Native As I Can Be

I am getting around to favorite topic (besides hip hop or wrestling), cultural appropriation. What is it, what qualifies as appropriation, why (or why not) is it offensive, what can we do about it? I don't anticipate answering any of those questions definitively, but I am hoping they provoke a little conversation and thought. I did something a little different with this episode, I decided to record while broadcasting on Facebook Live. It was challenging, and unless you like long pauses and dead air, not great. It was an experiment, I would do it again but definitely with a topic I have more knowledge of and don't need to rely so heavily on notes to talk about. One more thing, I apologize for the amount of sorta white noise you hear while I am talking. I know it can be distracting, especially in headphones. I am tinkering with settings and levels and will improve the sound quality the more of these I do. If anyone has any tips let me know. That's all for now, enjoy the show! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Guess who decided to drop a surprise episode of Native As I Can Be? Your homie Geno Effin Ray, that's who. I have been away for a long time trying to decide what to do with this podcast and if I want to keep going. Ultimately I decided to try and get a few more episodes out and give it another chance to grow and audience and hopefully provoke some thought. My very special guest today is Duane Quintana. Duane is the founder of a.l.p.h.a. (https://alphaidaho.org/), a non for profit sexual health site founded in 2003 in Boise, Idaho. She is now currently located in San Francisco, CA where she is a clinical research coordinator at AHHA, a research study aimed at developing guidelines to screen for pre-cancerous anal lesions caused by HPV. In this episode, Duane will walk us through growing up in a small town in Idaho, her HIV diagnosis, her drag show persona B0nni33 Vi0l3t, the founding of a.l.p.h.a., her current work and combining queer lifestyle with spirituality. Duane can be found on youtube on the channel A Queer Chaplain and instagram at @sparkleisassparkledoes. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Hey! It is Geno Ray, the host of Native As I Can Be: Between Two Cultures. This week, in honor once again of Adoption Awareness Month, I am bringing in my very, very, VERY special guest Karen Peck. What makes her so special? She is special because she just happens to be my mom. She agreed to come on the show and talk about her experiences entrusting a child in an adoption and later on adopting a child herself. I am excited about this episode because of lot of her story I will be hearing for the very first time right along with you guys. I am very happy to be back in my makeshift recording studio creating another episode for this week. I am pretty stoked to be able to make these shows and give people opportunities to tell their stories. And, I appreciate the side effect of getting to know my people better and learning things about them I might not otherwise would have. Thank you for listening and checking out my podcast. I have so much gratitude for those who are taking time out of their day to listen to MY podcast when there are literally thousands to choose from. It means a whole lot to me and it is keeping me motivated to carry on. Hit play and check out my mom's story about being on both sides of the adoption coin. Let's go! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

On this week's episode I speak with Janesara and Jeremy, an interracial couple founded in Thailand and now living here in the States. We discuss how Jeremy and I's unlikely friendship may have created a beautiful marriage and two kids. We also hit on being a White man in Thailand, A Thai woman in the United States, what keeps the relationship going and how all this was written in the stars. Go check out the book Prison Writings: My Life is My Sundance by Leonard Peltier. It completely changed the way I viewed being Native and why being Native is something to be proud of. Big thanks to Kenji Nitta for making this episode possible as I ran into serious technical difficulties converting the file from MP4 to MP3. Stay tuned after the interview to hear the song History, the only musical collaboration between Jeremy and I! Episode 11 is here! Thanks for listening, let's go! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Whoah, we made it to 10 episodes! Pretty stoked to have made it this far! On this week's episode, I chat with Scott Morgan, a Dine (Navajo) Indian, about life on and off the Rez. We take a look at the negatives, the positives, what can be improved and what things people who don't live on reservations could learn from those living on one. Reservation living is not something I am familiar with firsthand, I would like to thank Scott sharing his insight with us. Scott has numerous acting credits, go check out some of his work! Film: Leave No Trace, The Musicianer TV: Documentary Now!, Life Before First Failure, The Librarians Commercials: Providence, First Interstate Bank, Oregon Lottery Other media (YouTube, etc.): Jag, Grayson Crockett, Blood Sky, Avicularia Lacarinus Also I wanna give a HUGE shout out to Quinton Gardner and Full Metal Jackson (Episode 6) for releasing their brand new music video this week which is blowing the hell up and getting massive amounts of plays. Go check it out right here: https://youtu.be/k7XeCrIHsdY --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Just in time for Adoption Awareness Month, on this week's episode of Native As I Can Be I chat with Astrid Castro, a social worker specializing in adoption. We hear her story of being taken from Colombia, placed with a Caucasian family in the United States and eventually reuniting with her birth mom. We will also look at the complications and challenges of transracial adoptions and talk about her upcoming adoptee networking event in Portland "What IS Adoption Awareness Month?" This is a very interesting, inspiring and emotional episode, so hit that "play" button and join us. Thanks for listening!  You can find more information at astridcastroconsulting.com, on Instagram at drippingwithadoption, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/astridcastroconsulting/.  Astrid's event "WE The Experts: Adoptees Sharing Our Experiences" speakers series is Wednesday, November 13th, 6-8 pm at SE Uplift at 3534 SE Main St, Portland OR 97214. "November is Adoption Awareness Month. Join us to learn about the history of how November became designated for Adoption Awareness Month. We will have two panelist and myself (Astrid) discussing what ADOPTION AWARENESS means to each of us (for some it's a time to celebrate and for others it's a time for reflection, and a time to discuss adoption reform AND everything in between. EVERY ADOPTEE should be informed about the history of adoption in their country. Share what you know and learn what you don't :)" --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

In this episode, I welcome back Kenji Nitta, host of the podcast Reverend Kenji: Conversations and Sermons About Jesus and Other Stuff to have a discussion about activism, the American Indian Movement, #DAPL, and activism in the bible. Was Jesus an activist? Was the crucifixion a case radical activism? Is activism all bark and little to no bite? Is activism the best way to create change? We will probably have more questions than answers but it should be worth a listen anyway. Thanks for hitting that play button! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

In this week’s short guest-free episode, I remember my first son Bams and talk a little bit about my new son Che’s big first birthday. Thank you for listening! I am working on so more appropriate topics and entertaining guests, so please stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

In this episode I have a lengthy discussion with Quinton Gardner, lead singer of the band Full Metal Jackson, a heavy metal Michael Jackson cover band. You read that right. In part one we talk about his incredible upbringing in Germany with opera soloist parents, one Black, one White and his journey. Part two we get into Michael Jackson and why having a heavy metal Michael Jackson cover band makes perfect sense. Watch out for some language along the way and enjoy! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Episode 5! This week I am discussing interracial relationships friends Nikki & Noah and we dabble in a little bit of White privilege. Check it out and thank you for listening! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

I wasn’t able to get any guests lined up for this week in time, so I spend some time giving you some backstory about who I am and how ended up in Portland, Oregon doing a podcast. I promise to have a dope ass guest next week! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Keeping with the “between two cultures” theme, I speak with Kenji Nitta, a half-Japanese, half-Caucasian former mixed martial artist and current pastor about toeing the line between professional fighter and Man of God. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

Episode 2 is here! I sat down with my cousin Garrick Jackson, a licensed professional social worker and former tribal council member, to discuss Two Spirit people in Native American culture. We also look at the case of Adree Edmo, who successfully sued the State of Idaho/Department of Corrections to pay for and facilitate gender reassignment surgery. Finally, we talk about the world’s oldest and Portland’s own drag queen, Darcelle XV and Garrick’s involvement in her annual drag queen competition. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support

This is your introductory episode of the brand new podcast, Native As I Can Be. This is my exploration of living between the White world and the Native world in 2019 and beyond. I will also be addressing topics such Native (inspired?) mascots, life on reservations, casinos, water/mineral rights and violence against Native women and children. I will speak to tribal elders, politicians, relatives and Caucasians in an effort to shed a brighter light on all things Native. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Native-As-I-Can-Be/support