Monday, April 19, 2021 – Will the Biden Administration act on DAPL?
Tribal leaders and climate activists are at odds with the Biden Administration after a missed opportunity to shut off the flow of oil in the Dakota Access Pipeline. Since the end of the DAPL-supporting Trump Administration, opponents of the pipeline saw a recent federal court hearing as a key chance for Biden to set a new course for the future of the project. Instead, the U.S. Department of Justice neglected to weigh in one way or the other. Biden has already nixed the controversial Keystone XL pipeline expansion and temporarily halted new oil and gas leases on federal land. What does the next four years hold for the direction of the controversial DAPL project?
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 – Holding police accountable
Just north of the courtroom where a police officer is on trial in the death of George Floyd, another officer shot and killed Daunte Wright, an unarmed black man. The Brooklyn Center Police Department acknowledges the shooting was accidental, and charged the officer with manslaughter. Such incidents are gaining higher scrutiny and continue to raise alarm among people of color. At least one analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data finds Native Americans die at the hands of police three times the rate of their white counterparts. We’ll look at what is changing and what still needs to change to prevent the high rates of deaths of Native people and other people of color.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 – COVID-19 south of the border
Mexico and some Central and South American countries are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic much more than most of the rest of the world. Mexico’s Health Department estimates the death toll could be as high as 330,000 people in a country with a population a 126 million. Global health organizations blame the country’s lack of investment in testing, treatment and education when it comes to the virus. Making matters worse is a disjointed vaccination effort. Some Indigenous populations are also refusing vaccinations because of mistrust and misinformation. We’ll get perspective on how the pandemic is affecting Indigenous peoples south of the U.S. border.
Thursday, April 22, 2021 – Grieving ecological loss
Native people are traditionally closely associated with the land. Ecological destruction and the loss of land from the effects of climate change can affect Native people’s sense of identity. A pair of researchers gathered stories from Inuit people who suffered grief for the loss of ice and animals they rely on. Tribes continue fights on many fronts to stop further loss of land important to them to mineral extraction, development or flawed government management. On Earth Day we’ll zero in on the link between the land and identity and mental well-being.
Friday, April 23, 2021 – Cultural traditions of spear fishing
Ojibwe fishermen launch their boats in shallow water in the Great Lakes at dusk. They shine flashlights into the water looking for the iridescent shimmer of walleye eyes. In an age-old tradition, they take their catch with a spear. The tradition and tribes’ right to spearfish is affirmed in past treaties and legal decisions. Still, Native fishers face occasional confrontations by uninformed non-Native fishermen. We’ll hear about the cultural significance of spearfishing as well as some history of past political tensions of subsistence fishing.
