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The 1950s Urban Relocation Program had the stated goal to help address poverty in rural reservations. The intent was to move Native American families to a handful of big cities where there were more job opportunities. The program failed to fix poverty. It also diminished Native communities. But it did create a new urban landscape for Native Americans. We’ll take a look inside these urban communities six decades later and see how the “relocatees” have created and maintained a strong Native connection.

Guests:

Pamela Peters (Navajo) – multimedia indigenous documentarian

Dr. Dorene Wiese (Minnesota Chippewa) – president of the American Indian Association of Illinois

Break Music: Canoe Song (song) Chenoa (artist) Spirit of Salishan (Album)

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Organizers of the Rezilience Indigenous Arts Experience say it will be like no other arts event. The new arts and performance celebration debuts during the Gathering of Nations weekend in Albuquerque. Musicians, authors, artists and motivational speakers come together to highlight the intersection of tradition, culture and inspiration. We talk with the founder of the event and some of the artists about what “Rezilience” means to them.

Guests:

Warren Montoya (Santa Ana and Santa Clara Pueblo) – Executive Director of the Rezilience Indigenous Arts Experience

Marlon Footracer (Diné) – Practioner of the spoken arts

Michael Heralda (Mexicas and Apache) – Storyteller, Artist and Musician

Break music: Braves Against the Machine (feat. Marla Nauni) (song) Quese Imc (artist) Defover30 (album)

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A number of Native candidates running for state and federal offices. We’ll get an update on elections in  our news roundup. Also it’s Earth Day. We’ll examine the major environmental stories hitting Native America: Peabody Coal filed for bankruptcy, the Keystone pipeline sprung a leak, and the proposed PolyMet copper and nickel mine in Minnesota passes another hurdle.

Guests:

Mark Trahant (Shoshone Bannock) –  journalist with TrahantReports.com and Charles R. Johnson Endowed Professor of Journalism at the University of North Dakota

Stephanie Joyce- Energy and Natural Resources Reporter for Wyoming Public Radio

 

Break Music: The Beautiful Ones (song) Prince (artist) Purple Rain Soundtrack (album)

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Seeds. Soil. A patch of land or a container. Gardening should be that easy, right? Not for some wannabe gardeners. It can be difficult to grow flowers, vegetables or even grass for any number of reasons. Sometimes the problem is chemistry, the moisture, soil or pests. But that doesn’t stop a lot of people from getting out the shovels and seed packets in the spring time. We talk what it takes to start a garden and we’re opening the phone lines for your gardening questions.

Guests:

Chad Borseth- retail manager of NATIVE Seeds Search Store

Linda Black Elk (Catawba) – ethnobotanist at Sitting Bull College

Break Music: Lolo Said (song) John-Carlos Perea (artist) Creation Story (album)

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What if a recreational activity like skateboarding could save a person’s life? In some communities it is. On this show, we look at how tribal leaders are seeing the value of skateboarding for their young people. It’s giving them hope. Shredding at the skate park is making connections that nothing else seems to for some kids. We’ll learn how formalizing an activity some youth turn to anyway is bringing about positive change.

Greg Mize (Quapaw and Osage) – owner of Native Skateparks

MaryHelen Juanico (Pueblo of Acoma) –  project coordinator of the Santa Clara Pueblo Housing Authority

Walt Pourier (Oglala Lakota) – executive director of the Stronghold Society

Jim Murphy (Lenni Lenape and Irish) – co-founder of Wounded Knee Skateboards, skate parks director for the Stronghold Society

Break Music: Great Grandpah’s Banjo (song) Pura Fe (artist) Full Moon Rising (album)

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  proposes taking  grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem off the list of Endangered Species. They say that the bears are a conservation success. Critics say the bears are still endangered and delisting will open up the possibility of trophy hunting outside of Yellowstone National Park. Some tribes, including the Shoshone Bannock Tribes, who retain a seat on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, oppose the delisting. How much influence will tribes have in the process of delisting the grizzly bear?

Guests:

Dr. Dave Mattson – lecturer and senior visiting scientist at Yale University and a grizzly bear expert

Ben Nuvamsa (Hopi) – president of the Kiva Institute and member of the GOAL Tribal Coalition

Donovin Sprague (Mnikȟówožu Lakota) – university instructor and author and archivist for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

Link to submit a public comment on grizzly bear delisting

Link to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tribal grizzly bear page

Break Music: Four Two-Step Songs (song) Pyawasits, Silas & Webster (artist) Wild Rice: Songs From The Menominee Nation (album)

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The deadline for filing taxes is upon us. Since it’s on our minds we thought now is a good time for some expert tips and tricks. People living in Indian Country have unique tax requirements. What deductions make the most sense? How about artists and other self-employed workers? And we’ll confront the prevailing myth that Natives don’t pay taxes. We have an hour and will get to as many of your questions as we can.

Guests:

Deb Guttormsen – finance manager for Northwest Native Development Fund, owner of Deborah’s Bookkeeping Service

Eric Henson (Chickasaw) – a Senior Vice President at Compass Lexecon and a Research Affiliate for the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development

Jan Watson – Prospective Volunteer Specialist for AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

Break Music: Ke Aloha I Ka Pu’uwai / He ‘Ili ‘Ula Au a He Hawai’I (song) Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu (artist) Call It What You Like (album)

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There are pills, injections and implants. But what is the real access to birth control in Native America? Do Native women face more barriers, such as social pressure, when it comes to birth control? In this episode, we’ll also talk about court cases and legislation that affects access to birth control.

Guests:

Miss Nikke (Diné) – sex blogger and law student

Charon Asetoyer (Comanche) –  executive director and CEO of the Native American Community Board, parent organization to the Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center

Break Music: Old School Hop (song) (artist) Pakosiyimitan (album)

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An old bit by comedian Ralphie May surfaced just before his scheduled appearance in Bemidji Minnesota on the cusp of the Red Lake Reservation. It was an R-rated rant using the worst Native American stereotypes. The venue in Bemidji cancelled May’s appearance . He has since cancelled three subsequent appearances in Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. He insists it was all a joke taken out of context. The person who first exposed May’s rant, Adrianne Chalepah, at first wondered herself whether she just didn’t get the joke. But the backlash against May confirmed her concerns. “”It’s like we’re in an abusive relationship and we keep getting verbally abused and we keep taking it and taking it. And we’re not taking it anymore, ” Chalepah said. Can you picture a situation where May’s comments would be funny?

Here’s Ralphie May’s videotaped apology:

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