Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

Latest Episodes:

Wayne Ducheneaux’s Gift for Leadership and Native Nation Rebuilding Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

Native Lights – Wayne Ducheneaux’s Gift for Leadership and Native Nation Rebuilding

On today’s show, we talk with Wayne L. Ducheneaux, II (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) who is the Executive Director of the Native Governance Center, an organization dedicated to strengthening Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous leadership, through its Native Nation Rebuilders program.

Wayne shares his path of leadership and commitment to serving the needs of Native nations by helping leaders acquire the skills, training, and resources to support their citizens. Wayne is also dedicated to his family, is an enthusiastic video gamer, and an avid supporter of self-care and work-life balance, even though he hasn’t always practiced it himself.

Many thanks to Wayne Ducheneaux for his dedicated leadership in guiding the Native Governance Center’s work supporting and training leaders, and for being a great example of how we thrive by being a good relative and building relationships. We appreciate your inspiring vision for the transformed future for Native nations.

Learn more about how the Native Governance Center supports Indigenous Leadership here: https://nativegov.org/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Linsey McMurrin’s Gift for Healing in Community and Remembering Resilience Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights – Linsey McMurrin’s Gift for Healing in Community and Remembering Resilience

On today’s show, we talk with Linsey McMurrin (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) who is the Director of Prevention Initiatives and Tribal Projects at FamilyWiseServices, where she leads programs aimed at supporting stronger, healthier, families and communities. Linsey is also a co-host of “Remembering Resilience,” a podcast exploring stories and practices for healing while highlighting Native resilience through and beyond trauma.

Linsey shares her story, of when she first learned about ACES or adverse childhood experiences, and how that experience set her on a wider path; leading her to study science, history, medicine, and culture, eventually making her a passionate advocate for healing in community, truth-telling, and systemic change.

We appreciate all the work Linsey is doing to help build healthy families and serve our communities in a culturally affirming way promoting truth-seeking, healing, and change. Chi Migwech Linsey!

“Remembering Resilience” podcast is here: https://rememberingresilience.home.blog/season-two/

Brook LaFloe’s Gift for Creating Equity in Early Childhood Programs Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights – Brook LaFloe’s Gift for Creating Equity in Early Childhood Programs

On today’s show, we’re speaking with Brook LaFloe (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) who is an educator and entrepreneur. Brook is the founder of Niniijaanis One of Ones, a social enterprise aimed at creating educational equity in early childhood for Indigenous children.

Brook’s enthusiasm for developing culturally-relevant learning materials and curriculum is inspiring. Drawing on the contributions of Indigenous artists, Niniijaanis One of Ones, seeks to revitalize and maintain culture across generations, with a unique business model that pairs critical donations with all product sales.

We loved hearing all the different ways Brook LaFloe is working with parents, educators, and administrators on policies and advocacy to better serve Indigenous children, from the time they are babies throughout their school-aged years.

Find more information about Niniijaanis One of Ones here: https://niniijaanis1of1s.com/

Baabiitaw Boyd’s Gift for Sharing the Beautiful and Complex Ojibwe Language Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Baabiitaw Boyd’s Gift for Sharing the Beautiful and Complex Ojibwe Language

On today’s show, we talk with Baabiitaw Boyd (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) who is is the Mille Lacs Band’s Deputy Commissioner on language revitalization initiatives. Her work includes the Anjibimaadizing program, which has developed a partnership with Rosetta Stone and published five Ojibwemowin books of stories collected from first speakers. Baabiitaw Boyd was also awarded a Bush Leadership Fellowship in 2017.

In our conversation, Baabiitaw shares her path of awakening to her purpose: helping to revitalize the Ojibwemowin language for the benefit of the larger community. We are inspired by Baabiitaw’s motivation and enthusiasm for learning her ancestral language and the wisdom it carries. We appreciate Baabiitaw’s deep passion for helping others learn and speak Ojibwemowin, and her efforts to change both habits and systems, to better support and sustain the gifts of our Ojibwe culture.

Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Leslie Harper’s Gift for Preserving Ojibwemowin by Inspiring Students and Empowering Teachers Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Leslie Harper’s Gift for Preserving Ojibwemowin by Inspiring Students and Empowering Teachers

On today’s show, we talk with Leslie Harper, who is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and a passionate advocate for language preservation and revitalization. Growing up, Leslie Harper loved hearing her Grandparents and relatives telling stories in their Native language. This sparked her own path as a language learner, eventually leading her to co-found an Ojibwe language immersion school in Leech Lake.

A self-described policy-nerd, Leslie Harper connects the dots between personal values and public policies and tirelessly fights against oppressive educational systems that are not in alignment with what tribal community members want for the next generation.

From classroom teaching to administration, Leslie has worked in many roles, including currently serving as the President of the National Coalition of Native American Language Schools and Programs.

Leslie Harper was featured in the Emmy-winning Twin Cities PBS documentary “First Speakers: Restoring the Ojibwe Language”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RooWZc4lLok

Lance Haavisto’s Gift for Sharing Native Stories on Television Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. It's a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

On today’s show, we talk with Lance Haavisto, a direct decedent of M'Chigeeng First Nation, and the Lead Videographer/Editor for Native Report at WDSE-TV. Lance earned a bachelor’s degree in Media Production from Northern Michigan University and has started working on his Master's in Communication from the University of Wisconsin Superior.

Lance Haavisto loves sharing stories on the PBS magazine-style series, Native Report, where he fulfills a childhood dream of working in television. As the lead videographer and editor, Lance works closely with all the members of the production team, making critical decisions about what goes on the air.

It was great to chat with a fellow media maker and inspiring to hear how Lance continually looks for new and innovative ways to present stories, especially those of our Native relatives.

Check out many thoughtful and wonderful stories shared on Native Report, now in its 17th season, here: https://wdse.org/show/native-report/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Allison Waukau’s Gift for Raising Native Representation in Libraries Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Allison Waukau’s Gift for Raising Native Representation in Libraries

On today’s show, we talk with Allison Waukau (Menominee/Navajo) a community builder who works in library programs, raising Native representation on the shelves and behind the scenes, making libraries more welcoming to Native community members.

Allison Waukau started as a liaison at the Hennepin County Library, where her role quickly expanded into creating a Native Employee Resource Group for library and county employees, aimed at recruiting, supporting, and retaining Native colleagues. Allison is a member-at-large with the American Indian Library Association and one of Library Journal’s 2021 Movers & Shakers.

We enjoyed talking with Allison about her many professional interests, including exploring library land acknowledgment practices, developing community-led library programs, and elevating the voices and perspectives of the Native community near and far.

Allison’s book recommendations can all be found at https://birchbarkbooks.com/

Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend by Dawn Quigley

Voices from Pejuhutazizi: Dakota Stories and Storytellers by Teresa Peterson & Walter Labatte Jr.

The Seed Keeper by Diane WilsonMoon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

Allison also wants to note a new Minnesota publishing company focusing on Dakota/Lakota authors and voices, launched by Spirit Lake Dakota artist Marlena Myles: http://wiyounkihipi.com/

Hennepin County Library events page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/v2/events

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library: https://thefriends.org/calendar-of-events/

Bradley Harrington’s Gift for Transforming through Cultural Connection Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Bradley Harrington’s Gift for Transforming through Cultural Connection

On today’s show, we talk with Bradley Harrington (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) who is an entrepreneur, owner of Wenji-bimaadizing Media, and is currently the Tribal Liaison for the State of Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources.

Bradley is more than ten years sober and explains why he says, “sobriety is an act of Indigenous Resistance.” He tells us about being incarcerated multiple times, and how he finally broke the pattern when he decided to accept treatment, while incorporating Anishinaabe traditional knowledge, history, and language aspects into it.

We loved hearing Bradley’s honest and encouraging story of healing and how his Spiritual path led to him becoming a tribal pipe carrier. Chi Miigwech Bradley, for all you do, including sharing your passion for teaching Ojibwemowin in fun and engaging ways on social media!

Wenji-bimaadizing Media website https://www.wenji-bimaadizingmedia.com/

Here's an explainer about Midewiwin ceremonies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VpMNA8z5as

Bradley’s Facebook language page: https://www.facebook.com/WenjibimaadizingMedia

Bradley’s MNsure video in Ojibwemowin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1f9YkDWwQQ

Beth Ann Dodds’ Passion for Helping Parents to Powerfully Claim their Voices Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Beth Ann Dodds’ Passion for Helping Parents to Powerfully Claim their Voices

On today’s show, we talk with musician Beth Ann Dodds, a first-generation descendant of the White Earth Nation. Beth Ann is the Project Coordinator for the Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative, a training program from the Native-led organization, Indigenous Visioning. The program guides parents from White Earth Nation and Red Lake Nation to become leading advocates for children using a cultural lens.

We hear how Beth Ann’s own path brought her to her current work. When her music and life partner, Bruce Jackson, received a terminal diagnosis, the couple embraced self-love and reflection throughout his remaining years. After his passing, Beth Ann sought the quiet of the North woods was inspired to learn more about her Ojibwe culture.

Now, through her role with the Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative, a 21-week course for parents that integrates child development, leadership, democracy skills, and Ojibwe culture, Beth Ann is helping others to find, claim, and powerfully use their voices. Miigwech Beth Ann for your sharing your gifts!

Learn more about the Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative on Facebook or go online to: https://www.indigenousvisioning.com/

Honoring the Life and Legacy AIM Co-Founder Clyde Bellecourt (1938-2022) – Part 2 Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio Show

Native Lights – Honoring the Life and Legacy AIM Co-Founder Clyde Bellecourt (1938-2022) – Part 2

This is the second part of our special edition show, honoring the life and legacy of NeeGawNwayWeeDun, The Thunder Before the Storm, who was known by his colonial name Clyde Bellecourt.

Clyde Bellecourt was a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and was a long-time civil rights advocate and co-founded the American Indian Movement in 1968. Bellecourt passed away in Minneapolis on January 11th, 2022. He was 85.

On today’s show, we learn more about Clyde’s time in prison as a young man, and how it strongly impacted him uncovered his purpose. During that time of incarceration, Clyde Bellecourt met key people who helped him connect to Native traditions and spirituality, and together with whom he would co-found AIM. This time of growth and healing informed every aspect of NeeGawNwayWeeDun’s advocacy work, which he carried throughout his life.

Chi miigwech to the folks who have shared their stories in these shows: Dr. Kate Beane Ph.D. (Flandreau Santee Dakota and Muskogee Creek), Dr. Brenda J. Child Ph.D. (Red Lake Nation), Dr. Antony Stately Ph.D. (Ojibwe and Oneida), Robert Pilot (Ho-Chunk Nation), Bob Rice (White Earth Nation), Steve Premo (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe), and Bob Blake (Red Lake Nation).

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