Indigenae Podcast

We belong to the land - Indigenous Stewardship with Kathy McCovey and Lisa Hillman Feb 22, 2022

On the final episode of Indigenae, cultural practitioners Kathy McCovey and Lisa Hillman teach us about Indigenous stewardship and the sacred connection between land and our physical, spiritual, and mental wellbeing.

Kathy McCovey, is a fourth-generation forester, archeologist, and Cultural Resource Specialist. She has dedicated her life to revitalizing traditional land management practices in the Karuk homelands, what is now known as Northern California.

Lisa Hillman is a renowned Karuk basketweaver - an art form that has been passed from generation to generation since time immemorial. Lisa is the founder of the Tribe’s Píkyav Field Institute, which aims to augment long-term eco-cultural revitalization for the Tribe.
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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith

Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Turning poison into medicine - Beyond Trauma and Violence with Cari Herthel Feb 15, 2022

Cari Herthel, Vice Chair of the Esselen Tribe, reckons with the complex and intergenerational trauma caused by human trafficking. As a survivor, Cari offers personal reflection, deep truths, and authenticity to connect with others and raise awareness for protecting our relatives; By experiencing and continuing ancestral practices —“I now know that it is a connection to my culture, it is a connection to my value, that allows me to regulate my unhealed trauma.”

Cari is a member of the Esselen and Rumsen Ohlone Tribes of Monterey County. Cari is a survivor leader, speaker consultant, resource specialist and engaged coalition partner based in Monterey County, California.

Following her own recovery from sexual exploitation, Cari has worked for 27 years as a Recovery Resource Specialist in the areas of trauma, drugs and alcohol. Her trainings go beyond trauma into complex intergenerational and traditional trauma. Due to her personal experience and as a child of the California welfare system, she focuses on issues concerning the welfare of children. California agencies seek her advice and consultancy to create Native American policies and procedures for children around education and prevention of sex trafficking.

She is on the advisory leadership council of the Sovereign Bodies Institute.

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Resources:

National Human Trafficking Hotline : 1 (888) 373-7888, SMS: 233733 (Text "HELP" or "INFO"), Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week. Languages: English, Spanish and 200 more languages. Website: http://humantraffickinghotline.org

Recognizing signs of trafficking: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs

Sovereign Bodies Institute

CSEC definition

Combating Trafficking : Native Youth Toolkit (Administration for Children and Families)

Human Trafficking Resource Guide (Center for Native American Youth)

Sex Trafficking Resources (National Indigenous Womens Resource Center)

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith

Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Behind the scenes: The Making of Indigenae with Sarah Stern, Olivia Trujillo and Sophie Neuner Feb 08, 2022

On Episode 20 of Indigenae, hosts Olivia Trujillo (Navajo), Sarah Stern (Cherokee), and Dr. Sophie Neuner (Karuk) share how this collection of stories came into being, what inspired the project, and lessons learned along the way.
About Indigenae: https://caih.jhu.edu/programs/indigenae-podcast

Check out some of the podcasts that inspire us:

This Land: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/this-land/
All My Relations: https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/
Well For Culture: https://www.wellforculture.com/
The Red Nation: https://therednation.org/
Center for Indigenous Midwifery Podcast: https://www.indigenous-midwifery.org/podcast
Natal: https://www.natalstories.com/listen

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Gifts of the moon: Following Our Teachings with Birdie Lyons Feb 01, 2022

Birdie Lyons, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, was seven years old when she was taken away from her family. Not long after, she escaped from boarding school to return to her community and grow up immersed in Ojibwe culture. During the ceremonies to mark her First and Final Moons, Birdie received assignments and teachings that have guided her on her path to becoming a cultural practitioner, a matriarch, and a community leader. In this episode of Indigenae, Birdie shares teachings she learned throughout her life: about honoring ourselves, each other, and the gifts and responsibilities bestowed on every one of us.
Birdie Lyons has been a practical nurse for 38 years. She has served as a Headstart nurse, W.I.C. Director, Clinic Manager, LPN Float nurse, and a community educator. Alongside her Supervisor and the Education Director, Birdie started the Leech Lake Band of Public Health Nursing program. She also worked with the Indian Health Services prior to returning to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe W.I.C. program at the Chairman’s request. In 1998, Birdie became the manager of six clinics located throughout the reservation. She then worked as the Administrative Lead Nurse for the Archdeacon Gillfilan Center, where she helped the facility to learn and use Native American traditions and values to help heal the youth. Birdie returned to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in 2009, where she currently works as Public Health LPN. She also serves as Program Supervisor for Family Spirit, a home visiting program that supports young families.
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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Limitless pleasure - Two-Spirit Wellbeing with Souksavanh Keovorabouth (Part 2 of 2) Jan 25, 2022

In part two of our series on Two-Spirit wellbeing, we continue our conversation with Souksavanh T. Keovorabouth, who is a Diné and Laotian PhD student in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Oregon State University. We dive into a discussion about Two-Spirit Autonomy, and sex and pleasure outside hetero norms. Souksavanh shares how experiencing pleasure can be an expression of sovereignty.

Souksavanh T. Keovorabouth, Diné/Laotian (they, them, theirs) is a Ph.D. student at Oregon State University in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program with a minor in Queer Studies and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Souksavanh is also a Cotutelle student where they are a Ph.D. Candidate at Macquarie University in Indigenous Studies. Prior to Oregon State University, they received a dual bachelors and masters at the University of Arizona in Sustainable Built Environments and American Indian Studies. Their concentrated area of research is on Indigenous urban experience, Two-Spirit wellbeing, Relocation Act of 1950, Native and Queer urbanization, BIPOC Masculinities, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit in urban areas.

Resources:
Andrew Jolivette on Thrivance https://ethnicstudies.ucsd.edu/people/jolivette.html
Qwo Li Driskill on Sovereign Erotics https://uapress.arizona.edu/book/sovereign-erotics
Leean Simpson on Body Sovereignty - “As we have always done - How to build Indigenous resistance movements that refuse the destructive thinking of settler colonialism” https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/as-we-have-always-done
Connect with Souksavanh:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/souksavanh.t.keovorabouth/
Learn more about their work: https://linktr.ee/Souksavanh.T.Keovorabouth

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Restoring balance - Two-Spirit Wellbeing with Souksavanh Keovorabouth (Part 1 of 2) Jan 18, 2022

On this of Indigenae, we move beyond gender binaries to explore the topics of Two Spirit identity, the sacredness of fluidity, and restoring balance. Joining us is Souksavanh T. Keovorabouth, a Diné and Laotian PhD student at Oregon State University, where they study Two-Spirit wellbeing, Native and Queer urbanization, BIPOC Masculinities, and MMIWG2S. “We can live in a limitless world”, believes Souksavanh - outside the confines of settler colonialism.

Souksavanh T. Keovorabouth, Diné/Laotian (they, them, theirs) is a Ph.D. student at Oregon State University in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program with a minor in Queer Studies and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Souksavanh is also a Cotutelle student where they are a Ph.D. Candidate at Macquarie University in Indigenous Studies. Prior to Oregon State University, they received a dual bachelors and masters at the University of Arizona in Sustainable Built Environments and American Indian Studies. Their concentrated area of research is on Indigenous urban experience, Two-Spirit wellbeing, Relocation Act of 1950, Native and Queer urbanization, BIPOC Masculinities, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit in urban areas.

Email: Keovoras@oregonstate.edu

IG: Souksavanh.T.Keovorabouth

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith

Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

There is survival: Overcoming Cancer with Phyllis Smith Jan 11, 2022

Navajo Elder Phyllis Smith is an educator, breast cancer survivor, and patient advocate. Phyllis explains how her medical team, family support, and healthy dose humor helped her heal from cancer. “To see me here tells you that cancer, you can beat it. There’s all different ways, it depends on yourself. You’ve got to be determined, you’ve got to set yourself forward, you’ve got to plan ahead. [...] there’s always somebody out there, nowadays, who can help you”. She is joined by her son Tyson King, who has supported her in every step of her journey.

Phyllis E. Smith, Dine, grew up in the hogbacks of Rehoboth New Mexico, herding sheep, practicing her Navajo culture, and is the daughter of the late Red Smith and Johanna Haskeltsie. Phyllis graduated from Gallup High school and began working at Wingate High School. Phyllis was employed with the BIA/BIE for 25 years and retired in 2006 when she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. After undergoing intense Chemotherapy and Radiation treatment at the UNM Cancer Center in Albuquerque New Mexico, she returned to the Gallup area and became actively involved with many organizations, including the Eastern Agency Council of Aging, and the Wingate Elementary School Board association both of which she held office for. Phyllis returned to education and received her AA in Elementary education and her BA in Elementary Education with emphasis on Native Native American Studies, and returned to work for the Navajo Nation Head start program. Phyllis again retired from her duties as a Pre-school teacher having served in the Pinedale NM, Churchrock NM and Chichiltah/Jones Ranch NM areas. She remains actively involved with the American Cancer Society, the NM Cancer Center support services, The NN Eastern Agency Council of Aging, The NN Foster Grandparent Program, and is very active in her local Senior centers. Phyllis is the mother of three beautiful children Michelle Martin, Travis King, and Tyson King. Phyllis is KinYaa’aanii, (Towering House), born for Tsi’naajinii (Black Streek Wood People), her Cheii’s are Nakai Dine, (Mexican), and her Nali’s are Bil’agana, (Anglo). Her passions are arts and crafts, her love for crocheting and sewing is unwavering and you can always find her with a basket full of yarn and crochet hooks whenever you see her out and about.

Resources:

New Mexico Cancer Center Gallup

Relay For Life - American Cancer Society

Indian Health Services: Find Health Care

American Indian Cancer Foundation

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith

Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Culture is medicine: Promoting Maternal and Child Health with Dr. Jennifer Richards Jan 04, 2022

Dr. Jenny Richards, an Assistant Scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, shares how Indigenous strengths-based research counters harmful narratives around coming of age, menstruation, and toxic masculinity. “Reinforcing how much social support we have in our culture, in our ceremonies, in the way we raise our children [...] is protective in and of itself”.
Jennifer Richards, PhD, MPH (Diné/Lakota/Taos) is an Assistant Scientist with the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. Since 2013, Dr. Richards has led various family and child health (FCH) initiatives, including early childhood home visiting, maternal and infant health surveillance, teen pregnancy prevention, preconception health promotion, and fatherhood empowerment. Dr. Richards’ research interests also include the role of Indigenous doulas in preventing maternal mortality and improving birth outcomes in tribal communities. Jennifer obtained both her MPH in Maternal and Child Health (2008) and Ph.D. in Health Behavior Health Promotion (2020) from the University of Arizona.
Resources:

Center for American Indian Health

The Asdzáán Be’eena’ (Female Pathways Program)

Respecting the Circle of Life Curriculum

Azhe’é Bidziil (Strong Fathers Program)

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith

Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Guiding us through change: Indigenous Birthwork with Aspen Mirabal Dec 28, 2021

Taos Pueblo Doula Aspen Mirabal joins us for a conversation about birth equity, decolonizing birthing spaces, and supporting our birthing relatives. She shares her journey in birth work and talks about the unique role of doulas in re-matriating cultural traditions and ancestral birthing practices.

Aspen Mirabal is the eldest of three daughters from Taos Pueblo. Aspen currently resides in Taos, but spends most of her days on the Pueblo. Professionally, Aspen is a trained and certified birth keeper for Northern New Mexico, serving Native and non-Native families as a community-based doula. Aspen is a student midwife with the desire to provide access to Indigenous midwifery care while reintroducing the ritualistic customs of full-spectrum birth work to her community of Taos Pueblo. You may find Aspen working as a Family Support Specialist with Tiwa Babies Home Visiting Program, serving all of Taos County Monday through Friday, or after hours representing the New Mexico Doula Association— or of course, at a birth.

Resources:

Tewa Women United: https://tewawomenunited.org/
Yiya-vi-kagingdi Doula-Project: https://tewawomenunited.org/yiya-vi-kagingdi-doula-project
Changing Woman Initiative: http://www.changingwomaninitiative.com/
Center for Indigenous Midwifery: https://www.indigenous-midwifery.org/
Tiwa Babies Home Visiting Program: https://www.taosnews.com/news/tiwa-babies-home-visiting-program-empowers-young-taos-families/article_f1348ca9-9cda-5b71-ba1e-409ef0e30b23.html
Indigenous Milk Medicine Collective Live with Indigenous Lactation Consultants Camie Jae Goldhammer and Kim Moore-Salas: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=227110242524474&id=104293154
Taos Chapter of the New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force: https://breastfeedingnm.org/taos/
National Native Children’s Trauma Center: https://www.nnctc.org/contact

Interested in Midwifery and Birthwork? Reach out to Aspen: milk.earth.blood@gmail.com
Instagram: @milk.earth.blood

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Caring for the matriarchs who look after us: Gynecological Cancer with Dr. Amanda Bruegl Dec 21, 2021

Dr. Amanda Bruegl, a member of the Stockbridge and Oneida Nations, shares why cancer screening and cancer prevention are so important for our Native peoples, and how providers can be more sensitive to our unique cultural needs. She explains how to advocate for yourself and your body during visits with a health provider: “Bring a friend, bring your auntie, bring someone to a visit. If you need someone to hold your hand, that’s ok.”

Amanda Bruegl, MD, MS, Oneida/Stockbridge-Munsee Nations, is the Associate Director of the Education Core in the Northwest Native American Center of Excellence and Associate Professor of Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Bruegl grew up in Wisconsin and went to medical school at University of Washington. She originally thought she wanted to be a Family Medicine Physician and work for her tribe. During clinical rotations, she fell in love with Women’s Health and matched to an OB/Gyn residency at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. After residency, she extended her training and pursued a fellowship in gynecologic oncology. She has been at OHSU for the past 6 years and has devoted her early career to providing specialty care to AI/AN women, mentoring AI/AN learners, and pursuing a research career focusing on gynecologic cancer prevention in AI/AN women.”

Resources:
For more information on cancers:
Mayo Clinic

For Native peoples seeking cancer care:
Indian Health Services: Find Health Care
American Indian Cancer Foundation

For Cervical cancer survivors:
Cervivor Facebook Page

For Natives interested in the health professions:
Northwest Native Center for Excellence
We Are Healers

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith

Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Trust the process: Becoming an Elder with Karla Decker-Sorby Dec 14, 2021

Karla Decker-Sorby, a Public Health Nurse and Dakota Elder, shares important lessons about living in a good way, paying respect to our Elders, and building reciprocal relations with our communities. “With menopause”, Karla explains, came “the best years of my life”; she learned to fully embrace who she is, and give her best with the gifts she was given.

Karla Decker-Sorby is a member of the Sisseton Oyate Dakota Nation. Karla has worked in tribal health spaces since the age of 19. In 2012, Karla joined the Minnesota Department of Health to implement culturally tailored maternal and infant health home visiting via the Family Spirit program. As a Tribal Nurse Consultant, Karla ensures that Indigenous families receive culturally congruent care across the state of Minnesota.

Resources:

Family Spirit Home Visiting Program: https://www.jhsph.edu/research/affiliated-programs/family-spirit/
Minnesota Department of Health, Family Home Visiting: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/fhv/index.html
"Fame" by Irene Cara: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXVnu1iWrGE

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

A layered approach: Sexual Health Education with Delilah Robb Dec 07, 2021

Delilah Robb (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians) talks about her work as a community health educator. She explains why community-driven health promotion is at the center of healing, and how traditional stories teach us to honor our bodies and sexuality.

Delilah Robb is pursuing her Masters of Public Health in the Maternal and Child Health program at the University of Minnesota. She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. In addition to her studies, she works as a community health educator at the Indian Health Board (IHB) of Minneapolis. She is interested in many American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) areas of health, including: maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, social determinants of health, and cancer prevention. She is also researching Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Cultural Beliefs of American Indian Men as part of the Tribal Researchers’ Cancer Control Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Native American Research Center for Health, and National Cancer Institute.

Resources:

Honor your Body and Culture Campaign:
“The Intersection” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGfhUmQhdyc
“Starting the Conversation” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEJaQFtkPCc
Press:
http://thecirclenews.org/health/ihb-launches-programs-on-sexual-health-and-education/
https://mndaily.com/263251/news/university-grad-student-fosters-conversation-education-about-sexual-health-in-american-indian-communities/
Webinar:
Minnesota Public Health Association: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhXd6HquwCg
Organizations:
Indian Health Board of Minneapolis: https://www.indianhealthboard.com/
Connecting to pleasure through art:
Check out Chief Ladybird (@chiefladybird) and Quill Violet Christie Peters’ work (@raunchykwe)!

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Restoring protection for our community: MMIWG2S and the Law with Mary Kathryn Nagle Nov 30, 2021

Mary Kathryn Nagle (Citizen of the Cherokee Nation) answers questions about the legal framework around the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit. She explains how a 1978 Supreme Court decision failed to protect Native people from violence perpetrated by non-Natives, and what has happened since to restore Tribes’ rights to prosecute crimes committed on tribal land.

Mary Kathryn joined Pipestem & Nagle, P.C. in 2015 from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York City, where she specialized in complex commercial litigation related to structured finance, bankruptcy, and federal qui tam actions. She has drafted numerous appellate briefs in federal courts, including federal appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court.

Mary Kathryn has significant experience in briefing issues of constitutional law related to federal Indian law, as well as cases that implicate statutory rights under Indian rights laws such as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (“NAGPRA”).

Mary Kathryn studied law at Tulane Law School, where she graduated summa cum laude and was the recipient of the Judge John Minor Wisdom Award. Her law review articles have been published in five different journals, including the Tulane Law Review and Tulsa Law Review.

She is a frequent speaker at law schools and symposia on issues related to restoration of tribal sovereignty, tribal self-determination, Indian civil and constitutional rights, and safety of Native Women. She also represents the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) in support of the NIWRC’s work to end violence against Native Women. Mary Kathryn is an accomplished playwright who has written and produced several plays relating to Indians and the law, including Waaxe’s Law, Manahatta, My Father’s Bones (with Suzan Shown Harjo), Miss Lead, Fairly Traceable, and Sliver of a Full Moon.

Resources:Organizations:
Pipestem & Nagle, P.C.: http://www.pipestemlaw.com/attorney/mary-kathryn-nagle/
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center: MMIW Toolkit for Families and Communities
Sovereign Bodies Institute: https://www.sovereign-bodies.org/
Urban Indian Health Institute: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Report, 2018

Donate

Sovereign Bodies Institute: https://www.sovereign-bodies.org/donate
National Indigenous Women’s Resources Center: https://www.niwrc.org/donate
Urban Indian Health Institute:https://www.uihi.org/
Native American LifeLines: https://nativeamericanlifelines.org/
New York Indian Council: https://www.newyorkindiancouncil.org/
National Council of Urban Indian Health: https://www.ncuih.org/index

Social Media: @mknagle

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Food is more than survival: Connecting to Land with Tara Maudrie Nov 23, 2021

Tara Maudrie (MSPH), a Sault Ste. Marie Ojibwe PhD student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discusses food sovereignty in an Urban Native context. She points out that our relationship with food consists of more than the things we eat and encompasses our relationships to land, water, air, and all living beings. Tara reminds us that “traditional foods will always find you,” and that no matter where we are we can connect with our place-based eating values.
Tara Maudrie is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and has been an urban Native her whole life. Prior to coming to the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Tara worked as a program assistant at Detroit American Indian Health and Family Services and completed her Bachelor's of Science degree in Pre-Physical Therapy and Exercise Science at Oakland University.

Tara completed her MSPH in the Human Nutrition Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Spring 2021. While completing her MSPH degree she worked with the CAIH as a practicum student with Dr. Victoria O'Keefe and Dr. Melissa Walls. During her MSPH she led a mixed-methods study of food insecurity in partnership with the Baltimore Native Community. Tara Maudrie is currently pursuing her PhD in the Social Behavioral Interventions Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHBSPH).

Tara is passionate about urban Native health and food security and hopes to continue to explore these issues and advocate for policy change throughout her PhD. She is advised by Dr. Victoria O'Keefe. You can keep up with her work through PubMed and ResearchGate.
Resources:
Publications: PubMed, ResearchGate
Organizations:
Sacred Roots: https://www.aihfs.org/sacredroots.html
Native American Lifelines: https://nativeamericanlifelines.org/
Well For Culture: https://www.wellforculture.com/
Tara’s morning affirmation: “I am on Indigenous land”

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

Breaching the realm of death and life: Linda Ross - Traditional Healing and Cancer Survivance Nov 16, 2021

Traditional healing methods and teachings are at the center of Indigenous wellbeing. They can support Indigenous people diagnosed with cancer. Linda shares her story of being both a traditional practitioner and overcoming a cancer diagnosis. She knows the manner in which difficult news such as a cancer diagnosis is delivered matters, and reminds us to use approaches congruent with Indigenous lifeways.

Linda Ross (Diné) is a traditional healer living in Window Rock, AZ. Linda is a survivor of breast cancer and has been practicing traditional, holistic methods of healing for over 50 years.
Resources:

American Indian Cancer Foundation: https://americanindiancancer.org

Cancer Epidemiology in Native Communities: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/research/articles/cancer-AIAN-US.htm

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

We are the generation: Ceremony and Community with Ashley Phelps-Garcia Nov 09, 2021

Ashley Phelps-Garcia teaches us about the importance and joy of living in ceremony and community. During the boarding school era, many of our relatives were made to feel ashamed of who they were as Native people. Indigenous practices and ways of knowing were banned. Today, we are proud to be Indigenous. Our ceremonies allow us to heal and grow individually and collectively, for the seven generations ahead. Ashley reminds us of the importance of learning from our Elders, and of holding good thoughts for things to fall into place.
Ashley Phelps-Garcia is an enrolled Member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. Residing in the Badlands of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota along with her husband Bino Garcia and their 5 beautiful children; Nevaeh, Maymangwa, Joaquin, Miksuya and Wasose. Ashley’s Lakota name is “Wíyukčaŋ Ománi Wiŋ”. A name that belonged to Chief Red Cloud’s Wife, passed down six generations. Ashley is currently the Director of Communications and Program Manager for a 501c3 nonprofit organization called First Families Now. Working alongside her family, FFN is committed to providing high-quality culturally and community-focused services towards the vital needs of children and families of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Some of the services provided include but are not limited to donation drives, cultural integration, community service projects, healthy food access, and life skills. Ashley is known in the community for her dedication to the preservation and revitalization of traditional Lakota women roles, responsibilities, and ceremonies. Ashley’s father Ted Phelps is the lead singer of the Eagle Mountain Drum group. Her mother Alice is a long time women’s jingle dress dancer so it is only right that Ashley has grown a love and passion for the powwow arena. She has been dancing the jingle dress style since she could walk. Her gift of dance has taken her across the U.S. and Canada competing against some of the best.

First Families Now: https://www.1stfamiliesnow.org/
Follow Ashley and First Families Now on Instagram:
@phelps_15 , @1stfamiliesnow
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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah
Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

On the right path: Celebrating the Menopausal Journey with Dr. Jules Koostachin Nov 02, 2021

Dr. Jules Koostachin reminds us that stories about our bodies are alive and carry agency, especially during times of change. These transitions are individual experiences, and call us to be present in our bodies. Jules allows us to dig deeper into the question, “When signs of menopause begin, how do we find support from our communities?”
Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin is Cree and a band member of Attawapiskat First Nation. She was raised by her Cree grandparents in Moosonee, as well as her mother, a residential school warrior. Jules completed her PhD at the University of British Columbia, and she is a graduate of Concordia University’s Theatre program and Ryerson University’s Documentary Master’s program. Jules was awarded an Award of Distinction and an Academic Gold Medal for her thesis documentary. She is the mother of four incredible sons, a published writer, performance artist, an academic, and an award-winning filmmaker. Jules is represented by the Characters Talent and Lucas Talent.
Resources:

Website: www.juleskoostachin.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user124586
Select short documentaries

Explore more of Dr. Koostachin’s films: https://vtape.org/artist?ai=1184
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4059984/
Dr. Koostachin’s book: Unearthing Secrets, Gathering Truths
Social Media:

@juleskoostachin - Instagram
@jakoostachin - Twitter

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Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah

Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

It’s a holistic thing: Sex, Pleasure and Bodily Autonomy with Gabrielle Evans Oct 26, 2021

Sexual wellbeing is a holistic practice of bodily autonomy. Gabrielle Evans reminds us that pleasure, communication, and sex outside of a binary are all important parts of Indigenous health. She also emphasizes the vital role of sex educators to decrease stigma and further conversations about healthy relationships.

Gabrielle S. Evans, MPH, CHES, Member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, has taught comprehensive sexuality education for over four years. She is the Co-Founder of the Minority Sex Report. She has facilitated programs for faith-based organizations and led programs for Native American adolescents and providers. Gabrielle is a doctoral student at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston pursuing her Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences. As a sexuality educator and researcher Gabrielle hopes to reduce sexual health disparities among Native American populations and expand research on Native sexual well-being.
Resources:

Check out The Minority Sex Report, LLC here:

https://theminoritysexreport.com/

For exploring your relationship with pleasure:

Afrosexology https://www.afrosexology.com/
O. School https://www.o.school

For learning about birth control:

https://www.bedsider.org/
Own Every Piece - Houston specific reproductive health campaign http://owneverypiece.com

For understanding consent:

Consent is like a cup of tea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQbei5JGiT8

For healing from trauma

Jimanika Eborn: https://traumaqueen.love/
Listen to the trauma queen podcast: https://traumaqueen.love/podcast

---

Indigenae theme song: “Nothing Can Kill My Love For You” by Semiah Instagram: @semiah.smith
Find her on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

So much work remains: Forging Paths toward MMIWG2S Data Sovereignty with Dr. Blythe George Oct 19, 2021

Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit have faced unfathomable violence since the arrival of settler colonialism. Dr. Blythe George, a Member of the Yurok Tribe, is here to unpack the ongoing epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and talk about its causes while centering survivorship, resilience, and healing.

Professor Blythe K. George is from McKinleyville, CA, and is a member of the Yurok Tribe. She previously served as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology at UC Berkeley after completing her Ph.D. in Sociology & Social Policy from Harvard University. Her research focuses on processes of adversity and resilience in tribal communities, with an emphasis on qualitative methodologies and database creation and management. Prof. George also serves as the research partner for the To'Kee Skuy'Soo Ney-Wo-Chek'—I Will See You Again in a Good Way project, in collaboration with the Yurok Tribe and the Sovereign Bodies Institute. This project, which was funded by the US Department of Justice’s Coordinated Tribal Assisted Solicitation (CTAS Grant) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Justice Support, generates an understanding of the scope and severity of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples in Northern California, with an emphasis on intervening in these cycles of violence by designing and implementing “best practices and protocols” for tribes in addressing MMIWG2.

Resources:

Sovereign Bodies Institute: https://www.sovereign-bodies.org/
NamUs Database: https://www.namus.gov/
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center: MMIW Toolkit for Families and Communities

Reads:

Yurok Tribe, Sovereign Bodies Institute: To’ kee skuy’ soo ney-wo-chek’ - I Will See You Again In a Good Way Year 1 and Year 2 Progress Reports, Yurok Tribe Press Release
Urban Indian Health Institute: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Report, 2018

Support the fight to bring back our stolen Sisters by donating to:

Sovereign Bodies Institute: https://www.sovereign-bodies.org/donate
National Indigenous Women’s Resources Center: https://www.niwrc.org/donate

We heal together: Our Land, Our Bodies with Dr. Nicole Redvers Oct 12, 2021

Dr. Nicole Redvers creates a bridge between Indigenous and Western ways of thinking about health. Dr. Redvers reminds us that land-based practices are essential to our health wherever we are living: “By going on our healing journey, we’re automatically in healing with the land itself because we are in and of itself land.”
Dr. Nicole Redvers, ND, MPH, (she/hers) is an enrolled member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation from sub-Arctic Canada. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine and the Indians into Medicine program at the University of North Dakota’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She is co-founder and chair of the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation based in the Canadian North which was awarded the $1 million-dollar 2017 Arctic Inspiration Prize for their work with the homeless and those most vulnerable. Dr. Redvers has been actively involved at the national and international level promoting the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in planetary health while engaging in a breadth of scholarly projects attempting to bridge gaps between Indigenous and Western ways of knowing as it pertains to Indigenous health. She is the author of the trade paperback book titled, ‘The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles’.
Resources:

Reads:

Redvers, The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles, North Atlantic Books, 2019
Tyson Yunkaporta, Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, HarperOne, 2020

Support the Yellowknife healing camp and similar initiatives here:

https://arcticindigenouswellness.org/

Support the Mni Wichoni Clinic and Farm here:

https://mniwichonihealthcircle.org/

Building Indigenous futures: Coming of Age with Dr. Cutcha Risling-Baldy Oct 07, 2021

Dr. Cutcha Risling-Baldy offers us the opportunity to explore the revitalization of ceremony that marks the passage into adulthood. Dr. Risling-Baldy speaks about the importance of uplifting our young people and honoring the ancestral strength of our bodies. She unpacks toxic eurocentric ideologies and modes of colonization and reminds us of the sacred nature of menstruation, queer identity, and becoming.
Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy (Hupa, Yurok and Karuk) (she/her) is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Native American Studies at Humboldt State University. Her research is focused on Indigenous feminisms, California Indians, Environmental Justice, and Decolonization. Her book We Are Dancing For You: Native Feminisms and the Revitalization of Women's Coming-of-age Ceremonies was awarded "Best First Book in Native American and Indigenous Studies" at the 2019 Native American Indigenous Studies Association Conference. She received her Ph.D. in Native American Studies with a Designated Emphasis in Feminist Theory and Research from the University of California, Davis and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Literary Research from San Diego State University. She also has her B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University. Dr. Risling Baldy is Hupa, Yurok and Karuk and an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe in Northern California. In 2007, Dr. Risling Baldy co-founded the Native Women's Collective, a nonprofit organization that supports the continued revitalization of Native American arts and culture. She lives in Humboldt County with her husband, daughter, step-son, and a puppy named Buffy.
Resources:
Cutcha’s Book

Risling-Baldy, We Are Dancing for You: Native Feminisms and the Revitalization of Women's Coming-of-Age Ceremonies. University of Washington Press, 2018

Publications

Risling-Baldy, "mini-k’iwh’e:n (For That Purpose—I Consider Things) (Re)writing and (Re)righting Indigenous Menstrual Practices to Intervene on Contemporary Menstrual Discourse and the Politics of Taboo" Cultural Studies↔ Critical Methodologies (2016): 1532708616638695.
Miranda, The Extermination of the Joyas: Gendercide in Spanish California GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, Duke University Press Volume 16, Number 1-2, 2010
Buckley & Gottlieb, Blood Magic: The Power of Menstruation,

Cutcha’s Blog

www.cutcharislingbaldy.com/blog

Support the Native Women’s Collective:
https://www.nativewomenscollective.org/

Honoring the mystery at the beginning of our lives: Pregnancy and Birth with Ursula Knoki-Wilson Oct 07, 2021

From creation stories to clinical spaces, Ursula Knoki-Wilson walks us through celebrating the mystery and wonder of new life. Ursula speaks to the importance of sacred birthing spaces and support during pregnancy and childbirth. Ursula’s own journey of Navajo traditional and clinical midwifery practices offers a way to think about strengths-based community health that ensures our generations to come.
Ursula Knoki-Wilson (she/her) is a Navajo CNM, MSN, MPH. She serves as Community Relations Liaison Officer for the Office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Chinle Service Unit, NAIHS, Chinle, AZ. She has also served as Chief of Nurse-Midwifery Service within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility from March 1996 to March 2013. From 2000 to 2013, she served as the IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Advance Practice Nurses. Ursula has worked many years in promoting the integration of Navajo cultural concepts into health care practice for health professionals. She serves as Chairperson on the Traditional Navajo Medicine Committee at Chinle Service Unit.

Changing Woman Initiative:

http://www.changingwomaninitiative.com/

Publications

Jennie R Joe, Robert S Young, Jill Moses, Ursula Knoki-Wilson, Johnson Dennison; A collaborative case study: The Office of Native Medicine PMID: 27115132, American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 2016

Trailer: Coming of Age with Dr. Cutcha Risling-Baldy Oct 05, 2021

Coming soon to the Indigenae Podcast: Dr. Cutcha Risling-Baldy talks about the revitalization of Coming of Age ceremonies, the sacred nature of menstruation, and the transition to adulthood.

Trailer: Pregnancy and Birth with Ursula Knocki-Wilson Oct 05, 2021

Coming soon to the Indigenae Podcast: Midwife Ursula Knocki-Wilson (Navajo) speaks to the importance of sacred birthing spaces and support during pregnancy and childbirth. Her journey of Navajo traditional and clinical midwifery practices offers a way to think about strengths-based community health that ensures our generations to come.

Introducing Indigenae Oct 04, 2021

The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health proudly announces the launch of Indigenae, a community-grounded podcast celebrating Indigenous Womxn’s Health and Wellbeing. Listeners can subscribe to the Indigenae Podcast on all streaming services for new episodes every Tuesday.

The Indigenae podcast shares conversations with traditional practitioners, Indigenous health care workers, activists, researchers, artists, and survivors. Hosts Sarah Stern, Olivia Trujillo, and Dr. Sophie Neuner take listeners on a journey through Indigenous womanhood, exploring topics from Coming of Age to Becoming an Elder. “Indigenae is really about telling stories,” says Sarah Stern, Citizen of the Cherokee Nation, “and for Indigenous peoples, storytelling is a traditional way of learning how to live well”.

All episodes were guided by an advisory board of Elders, mothers, and daughters, who came together from Tribal nations across Turtle Island, also known as North America, to define topics, guests, and discussions.

Follow the Center for American Indian Health on Social Media:
Facebook: @JHUCAIH
Twitter: @JHUCAIH
Instagram: @johnshopkinscaih

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