlier detection of kidney disease, one of the key factors for saving lives. It’s all the more important now, since one out of every 7 people hospitalized for COVID-19 end up with kidney injury. For Kidney Health Awareness Month we’ll learn the biggest threats to kidney health and how to avoid them.

Friday, March 12, 2021 – Music Maker: Sunburnt Stone
On their newest album, Sunburnt Stone invites listeners into soulful stories that travel from the dustiest rez roads to the hardest pavement. The band from the Navajo Nation says the title cut, “El Navajo,” oozes with spaghetti western undertones. From there they demonstrate their guitar mastery on songs like “Every Single Second”. We’ll hear from the band about the road they took to bring their music to life.

Monday, March 1, 2021 – Preparing for the next pandemic
It’s hard for tribes and individuals to think about future crises while dealing with the current one. But tribal public health and emergency management officials are taking what they’re learning now to prepare for potential threats to come. Shortages of food, supplies and medical care are all problems that surfaced in the past year of the pandemic. Some tribes found themselves worse off than some others. We’ll hear what ideas are emerging about what to do to be ready for the next pandemic.

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 – The complexities of Mexican Indigenous identity
Indigenous identity is viewed differently by the Mexican government. There aren’t registered tribes but there are autonomous Indigenous communities. Indigenous Mexicans self-identify, come from Indigenous communities, speak an Indigenous language and practice traditional and cultural ways. How that translates across the border and in U.S. Indigenous communities is complicated.

Wednesday, March 3, 2021 – Healthcare superheroes
Native healthcare workers provide healing during the most painful and frightening times of our lives. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they are the superheroes on the front lines, facing down the effects of the deadly virus. They work long hours, make life-and-death decisions, and don’t often get the thanks they deserve. We’ll take time to hear what healthcare workers do and show them gratitude for taking on the tough jobs.

Thursday, March 4, 2021 – Oliphant: four decades of hampered tribal jurisdiction
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in March, 1978 continues to hinder tribal sovereignty on a daily basis. The ruling in Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe stripped tribes of most criminal prosecutions against non-Indians. Those cases became the responsibility of the federal government. In his dissent, Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote “I am of the view that Indian tribes enjoy, as a necessary aspect of their retained sovereignty, the right to try and punish all persons who commit offenses against tribal law within the reservation.” The Violence Against Women Act was an attempt to remedy the persistent trend of non-Native abusers of Native women slipping through the cracks of the federal justice system. We’ll look at the distressing consequences of Oliphant and efforts through the years to fix it.

Friday, March 5, 2021 – Pieces of tradition: Native American quilts
Sewing was an important tradition for Native Americans long before it became a popular pandemic pastime. Many tribes, especially the Seminoles and those from the Great Plains, took up quilting around the turn of the 20th Century. The intricate patterns in Native quilts reflect tribal heritage and the artistry of the individual quilters. Native quilts are used to tell stories and are offered as gifts to honor achievements. We’ll talk with quilters about how their craft goes beyond merely making covers for beds.

Monday, February 22 2021 – Maintaining harmony in the household
While Native traditions favor family bonds, a year cooped up in the house together can strain even the closest relationships. Kids learning from home, parents working from their living room, and few of the welcome distractions like sports and entertainment venues to relieve the monotony are a recipe for family discord. We’ll get reminders about the importance of keeping the harmony and learn strategies for improving relationships in the home.

Tuesday, February 23, 2021— The State of Indian Nations
National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp delivers her second State of Indian Nations address. It is the first time the address, along with the Executive Council Winter Session, will be presented virtually. The COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate effect on Native people, federal COVID relief funds distribution, equitable funding for the Indian Health Service, the pending confirmation of Rep. Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Department of Interior, and the Native agenda for the new presidential administration are some of the hot topics important to Indian Country. We’ll have the address and the Congressional response.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 – Book of the Month: “Even As We Breathe” by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle
Cherokee author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle invites readers back to 1942 and the time of World War II. In “Even As We Breathe,” the cultures of her fictional characters collide in the secluded Grove Park Inn in North Carolina. That’s where foreign diplomats held as prisoners of war come face-to-face with Cowney Sequoya and the other rural Cherokees who live there. We’ll hear more about the dynamic storyline from the author in for our February Book of the Month.

Thursday, February 25, 2021 – Deb Haaland’s road ahead
U.S. Secretary of Interior nominee Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) faces questioning from senators during her confirmation hearings. She faces some opposition, but if all goes as expected she will be the first Native American cabinet secretary. Then she has to do the job of overseeing public lands, Indian Country land policy, and balancing conservation with the demands of an energy-hungry nation. We’ll recap the confirmation hearing and discuss what opportunities and pitfalls Haaland faces in the position.

Friday, February 26, 2021 – February in the news
Deb Haaland faces her critics and supporters on her way to heading the U.S. Department of Interior, the Navajo Nation vaccinates nearly a third of their citizens in under a month, and the Biden Administration’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package includes relief for tribes. These are some of the stories we’ll look into on the regular news roundup.

Monday, February 15, 2021 – Protecting your heart from disease and COVID-19
Medical professionals are pointing to possible long-term heart problems in some COVID-19 patients. The American Heart Association says it’s too soon to tell for sure, but widespread COVID-19 infections might cause a surge in cardiovascular disease and death in the coming months and years. In addition, people with heart problems are more at risk from the COVID-19. The good news is healthy life choices is good at lowering people’s risks. For Heath Health Month we’ll get reminders of the benefits that exercise, stress reduction and a healthy diet have on your heart.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021 – Courts back Line 3 pipeline construction despite risks
Two recent court decisions denied efforts by Minnesota tribes and environmental groups to halt the controversial Line 3 Replacement Project last week. Despite the setback, the chairman of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa says his tribe will not stop fighting the 1,097-mile pipeline project. The Enbridge Energy pipeline is slated to go across northern Minnesota, carrying crude oil from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin. The planned route skirts the Red Lake and White Earth reservations and crosses through the Fond du Lac reservation. The company expects the project to take about 9 months to complete.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021 – Navigating the pandemic with disabilities
Advocates for people with disabilities praised initial federal efforts at the start of the pandemic such as expanding food access through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But they worry efforts since then have fallen short. In addition, support programs are subject to closures or limited access for safety reasons. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights issued guidance to Indian Health Service facilities for serving the needs of individuals with disabilities. We’ll discuss what that guidance means and whether it’s working for Native people with disabilities.

Thursday, February 18, 2021 – Medical experts: don’t lower guard on COVID-19
COVID-19 rates are going down overall and vaccines are promising relief. But officials warn that the pandemic is far from over and this is no time to get complacent. While strict precautions are improving the picture, some places continue to feel the pressure on medical and support resources. We’ll get updates from tribal leaders and health officials about how they’re keeping their communities engaged and on alert after more than a year since the start of the pandemic. We’ll also hear from a medical expert about the threat from new strains of COVID-19.

Friday, February 19, 2021 – Indigenous films at the Sundance Film Festival
Four films made by Indigenous filmmakers from around the globe premiered at this year’s Sundance Festival. The fictional portrayals and real-life documentaries tell stories of Indigenous traditions, righteous protest and dark criminal dramas. We’ll catch up with a few of the filmmakers to discuss their art and the future of film during the COVID-19 pandemic.