Monday, January 18, 2021 – Black and Indigenous solidarity
Indigenous and Black people have similar experiences of oppression in this country and both groups still grapple with systemic racism. Indigenous support for the Black Lives Matter movement during the protest spurred by the death of George Floyd, shined a light on what solidarity could look like and how both communities need to do more to include one another. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’ll talk with some Indigenous community leaders and others who are forging tighter bonds among racial groups.
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 – Democracy in crisis: a history lesson
Both those who stormed the U.S. Capitol and those who condemn the action claim the fate of democracy is at stake. Centuries ago, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy assembled a system of governance to create peace among warring Native Nations. Colonial leaders used similar principles to draft the Constitution and give birth to the United States. Can Indigenous values provide any guidance now on where to go from here? We’ll look at the legal issues and get a historical perspective, from the Boston Tea Party to the rise of the Confederacy, and how history may view what we’re living through now.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 – New administration, new agenda
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are set to be sworn in and turn the page on a contentious political chapter. But even as a new administration starts, there is little optimism for bridging the issues that divide the nation. Still, Biden has signaled a willingness to include tribes in his agenda. The nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) for Secretary of Interior sends a strong message. Restoring protections for Bears Ears National Monument, placing Mashpee land into trust, and reestablishing the White House Tribal Nations Conference are some of the items that tribal leaders would like the administration to tackle. We’ll talk with policy experts about what they hope is in store for the next four years.
Thursday, January 21, 2021 – Oak Flat at a crossroads
Just days before the end of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Forest Service took action that paves the way for a massive copper mine on sacred Apache land in Arizona. The grassroots Apache Stronghold group filed a lawsuit to save Chi’chil Bildagoteel, also known as Oak Flat. They say the Forest Service’s environmental review was rushed in order to take advantage of the Trump Administration’s pro-development stance. The Stronghold maintains the mine proposal violates an 1852 treaty and First Amendment rights to religious practice. We’ll get an update on this years-long battle.
Friday, January 22, 2021 – The value of Native-owned bookstores
You can find books by several big-name Native authors in the mainstream online outlets. But Native-owned bookstores have a commitment to carrying and promoting books the public might not find otherwise. The number of Native-owned bookstores remains small, but it’s growing. We’ll talk with bookstore owners about what it takes to compete with Amazon and Barnes & Noble and what literary gems they have to offer.
