Podcast appearances and mentions of Mark Trahant

Donald Trump's tariff threats are dominating Canadian headlines. Veteran U.S. journalist Mark Trahant explores how Native Americans are responding. Meanwhile, with Canada's Parliament prorogued until late March, some are calling it a state of democratic dysfunction. Hill Times columnist Rose LeMay breaks it down and suggests potential solutions. As Canada-U.S. relations remain tense, inter-tribal trade expert Wayne Garnons-Williams highlights emerging opportunities for Indigenous Peoples on both sides of the border. That's on Nation to Nation.

As he marks 50 years in journalism, Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock) is stepping down from his leadership role at the Native news organization, ICT. Trahant revived the struggling Indian Country Today newspaper and turned it into a premier non-profit multimedia Indigenous news source. His five decades of reporting and editing news includes interviews with world leaders and having a front row seat to the major events that affect Native people. In that time he has served as a champion and mentor for Native journalists. We'll hear from Trahant about his work and his hopes for Native journalism.

As he marks 50 years in journalism, Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock) is stepping down from his leadership role at the Native news organization, ICT. Trahant revived the struggling Indian Country Today newspaper and turned it into a premier non-profit multimedia Indigenous news source. His five decades of reporting and editing news includes interviews with world leaders and having a front row seat to the major events that affect Native people. In that time he has served as a champion and mentor for Native journalists. We'll hear from Trahant about his work and his hopes for Native journalism.

The small village of Taholah was built more than a century ago on the Quinault Indian reservation, where the ocean meets the Quinault River on the northern Washington coast. The village has been flooded more and more often over the years due to a changing climate. It’s far from the only community  to be affected by rising oceans and temperature changes, but it’s one of the first to actually move because of it. The tribal council made the decision in 2017 and has been working ever since to ensure the smoothest transition possible for the 800 people who live there. The first residents are expected to be moved into their new homes in the fall. Mark Trahant, editor-at-large at ICT, wrote a three-part story about this move. He joins us to share the details about Taholah and how its story reflects a larger story about climate change adaptation.

One of the challenges to counting all the people who identify as Native American or Alaska Native is squaring federal definitions of identity with tribal ones. Mark Trahant, editor-at-large for ICT, and Dee Alexander, Intergovernmental Tribal Affairs Specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, join host Krys Boyd to discuss the ways the government counts tribal affiliation vs. the ways tribes count their roles, and how the U.S. government is encouraging cross-department data sharing and collection.

An aide to President Richard Nixon once paid Hank Adams a backhanded compliment, saying he could speak both Indian and “American”. As misguided as that praise is, it highlighted one of Adams' gifts that helped him steer the armed standoff at Wounded Knee to a peaceful conclusion. Adams is probably best known for his dedicated fight for Native fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest that culminated in the Boldt Decision. We'll remember the civil rights champion with some of the people who knew him best. GUESTS Dr. Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne & Hodulgee Muscogee), president of the Morning Star Institute and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Dr. David Wilkins (Lumbee), E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Leadership Studies at University of Richmond Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock), editor-at-large for ICT Natalie Charley (Quinault and Assiniboine Sioux), Hank Adams's niece

For the sixth installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp sit with veteran Shoshone-Bannock journalist Mark Trahant one last time to discuss the excerpt "Geographies and Destabilizing 'the Local.'" ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the fifth installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MEDIA INDIGENA regular Candis Callison and host/producer Rick Harp welcome back veteran Shoshone-Bannock journalist Mark Trahant to discuss the excerpt 'Perspectives, Expertise, and Knowledges.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, MEDIA INDIGENA is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep this podcast free for all to enjoy. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.

For the second installment of our 2023 Summer Series, "Indigenous Journalisms"—an 8-part audio book club based on Reckoning: Journalism's Limits and Possibilities—co-author and MI regular Candis Callison joins host/producer Rick Harp and return guest Indian Country Today editor-at-large Mark Trahant to discuss the excerpt 'Indigenous Journalists in Newsrooms.' ✪ Indigenous owned + operated, our podcast is 100%-audience-funded. Learn how you can support our work to help keep our content free for all to hear. ✪ // CREDITS: 'Saturn' and 'Find Your Peace' by HoliznaCC0; 'Heart of Acceptance' by John Bartmann. All tracks are CC0 1.0.  

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 - In another episode of the Conversations on Healthcare Podcast, we hear from Dr. Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, about the myriad challenges nurses have faced throughout the pandemic, and how they can be better supported. ~~~ Mark Trahant shares a commentary on recent happenings for Indian Country Today. ~~~ The recent warm weather has horticulturist Ron Smith itching for spring! He joins us to talk pruning, lawn preparation, drought damaging trees, and what can happen if we get a hard freeze after a false spring.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 - The UND School of Law will be hosting a national Indian law competition on Friday and Saturday. And Friday will also feature a tribal flag ceremony. The five American Indian tribes of North Dakota have presented their national flags to the law school for permanent display. Here to tell us about the events, and about the Northern Plains Indians Law Center at UND, is James Grijalva, UND professor of law. ~~~ Tribes are watching closely as Deb Haaland faces confirmation as Interior Secretary. The hope is for a secretary who deeply understands tribal issues and is ready to act accordingly. She’s appearing at Senate confirmation hearings this week. Indian Country Today’s Mark Trahant comments. ~~~ A Page Turner event on March 7 will feature the first eight students of the Little Mo Writers Incubator Project. Here to tell us about that and other literary events is Sue Skalicky, program coordinator with Humanities North Dakota. ~~~ Speaking of writers, here’s

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - A hearing was held this morning on a House bill that would change the way the state does redistricting. Here to discuss the issue is Ellen Chaffee, a board member with North Dakota Voters First, a group supporting the change. ~~~ Mark Trahant shares a commentary on the confirmation prospects of Interior Secretary nominee Rep. Deb Haaland. ~~~ Eliza Blue shares a Postcard from the Prairie ~~~ Ready to get an early start on your garden? Starting early with seeds is Sue Balcom’s topic on today’s episode of Main Street Eats.

Wednesday, February 3, 2021 - It’s the first day of our annual Short and Sweet member drive. Who couldn’t use a little extra sweetness right now? The artisans at Nichole’s Fine Pastry work hard to bring you those delectable cocoa truffles. Recently, Nichole’s got some nationwide love from the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant on vaccine distribution for Native Americans. ~~~ The North Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame has selected William A. (Bill) Beeks for induction. Bill joins a prestigious group that currently includes 45 other individuals who have had a significant impact on the growth, development, and promotion of aviation in North Dakota. Joining us to discuss the Hall of Fame, it’s famous members and to acknowledge Bill Beeks is Kyle Wanner, director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.

Friday, January 15, 2021 - Yesterday, we heard from a doctor at CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck about working in an urban hospital during a global pandemic. Today we get perspectives from rural hospital personnel at Unity Medical Center in Grafton. We talk with CEO Alan O’Neil, CEO and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Matthew Viscito. ~~~ Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today, shares a commentary on the current political climate impacts indigenous people. ~~~ News Director Dave Thompson has his weekly news debrief. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”

Wednesday, January 13, 2021 - Humanities ND is hosting its Gamechanger Ideas fest online, with a focus on democracy in these difficult times. This Thursday, featured speaker Yaël Eisenstat, former CIA analyst and U.S. Diplomat, explores how social media threatens our democracy. We visit with Program Coordinator Sue Skalicky. ~~~ Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today, reflects on what 2020 meant for his news outlet, and how to best tell the COVID-19 story as it impacts indigenous peoples. ~~~ US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo has been appointed for a third term, making her only the second laureate to receive such an extension since the position was established in 1943. Today we share an interview with Harjo from a year ago when she spoke with Lori Walsh, host of “In The Moment '' on South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Thursday, December 31, 2020 - Our monthly journalists roundtable discussion always features news director Dave Thompson and two guest journalists from around the state. Today’s guests are columnist and former editorial page director at the Forum, Jack Zaleski; and Cecile Werhman, owner and editor of the Crosby Journal and the Tioga Tribune. ~~~ Mark Trahant shares a year-end commentary.

Monday, December 21, 2020 - The Bee Better Certification program is a collaborative effort involving the USDA, farmers and the food industry to create a more pollinator-friendly environment. Joining us to discuss the program is Erik Mader, with the Xerces Society, which developed and manages the program. ~~~ Mark Trahant comments on the Interior Department and the nomination of Deb Haaland as secretary of the department. ~~~ A touching Postcard from the Prairie for Christmas from Eliza Blue. ~~~ The death of Carl Young’s mother inspired him to start a Covid memorial project. With the plan originally focused on North Dakota, the vision is now expanding to the rest of the nation.

Monday, December 14, 2020 - Humanities North Dakota is offering a series of free online classes and events. Joining us to talk about the series is program coordinator Sue Skalicky. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant on Indian representation in presidential administrations. ~~~ At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, ethanol producers feared a world stuck at home. As gasoline demand plummeted, about half of America’s ethanol plants shuttered. Most have reopened. But as Harvest Public Media’s Christina Stella reports, some are questioning if America needs to make as much ethanol as it once did. ~~~ Dr. Avish Nagpal is an infectious disease specialist at Sanford. He visits with John Harris in an excerpt from the Prairie Pulse television show.

Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - If you’re working from home or maybe not working at all because of the pandemic, perhaps you’re considering that business you always wanted to start. It means you can be your own boss, but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. SCORE is an organization devoted to helping people start their own business. Here to discuss SCORE and the adaptations they’ve made for the pandemic, is Del Carver, co-chair of the Fargo chapter. ~~~ Congress has a lot on its agenda, including a December 11th deadline to pass a budget. There are loud calls for a new pandemic relief bill, including funds to help distribute vaccines. Mark Trahant comments.~~~ The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency recently released a study titled “The Current State of Housing in North Dakota.” It examines the affordability of single and multifamily housing, the impact of COVID-19, and housing challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Joining us to discuss the report are the agency’s executive

Monday, November 23, 2020 - Nurses are among the heroes during this pandemic, and they have many concerns. Joining us is the president of the North Dakota Nurses Association, Tessa Johnson. ~~~ Mark Trahant comments on the potential of Native Americans joining the cabinet of the Biden administration. ~~~ Thanksgiving in America has become a time for overladen tables, the Macy's Parade, football, and Black Friday shopping. This year looks a little different, of course, but how did we get here? In "We Gather Together," Denise Kiernan turns her passion for history and unparalleled research to a topic that could not be timelier: gratitude. She visits with South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s Lori Walsh.

Tuesday, November 17, 2020 - Prairie Public's Dave Thompson talks with state Mineral Resources director Lynn Helms on the change in some CARES Act funding that affects the oil industry. He also updates the reclamation program. The conversation is the fourth in Dave’s ongoing series titled “Energy Issues and Answers: Oil Well Reclamation.” Find all the episodes in the series HERE. ~~~ Mark Trahant shares a commentary about vaccine development for COVID 19, and he urges acceptance of the vaccines. In the meantime, he says “play it safe.” ~~~ The pandemic has exposed a lot of holes in our food supply chain, sparking a renewed interest in people growing their own food. Whether you want to grow for your family and friends, or to sell, you might want to check out FARRMS, with two Rs. Stephanie Blumhagen is the non-profit’s executive director. She joins us to discuss how they’ve adapted their programming during the pandemic.

Monday, November 9, 2020 - Angela Smith, associate professor of history at NDSU is one of the co-editors of a volume titled “ Historical Sex Work: New Contributions from History and Archaeology .” It’s an examination of the sex trade in America from 1850 to 1920. The essays take a close look at rarely-investigated topics such as race and the children of prostitutes. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant. ~~~ In an excerpt from the Education Mindset podcast, Tom Gerhardt visits with 2021 North Dakota Teacher of the Year finalist Dana Kasowski of Wapheton, who talks about the Nurtured Heart Approach to working with students with special needs.

Monday, November 2, 2020 - Jeremy Straub, assistant professor of computer science at NDSU, joins us for a discussion surrounding election cybersecurity. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant on the election, and the progress made in Indian Country when it comes to political participation. ~~~ You never know when your life’s path is going to change. Back when Jon Solberg was a college student, it happened when he was helping his dad build a deck for an orthopedic surgeon. Fast forward and he’s now Dr. Jon Solberg, an emergency physician in Bismarck and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UND’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences. He was the team doctor during a treacherous expedition across Greenland. He shares adventure stories and talks about mask mandates.

Monday, October 26, 2020 - The parent child relationship is never easy to navigate. It’s even more complicated when religious and political views differ. American Gospel is the latest book from author and English professor Lin Enger. He explores a complex father son relationship between Enoch and Peter Bywater, after Enoch publicly predicts the apocalypse. ~~~ Commentary on political advertising from Mark Trahant. ~~~ Ashley Thornberg returns from a road trip to Minot where she appeared on the Good Talk online show, which is recorded in front of a live audience. Along the way she gathered several interviews, and today we share her conversation with Val Stadick of Main Street Books.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 - Health care is incredibly complex, as is the network that oversees and regulates it. In the ‘90s, Congress passed a law regulating the cost of some prescription drugs. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is going after pharmaceutical giants for what he says is violating that law. He visits with Conversations on Health Care podcast hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter. ~~~ We share an interview clip with noted historian Hiram Drache, who passed away Saturday, age 96. ~~~ Commentary on the presidential campaign from a Native American perspective from Mark Trahant. ~~~ Jasmin Child Care preschool serves kids from nine ethnic backgrounds, striving to provide cultural competency. We learn more from development director Sky Purdin, who grew up in the US, Thailand, and Finland.

Every U.S. election is billed as the most important election of our time, but the 2020 election has a new sense of urgency and division says the editor of Indian Country Today (ICT). “The urgency is that so many decisions are being made so quickly,” says Mark Trahant. “But, the partisan divide is about as bitter and rancour as any time since the U-S civil war. On this episode of Face to Face, Mark Trahant explains what’s at stake for Native Americans in this upcoming election.

Every U.S. election is billed as the most important election of our time, but the 2020 election has a new sense of urgency and division says the editor of Indian Country Today (ICT). “The urgency is that so many decisions are being made so quickly,” says Mark Trahant. “But, the partisan divide is about as bitter and rancour as any time since the U-S civil war. On this episode of Face to Face, Mark Trahant explains what’s at stake for Native Americans in this upcoming election.

This week Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris debated in Salt Lake City. Mark Trahant shares a commentary on the curious relationship between the office of Vice President and Indian Country.

Monday, October 5, 2020 - In the most ambitious operatic commission to emerge from the global pandemic, the newly formed Decameron Opera Coalition, featuring nine US-based companies and one creative team, will premiere Tales from a Safe Distance with a multi-week virtual release. The FM Opera Company is one of the participants, and here to tell us more is the opera’s general director, David Hamilton. ~~~ This week Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris debate in Salt Lake City. Mark Trahant shares a commentary on the curious relationship between the office of Vice President and Indian Country. ~~~ Dr. Avish Nagpal is an infectious disease specialist at Sanford. He visits with John Harris in this excerpt of the Prairie Pulse television show.

Monday, September 28, 2020 - Dan Hendrickson, an East Grand Forks native, has just released a book called Comedy Album, a collection of comedic verse. He joins us to discuss this interesting art form and to share an excerpt or two. ~~~ Mark Trahant shares a commentary inspired by the upcoming presidential debates. ~~~ The North Dakota Woman of the Year banquet is coming up on Saturday, honoring Susan Wefald of Bismarck. Ashley Thornberg spoke with Susan earlier this year and we thought the occasion of the banquet would make this an appropriate time to re-broadcast that conversation.

Thursday, September 10, 2020 - Deborah Davis is one of the featured presenters at the Theodore Roosevelt Symposium next week. She is the author of “Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner That Shocked a Nation,” which won the prestigious Phillis Wheatley Award for best work of History in 2013, and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant. ~~~ Much of what is now farmland in the Great Plains was once native prairie. And in some places - like the Kansas City area - the land is now being converted back to its original state. Mackenzie Martin reporting for Harvest Public Media has the story. ~~~ Sue Balcom is here for a discussion of gardening in September.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020 - Dr. Naor Bar-Zeev is the deputy director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He joins Conversations on Health Care podcast hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to talk about the scientific guidelines governing COVID-19 vaccine phase 3 clinical trials. This includes having a broad demographic representation to ensure vaccine safety across multiple populations, and the need to address vaccine hesitancy as well as the global supply chain needed to distribute billions of doses. ~~~ Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today discusses what a vaccine roll out might look like for indigenous people. ~~~ In the third installment of “Energy Issues and Answers,” news director Dave Thompson discusses land reclamation with Lynn Helms, director of the state’s Mineral Resources Division.

“What story are we telling about America?” – Washington’s NFL team agree to change their name. We discuss the Washington Redskins decision to change their controversial name and logo following years of opposition from Native American communities and recent pressure from major club sponsors. Mark Trahant - who is a member of Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and editor of Indian Country Today - tells us the name was offensive because “it came from the era when natives were sold by body parts”. He also recalls being told by his father as a six year old boy not to use the ‘R word’ and he believes all teams that use Native American words and symbols will eventually have to change their names. The “Washington Red Tails” is among the favourites to be the team’s next name and we’re joined by Martin McCauley, who owns the trademark to that name along with a host of others. The Washington fan tells us all about his unusual hobby of trademarking potential team names, how he won’t stand in Washington’s way if they want to use one of his names and he explains why he’s hired a lawyer this week. The former NBA player calling for the current season to be abandoned - Etan Thomas played for the Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder and Atlanta Hawks during his professional career. He's now calling on NBA commissioner Adam Silver to cancel the current season due to the risks associated with playing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thomas says of Silver "Valuing the lives of human beings over economic motivations is a concept that is absent from Donald Trump. You are not him." He also tells us it’s “tragic” that Elena Delle Donne, who suffers from chronic Lyme Disease, was denied the opportunity to opt out of the upcoming WNBA season. 2082 miles on an exercise bike while shielding from coronavirus and battling stage 4 bowel cancer - Keith Farquharson recently completed the 2018 Tour de France course on an exercise bike to raise money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. He chose the 2018 course as that was the year he was first off work with cancer and he watched the race live on TV. He says he juggled the virtual race, with working full-time, a young family and having cancer treatment. We check in on the second test between England and West Indies. Former West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite joins us to discuss the latest action in the test, the series so far and living in a bio-secure bubble in order to be at the ground. Following a big week off the pitch for Manchester City we’re joined by broadcaster Natalie Paweleck to discuss the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, the clubs hopes of ending this season with three trophies and if their victory at CAS could see Pep Guardiola extend his stay as manager. And this week’s Sporting Witness tells the story of David Beckham signing for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer back in 2007. Image: American Indian Movement protest the Washington Redskins as they arrive in town to play the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile HIgh in Denver, Co.(Getty Images)

Tuesday, July 7, 2020 - Infectious disease researchers at the Department of Biomedical Sciences at UND have geared up efforts in response to COVID-19. Here to discuss their work and the strategies that can help address pandemics is Dr. Nadeem Khan. ~~~ From today’s Morning Edition, NPR's David Greene talks to Mark Trahant, former UND professor and the editor of Indian Country Today, about what the Dakota Access Pipeline shutdown means for activists, and where the court battle goes from here. ~~~ Adapting to life during a pandemic has been a particular challenge for agencies across the state that offer senior services. The demand for meals on wheels is up sharply, while the opportunities for social gatherings and other services have been curtailed. Joining us is Brian Arett, director of Valley Senior Services.

Thursday, July 2, 2020 - Matt Olien returns for a special film discussion. This week, he discusses his list of favorite actors and actresses. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant about the national debate about mascots and symbols. He says it’s not about statues, flags and monuments … it’s really about the national story. What kind of country is this … and what kind of country should this be? ~~~ Sue Balcom is here for Main Street Eats. Today’s topic is potato bugs. ~~~ Eliza Blue shares another Postcard from the Prairie.

In this episode, series producer Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Lakota) talks with the editor of Indian Country Today, Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock), about the recent developments surrounding the reckonings on controversial statues, and the struggles to keep up with inconsistent Covid-19 public guidelines. Producer Tara Gatewood brings us the latest from the frontlines of the Keystone XL pipeline protests and how those on the ground have had to shift their tactics due to Covid-19. We also check in with Navajo hip-hop artist, Def-i, to hear his newest single, "American Quarantine."Interviews with: Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock), Matt Campbell (Village of Gamble), Angeline Cheek (Ft. Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes), Dallas Goldtooth (Diné/Mdewakanton Dakota)Produced By: Tara Gatewood (Isleta Pueblo/Diné), Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee)Executive Producer: Heather RaeSeries Producer: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Hunkpapa Lakota)Associate Producer: Lincoln Cornshucker (Cherokee)

Monday, June 22, 2020 - From the Conversations on Healthcare podcast, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease, Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He urges ongoing measures to protect the public and front line health care workers and discusses the scientific efforts to produce treatments and a vaccine. ~~~ Mark Trahant commentary reflects on summer, noting it’s not likely to resemble the lazy, hazey days of summers past, in this time of pandemic and politics. ~~~ The 30th Annual Midwest Book Awards will be announced on Saturday. Among the finalists are three titles published by North Dakota State University Press. One of them is Hunter's Log, Volumes II & III by poet Tim Murphy, published posthumously. We visited with Tim in 2011 about his first volume in the “Hunter’s Log” series. Today we share an excerpt of that conversation as Tim visits with Bill Thomas, Prairie Public director of

Tuesday, June 16, 2020 - Here to discuss coronavirus antibody testing of blood donors and the need for convalescent plasma is Cliff Numark, the chief marketing officer for Vitalant blood bank, which has donation centers in Fargo, Bismarck and Minot. ~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant on the practice of removing historical statuary. ~~~ Matuor Alier is a Sudanese refugee who has found a home in Fargo and is working to help other refugees move from surviving to stability. He’s one of this year’s 24 Bush Fellows for 2020. He visits with Ashley Thornberg.

George Floyd’s murder has spurred a call for justice across the country. IlllumiNative stands with the Black Lives Matter movement to change the institutions of power that drive systemic racism. In this episode series producer Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Lakota), talks with the editor of Indian Country Today, Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock), about how he sees the recent events as potentially the beginning of the end of the United States. He also connects our current situation to historical events of the past, including the Tulsa Race Massacre. We’ll also hear from contributor Allison Herrera (Xolon Salinan) who brings us the impact of protests and rioting on the Native community in Minneapolis and how the community is responding. Interviews with: Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock)Produced By: Allison Herrera (Xolon Salinan), Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee)Executive Producer: Heather RaeSeries Producer: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Hunkpapa Lakota)Associate Producer: Lincoln Cornshucker (Cherokee)

Monday, June 1, 2020 - Joining us today to reflect on the current racial unrest is Joseph McNeil, Jr. of Bismarck, a Standing Rock Sioux tribal member and the son of Joseph McNeil, Sr., one of the Greensboro Four; a group of African American college students who sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter to challenge the store's policy of denying service to non-white customers. ~~~ Commentary on our history of racial unrest from Mark Trahant. ~~~ ND Farmers Markets and Growers Association has been developing “best practices” recommendations as the season for selling is about to get underway in the midst of the pandemic. Joining us is Holly Rose Mawby, the association’s executive director. She’s also the director of the Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture at Dakota College at Bottineau, and she does some growing herself.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 - Nancy Joyner is the President of Honoring Choices North Dakota, a non profit organization that provides education about advance care planning. During the crisis, people are home and spending more time with families. It’s the perfect time to talk about what they want in the event they become incapacitated. ~~~ As the country’s leaders balance restarting the economy with public health concerns, Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today, looks back on the Spanish Flu pandemic. ~~~~When Eliza Blue first came to South Dakota, she didn't think she would stay long. She was a city girl, a suburban woman, and a successful folk musician with gigs and albums and fans. Why on earth would she plant roots in northwestern South Dakota (one of the most remote areas in the country) raising chickens and herding sheep? She explains in a conversation with South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s Lori Walsh, as they discuss her new book, “Accidental Rancher.” We also share an essay

In this week’s episode we interview Shandiin Herrera to discuss Covid-19 fundraising efforts and voting advocacy. We also check in with the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe and the growing standoff between the South Dakota governor, Kristi Noem, and the tribe over road checkpoints. The week’s big news is also discussed with Indian Country Today Editor, Mark Trahant. Produced By: Allison Herrera (Xolon Salinan), Jana Schmieding (Mniconjou Lakota), Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee)Series Producer: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Hunkpapa Lakota)Associate Producer: Lincoln Cornshucker (Cherokee)Executive Producer: Heather RaeTitle Music: Samantha Crain (Choctaw) Social MediaTwitter: @sjcrainInstagram: sjcrainFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samanthacrainmusic/

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 - Minot artist Arvin Davis, Jr., calls himself Little Red Liar . Making art is his therapy for PTSD and anxiety. Ashley Thornberg visits with the Little Red Liar and tours his studio.~~~ Commentary from Mark Trahant on the duration of the pandemic, in the context of the historical experience of Native Americans. ~~~ The Jeremiah Program seeks to disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children. It uses career-track education, life-skills training, housing, and early childhood education at its seven campuses in cities across the U-S, including Fargo. And the pandemic has increased the stresses on many single mothers, who were already struggling to get by. Joining us is President and CEO Chastity Lord .

Our second episode brings you stories from across the country and unpacks issues related to COVID-19 and Indian Country. IllumiNative Executive Director Crystal Echo Hawk speaks again with Indian Country Today Editor, Mark Trahant, about the importance of data collection and reporting. We’ll also hear from artists who are struggling to make ends meet due to canceled exhibitions and slowing sales as well as how marketplace organizers are adapting in the age of COVID-19. We check in with the Seattle-based and Native-owned retailer 8th Generation about how they have pivoted their operations to supply PPE to the Seattle Indian Health Board. Hear from one of the directors of the Adopt-An-Elder Program on the Navajo Nation and how they are adapting to new regulations while still supporting Navajo elders.Produced By: Allison Herrera (Xolon Salinan), Jana Schmieding (Mniconjou Lakota), Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee)Series Producer: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Hunkpapa Lakota)Associate Producer: Lincoln Cornshucker (Cherokee)Executive Producer: Heather RaeTitle Music: Samantha Crain (Choctaw)

IllumiNative’s inaugural podcast episode brings you stories from across America and unpacks issues related to Covid-19 and Indian Country – from the CARES Act and how it impacts tribes, to interviews with those on the frontlines of the Coronavirus pandemic. Host and IllumiNative Executive Director Crystal Echo Hawk interviews Indian Country Today Editor, Mark Trahant, about the issues facing Indian Country in the midst of Covid-19. Oglala Sioux Tribal President, Julian Bear Runner tells us about his forward-thinking actions before Covid-19 reached his nation. We’ll hear from members of Congress, including Congresswoman Deb Haaland, and connect with first responders on the frontlines at the Navajo Reservation who are putting their lives on the line to make sure there are enough Covid-19 tests for anyone who needs one. Interviews with: President Julian Bear Runner (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Senator Tom Udall, Congresswoman Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), Congressman Tom Cole (Chickasaw), Kevin Allis (Forest County Potawatomi Community) CEO of NCAI, Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock), Mechem Frashier (Navajo), and Jessica Tsabetsaye (Zuni Pueblo). Produced By: Tara Gatewood (Isleta Pueblo/Diné), Allison Herrera (Xolon Salinan), Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Hunkpapa Lakota), Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee)Executive Producer: Heather Rae

Election Focus 2020: The historic Native American Presidential Forum was ultimately less about the candidates than about the 5 million Natives across the country, and the possibility of their seeing government as representing rather than oppressing them.

Indian Country Today is branching out into television news. The operation is moving to Phoenix, Ariz. We’ll talk with editor Mark Trahant about big plans for the future. Also journalism students at the University of Montana are gearing up for the annual project to report on the state’s Native residents. We’ll talk with the program director about this year’s focus on missing and murdered Indigenous women. Tune in for our news round up.

A recap of who won in an hour long special report from FNX / First Nation Experience, Native Voice One, and Indian Country Today. This hour will report the results from the hundred plus Native candidates running from Maine to Alaska. Antonia Gonzales, Navajo, and Mark Trahant, Shoshone-Bannock, host in studio with reports from correspondents posted at a variety of campaign headquarters.

Country Today, FNX / First Nations Experience, and Native Voice One will stream a live coast-to-coast newscast for five hours on election day, Tuesday, November 6. Anchors Antonia Gonzales, Mark Trahant, and correspondents from across the country will report the latest results for the record number of Native Americans running for office. Coverage begins at 6 pm Pacific / 9 pm Eastern on nv1.org

Is a new era for Native American media in the United States opening up? Three Native American journalists talk about challenging stereotypes and bringing a nuanced voice to indigenous issues. They belong to a generation that believes in making things happen, despite all the odds, and not waiting for mainstream media to catch on. Native Americans once owned the land in the United States, it was theirs before the white settlers arrived. They are the First People, whom archaeologists believe have been on the North American continent for some 50,000 years. Today they represent less than one percent of the United States’ total population. An estimated 2.7 million tribal citizens associated with 567 federally recognised tribes. Tribal issues hardly make it into the US mainstream media. When people outside the US read, listen or watch news about the country, it is as if America’s First Nation have become a ghost nation. Levi Rickert, the Michigan-based founder, editor and publisher of multimedia news platform Native News Online, says that is primarily due to the size of the Native American population. Kevin Abourezk, who is based in Nebraska where he is the managing editor of Indianz.com, a Native American online news site run by the Winnebago Tribe, believes it is because there are so few Native Americans in mainstream media. Jenni Monet (www.jennimonet.com) is an award winning Native American independent journalist from the Laguna Pueblo tribe. She has been working as a journalist for 19 years, most of it spent covering indigenous issues across the world. Under-reported narrative “There is a serious need for the indigenous narrative. [It] is the most chronically under-reported narrative in mainstream today, not only in the US but around the world,” she says. She points out that out of the hundreds of tribes living in the United States, only a tiny fraction of them attracts the attention of the media: the Lakotas, the Navaho Nation or the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. “It is not a mistake that these tribes are among the most popular in the mainstream because the mainstream goes towards the familiar. They like the poverty out of the Lakotas because it is so blatant. The cyclical nature of it is so raw. They like the Navaho Nation because it is so mystical with medicine-man and the south-west desert… They like the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma because who doesn’t firmly believe they have some ounce of Cherokee ancestry in their family lineage? These sorts of narratives as told by outsiders themselves have just been perpetuated for decades.” For Kevin Abourezk, who is from the Rosebud Lakota tribe, it is often difficult for Native journalists to get editors of non-native media to accept their story ideas. “Editors are acutely aware of who their readers are and [what] they want to read,” he explains. According to Abourezk, in areas where there are a significant number of Native Americans like Gallup, New Mexico or Rapid City, South Dakota, tribal issues will get more coverage. He says it is reflected in publications like the New York Times or smaller ones like the Sioux City Journal. Standing Rock, a reckoning One story that made it to mainstream media around the world was the long protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Thousands of Native Americans, joined by non-Natives, gathered in North Dakota to support the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes in their fight against the pipeline, a 3.8-billion-dollar investment. They say it desecrates sacred grounds and threatens the water quality of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The pipeline carries crude oil beneath their only source of drinking water. Across the globe, videos circulated, showing the violent repression of the protesters by private security guards, riot police and national guards. In their arsenal to deal with demonstrations, they used, among other things, sound cannons, rubber bullets and dog attacks. Jenni Monet covered the story for six consecutive months and was embedded at the Standing Rock reservation for four months, until the end of March 2017. She was arrested and, along with seven other journalists, is still facing charges for criminal trespass and rioting brought by the local Morton County. Why did it take such a violent crackdown for news about Standing Rock to make the headlines? “People were maimed,” remembers Jenni Monet. “People were sent into hypothermic shock after being doused with water on a sub-freezing night in November to the point where legacy media could not simply ignore it anymore. They reported on that story 48 hours later. It takes for brown people to die before it becomes unfortunately headline news.” Monnet says that when the Dakota Access Pipeline protests were happening the story was competing with “one thing and one thing only, Donald Trump”. Based on her own experience, Monet describes the newsrooms obsession with “clickbait”, stories need to pull “the most shares, the most tweets, drive comments from viewers”. “If Standing Rock proved anything, it’s that [tribal] issues aren’t complicated at all. You just need a lot of people to talk about them. Standing Rock is going to continue to be a case study for us when we look at the power of indigenous media. And, for me and my fellow native journalists, we cannot forget those strides and those gains that were made from Standing Rock.” Native American journalism Journalism for Native Americans by Native Americans goes back to the 19th century with the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper founded in 1828. It was written in both English and the Cherokee alphabet created by Sequoyah. “That newspaper was democracy at work … sovereignty at work. It was the tribe itself having a voice and shaping a narrative that otherwise was completely removed from any sort of publication back then,” declares Jenni Monet. The newspaper emerged at a time when the Cherokee Nation was debating what action to take while facing forced relocation from their ancestral land in south-eastern United States. Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Cherokee people were rounded up and forced to relocate to an area west of the Mississippi River designated as Indian Territory. The journey became known as the “trail of tears”. Tribal newspapers are still very popular, according to Kevin Abourezk, and probably the most popular among the various native news platforms. Most tribes of a certain size have a newspaper that they publish and distribute to their members on the reservations. But such media do not cover national issues pertaining to the Indian Country. “Just a handful of websites” will cover, for example, a hearing in Washington related to some law dealing with Indian Trust Land. And that’s a problem for Kevin Abourezk. For Jenni Monet, indigenous media shouldn’t only be for the tribal communities, nor should it only look at “outsiders” as an audience. It should be “somewhere in between”. “What we saw at Standing Rock was this widespread embrace of concepts that editors themselves have often couched as topics too weighty for their listenership to endure. It was amazing to see on CNN, Sara Sidner quote Lakota prophecy. And a segment about treaty rights. These topics are not too complicated. What they are is sorely underreported.” Making their voice heard “It’s our time to tell our stories,” declares Levi Rickert, who is from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. He deplores the way in which Native Americans are portrayed in the US media. And that’s one of the reasons he decided to set up Native News Online in 2011. “We are perceived as being conquested people, losers… [associated with] alcoholism, poverty... I try to identify stories that really show the progress and achievements of American Indians and Alaska Natives.” For Rickert, this is a more a calling than a job. “It is almost like a trusteeship given to me by the Creator to really do my part,” he say, “We serve many tribal nations from around the United States. I try to purposefully find writers from around the country that can write about their region, their tribal nation. The non-native media will not always write about our stories, we can certainly do it.” As for Jenni Monet, she opted for the precarious position of being an independent journalist rather than being attached to a particular news organisation in order to have a greater chance of getting her stories about indigenous peoples and their rights movements published. “I’ve worked for some of the biggest brands in the industry and I understand how newsrooms operate. [Being] independent, I can choose many of these decision makers and pitch and pitch and pitch,” declares Jenni Monet, host of the podcast, Still here: Modern stories of resilience, indigenously told. “People are starting to wake up a little and realise that there is a whole vast Indian country out there,” adds Monet. A generation of journalists, whom she describes as front-runners, took the lead in creating a nuanced narrative and paved the way for her generation. “I’m so grateful for writers like Tim Giago, Mark Trahant, Suzan Shown Harjo, Bunty Anquoe and the list can go on.” Kevin Abourezk recently decided to start working full time for the Native news website, Indianz.com. Most of his 18 years as a journalist were spent working for the Lincoln Journal Star, a non-Native daily. “I’ve always wanted to work for native media but I’ve also for a long time felt it was important to reach out to non-Native Americans and trying to educate them about issues facing Native Americans.” Abourezk says that his former editors were great and welcomed his stories. However, they had a preference for a certain type of stories. One of them is White Clay, a small town of 14 people in Nebraska with four liquor stores selling four million cans of beer a year to the Pine Ridge reservation, which has a population of 40,000 people. In September this year Indian Country Today, a prominent newspaper and website, put a stop to its activities after 25 years in business, citing financial constraints. This brought some big changes in the world of Native journalism in America, explained Abourezk, and it was one of the reasons why he decided to move to Indianz.com. “When Indian Country Today decided to shut down … that left a huge vacuum in the world of Native journalism. I felt it was important for Native journalists to step up and fill the vacuum the best we can.” It took two years of incubation before Levi Rickert’s launched Native News Online. A sustainable business model providing independent reporting appears to be a difficult goal to achieve. Rickert says that he is constantly trying to figure out how to make it work on the small Native media scene “It is a struggle. We have to fight for advertising, sponsorships, many times we are marginalized. You just have to get pass the ‘Nos’ and get people to say ‘Yes’. You have to have the tenacity to keep going even when it looks dismal out there.” The words that really encapsulate what the Native American journalists we spoke to are trying to achieve probably come from one Native News Online viewer: “You write how we Indians want to be written about.” Follow Jenni Monet on Twitter @jennimonet Follow Kevin Abourezk on Twitter @Kevin_Abourezk Follow Levi Rickert on Twitter @Native_NewsNet Follow Zeenat Hansrod on Twitter @zxnt Sound editor: Alain Bleu Music by Raye Zaragoza (In the river) and Camp Pueblo Singers (Water is life)

American foreign and domestic policy is shaped by many factors, but perhaps none is more important or more pervasive than oil – Big Oil. In this episode three political stories from the past – Teapot Dome in the 1920s, Texaco’s role in supporting the winning side in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and the oil crisis of the 1970s – that help shed light on the current state of Big Oil and American Politics. Marc Johnson talks with award winning author Adam Hochschild (Spain in Our Hearts), historians Brian Black (Crude Reality) and Meg Jacobs (Panic at the Pump) and with journalists Robbie Gramer and Mark Trahant. This is a slippery subject, but the historical perspective may help explain why an oil company CEO is now Secretary of State.

Mark Trahant joined NextGen Native to discuss a wide-range of issues. When we spoke, the Congress was in the midst of considering the recent healthcare bill. Mark delved into health care policy and in particular Indian health care policy several years ago, and it is now an ongoing part of his journalism. It’s remained relevant for several years. We also discussed his emerging interests, including elections, and the era of disruption in Indian Country. He discussed how he likes to focus on the countless stories that are not the headline grabbers, but are important and impactful. Mark is somewhat a technophile, and we discussed the rise of social media for events like Standing Rock to organize Indian Country. Official Bio Mark Trahant is an independent journalist and a faculty member at the University of North Dakota as the Charles R. Johnson Endowed Professor of Journalism. Trahant reports and comments on events and trends on his blog at TrahantReports.Com and on Facebook, Twitter (@TrahantReports) and other social media. He does a weekly audio commentary for Native Voice One. And, every day for nearly a decade, Trahant has written a 140-character rhyme based on a daily news story (@newsrimes4lines).He’s been a reporter for PBS’ Frontline series. The Frontline piece, “The Silence,” was about sexual abuse by priests in a Alaska native village. He also has been editor-in-residence at the University of Idaho in the spring of 2011 and again in 2012. He taught courses on social media, the American West and editorial writing. In 2009 and 2010 Trahant was a Kaiser Media Fellow writing about health care reform focused on programs the government already operates, such as the Indian Health Service. He was recently the Atwood Chair of Journalism at the University of Alaska Anchorage.Trahant is the former editor of the editorial page for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer where he chaired the daily editorial board, directed a staff of writers, editors and a cartoonist. He has also worked at The Seattle Times, Arizona Republic, The Salt Lake Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the Navajo Times, Navajo Nation Today and the Sho-Ban News. Trahant is a member of Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and former president of the Native American Journalists Association.

https://nv1-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20122205/Republicans.mp3   This is Trahant Reports. So the data show that the vast majority of Native Americans vote for Democrats. And most run for office as Democrats. Of the active candidates on my #NativeVote16 boards there are 75 Democrats, 14 Republicans, and 4 independents. If you look at history, there are a lot more American Indians and Alaska Natives who have won office under the Republican banner. That list includes: Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Northern Cheyenne, who joined the Republican Party after his election; Vice President Charles Curtis; as well as the only current members of Congress, Tom Cole and Markwayne Mullin. The Republican Party platform says: “Based on both treaty and other law, the federal government has a unique government-to-government relationship with and trust responsibility for Indian Tribal Governments …These obligations have not been sufficiently honored.” Oklahoma's U.S. Rep. Cole is perhaps the most senior and respected Republican who's also a member of a tribe. “As an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, I am very proud of my heritage … I am committed to advocating on behalf of Native Americans in Congress.” Cole's advocacy is routine and powerful. He was instrumental in the 2013 enactment of the Violence Against Women Act because he gave cover to Republicans who voted for the measure Cole has called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and, at the same time, has consistently said the United States government has “fallen behind” in its funding of the Indian health system. He often advocates for spending more on Indian health throughout the budget and appropriations process. Perhaps the strongest case that Republican candidates for office make to Native American voters is that they will be inside the room when the party makes decisions on American Indian issues. Rep. Bruce Meyer of the Montana Legislature said he was able to convince Republicans to support tribal water compacts with the state. “We need friends on both sides,” he said. “It's good that I am on the other side of the aisle. I tell people that I am out to get the best deal for American Indians no matter which party because that's my constituency.” There is one question that every Republican has to answer this election: What do you think about your party's nominee for president? Rep. Cole, who is an important voice for party leadership, says that's really not an issue. He said on NBC: “This is a choice. It's a choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump …  and, frankly, if you're a Republican that's a pretty easy choice.” Then again not every Native American candidate is quite so eager to embrace Donald Trump. I am Mark Trahant reporting.

Train cars of Montana coal headed for markets.(Mark Trahant photo) What if the United States bought all of the coal reserves owned by American Indian tribes, Alaska Native village corporations, and individuals? This is Trahant Reports. What if? Two words that ought to be the every day language in politics. What if we imagined? I have been thinking a lot of “what ifs?” when it comes to coal. Coal is a paradox for several Native American communities. The United Nations says that nearly 90 percent of proven coal reserves are “unburnable” and should be left in the ground. 
But historically the industry has created good paying jobs and now it's in sharp decline (Mostly because of market forces, the availability of inexpensive natural gas). Yet stakeholders — workers and even a few tribes — blame the government for too many regulations. And, on the flip side, many of those working to change the energy paradigm demand that coal be left in the ground without thinking through the consequences to families who earn their living digging or shipping coal or even to the governments who rely on the revenue. That's where we begin the “what if?” thinking. What if we could leave coal in the ground? What if we could still pay tribes for that resource and workers could benefit from the inevitable transition? Turns out there is a solution that does both. Stephen Kass, a New York attorney who works on climate issues, suggested in the Washington Post last week that the United States buy the entire coal industry and shut it down. He said that solution would be cheaper than continued fights over coal regulation and the eventual costs associated with climate change. This is the perfect time to buy the entire coal industry. Many coal companies are in bankruptcy; and across the board, prices are low. Some thirty tribes have coal resources, totaling  at least one third of Western coal, on lands from Arizona to Alaska. So the United States should pay the tribes with coal assets a significant sum to not mine their resource. Montana's Crow Tribe has a reserve of at least 9 billion tons of coal. And, in making the case for coal, Crow Tribal Chairman Darrin Old Coyote told InsideEnergy: “I don't want to be dependent on the U.S. government. We have the resources ... There's no reason why we should be this poor.” What if that resources were purchased? True, the cost of any buy-out would be enormous. Unless the accounting included the even more massive costs associated with climate change. Then the purchase of coal to not mine should be considered as an investment not a cost. There is precedent for paying to take coal out of production. Farmers and ranchers are paid to not farm and ranch in order for the land to recover. This would be the same. Tribes (and individual landowners) would be compensated for their resource and the coal would stay in the ground. The international goal of reducing greenhouse gasses requires significant changes in energy policy. We need to rethink the energy paradigm across the board from oil and gas production to what it will take to jump start more green energy sources. And all of the changes ahead will be tough politically. So what if we start that effort with a win-win-win? A win for coal owners, including tribes. A win for workers. And, a win for the environment. This is how we leave coal in the ground. I am Mark Trahant reporting. https://nv1-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20122337/Coal.mp3

US Ambassador David Balton, Senior Arctic Official, Arctic Council https://nv1-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20123111/Arctic.wav A changing Arctic? A region that presents incredible challenges and opportunities for Indigenous People. This is Trahant Reports. One of the unique opportunities involves governance of the region. The Arctic Council is eight nations who work together on complex issues ranging from climate change to a sustainable future. Right now the United States is chairing this body for the next two years. What makes this international body unique, though, is that it includes indigenous representation as “permanent participants.” US Ambassador David Balton explains: “I am not aware of another international  forum that has representatives of Indigenous groups engaged the way the Arctic Council does. They are at the table as, essentially, equal partners with the governments. And they bring a lot to that table. Among other things their populations span multiple countries" (with the exception of Russia.) "They have special needs and special points of view that get aired. Officially they don't participate in decision-making as such, those are for eight governments. But the reality is the governments … will not take decisions that are opposed by so-called permanent participants. Part of the on-going work of the Arctic Council is figure out how to deal with the Indigenous Peoples' of the Arctic better." One of the issues that's of particular interest to me involves climate change and “adaptation.” Most of the debate about climate change involves “mitigation.” That idea is humans are the primary cause of climate change so if we reduce our carbon emissions we can limit the impacts. But the second topic in climate change is “adaptation.” That means doing what's required to build higher sea walls, protect pipelines from permafrost damage, and, all too often, move villages inland because of eroding shorelines. It also means figuring out how animals and fish will react to the loss of habitat, when sea ice, or plant life disappear. And, of course, less wildlife and fish too often means less food for Native people. The Arctic Council examines and incorporates “Indigenous knowledge” in its database. As one recent document puts it: “Indigenous Peoples' traditional knowledge and its potential to advise adaptation mechanisms across the Arctic is a common theme. Moreover, scientific, traditional and experience-based knowledge in combination are recognized as key factors for a sustainable Arctic future. Generating grassroots support is the most important condition for sustainability.” How we build a sustainable future in the Arctic? That's the key question as we figure out how we and our children will live in a changing environment. Of course that's not just an Arctic issue. I am Mark Trahant reporting from Anchorage.      

https://nv1-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20123148/CongressChaos.wav So what's going on with Congress? This is Trahant Reports. One Speaker of the House retires. Another says he's in — until he's out. And it's hard to keep track of what all this means for Indian Country. Let's break it down. As I have said before there are really three parties in Congress: Democrats, Republicans and a right-wing splinter group either called the Freedom Caucus or the Tea Party. On many issues the right wing votes and calls themselves Republicans. But not always. On some issues they think Republicans are wobbly and not conservative enough. Indeed, one of the reasons that Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy decided not to run for Speaker of the House was a list of impossible demands from this caucus. The public demand is that the House give more power to rank-and-file members and the committee process. But it's also about making certain that the House doesn't let either the Senate or President Obama dictate the outcome of key fiscal and policy issues. The magic number in Congress is 218 votes. That's what it takes to pass legislation (or for that matter) to elect a new Speaker. That means you need at least some votes from 2 of 3 factions in Congress. Now what does this mean for Indian Country? There are a couple of ways this imbalance in Congress could play out. The best alternative is that the current Speaker of the House John Boehner will end his career working for the good of the country, pushing through difficult legislation such as the budget and a lifting of the debt ceiling. He can only do this by working with Democrats. This is what occurred with the bill that funds the government through December 11. Only 91 Republicans voted for the bill, but it passed easily after 186 Democrats voted yes. This could be a model for getting things done. Ideally Boehner would reach a deal with the Senate and the president and come up with a two-year budget deal. That would keep federal funding stable through the election. That's optimistic, but there is another possibility and that's for more chaos. The Freedom Caucus could get its way and there would not be enough votes to pass a budget or raise the debt ceiling. We already know how bad a government shutdown is for Indian Country. But the debt issue could have dire consequences, too. The United States is able to borrow money at extraordinary rates, under 3 percent. But if the right wing gets its way and allows the U.S. Treasury to default, even for a moment, those rates could go up. Think about it this way: The payment of the debt is one budget item that's non-negotiable. If interest rates rise, debt costs go up, that's money that will likely come out of existing programs. And that's already a huge number. Some $231 billion last year. As I said, big numbers.   The chaos in Congress is about real policy choices — and the direction that's chosen will impact Indian Country for decades to come. I am Mark Trahant reporting.

A rally on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature October 4th called attention to the 1,200 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Canada's election day is October 19 and many Native groups are hoping a strong turnout will result in a national investigation and proposed solutions. https://nv1-offload-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20123201/TrahantMMIW.wav   This is Trahant Reports. A similar story was told across Canada this weekend: Too many Native women have gone missing or have been murdered. In Winnipeg, one event organizer, Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, put it this way: "As well as Aboriginal women, Indigenous women and girls we all deserve to be loved and valued and to feel safe. That we shouldn't have to live in a society and worry about if we're next. If we are going to be next to be murdered or to go missing. We need to feel safe. It's our right to feel safe. " So on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature many rows of bouquets — shaped as a butterfly. Each flower a reminder of of so many loved ones who have been victims at of violence. This is the tenth year of vigils; a tragedy that's compounded by how little has changed since the movement began. In a few days Canada will elect a new government. The hope is that through the ballot box the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls will take on new importance — and at the very least there will be a serious national inquiry. Three of the four major political parties have agreed that there should be a major investigation and solutions put forward to the end epidemic of violence. But the party that said “no” is the current government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Indeed some have called the Harper years a “war” on First Nations because of his emphasis on resource extraction and budget cuts that disproportionately impact native communities. Prominent Aboriginal Canadians from musician and broadcaster Wab Kinew to the new Mrs. Universe, Ashley Callingbull, have urged Native people to turn out and vote. Perry Bellegarde, grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations, recently told the CBC that he will vote in this election, ending his long time practice of abstention so that a new government might close the “gap between First Nations people and Canadians.” Aboriginal Canadians are a higher percentage of the population than voters in the states — representing 4.3 percent of the country's population. All four major parties have Native candidates running for parliament. According to the nonpartisan IndigiPoll: Twenty-two Native people are standing for office representing the New Democrats, 18 as Liberals, 9 as Greens and 5 conservatives. In a parliamentary form of government, the parties elect the national leader. One concern about this election is a new voter law that may make it difficult for First Nations residents. The law requires two forms of identification, including one with an address and that's a thorny problem when many reserves do not have street names. Canada's election is October 19th. One election in Canada (or the US for that matter) won't automatically improve lives. But it can be a way to turn out a government that's been hostile to Native issues. And at least start the framework for a better structure. I am Mark Trahant reporting from Winnipeg, Manitoba.              

Mark Trahant Mark Trahant is Shoshone-Banonck and runs the website Trahant Reports, his home base for his journalism. He is well known and well respected in Indian Country for his coverage of issues in Indian Country whether it was a video that went viral while asking President Bush a question about sovereignty, or complex issues such as the Indian health system. courtesy of Mark Trahant We cover a variety of topics in this episode. Topics include: Mark's transition to new media from the newspaper business; his website; social media and its impact in Indian Country; elections and the Native vote and more. What is fascinating about Mark is how his work transcends any one medium or field. For example, Mark was a newspaper journalist by experience but his work includes movies and documentaries. Recently he has taken on stints in academia both at the University of Alaska and the University of North Dakota. He will continue to be a thought leader in Indian Country covering topics and stories from a unique angle and with a depth that is difficult to replicate. ### Subscribe to the Podcast The more people subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher the more it helps connect others with the show. Reviews and ratings also help others find the podcast. If you like the show, please consider any of the actions: subscribe; rate; review on iTunes. Thank you! ### Links/Resources Aboriginal Day in Canada Native American Heritage Day Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission Meriam Report Navajo Times Salt Lake Tribune Seattle Times Kaiser Family Foundation National Indian Health Board Making Law Work Beyond Medicaid Expansion Trahant Reports on Twitter News Rimes 4 Lines on Twitter New York Times Flip Board Periscope Atwood Chair of Journalism University of North Dakota Frontline: The Silence POTUS on WTF Podcast SCOTUS Blog Daily Brookings Report Radiolab Episode on Baby Veronica case Turtle Talk Mark Trahant on Entreprenative Podcast  

Journalist Mark Trahant is a member of Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and former president of the Native American Journalists Association. He is author of the book The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars and was a major contributor to the Frontline series “The Silence”. The 2014 Violence Against Women Act, its implementation and challenges for Native Americans will be discussed. (Note: sound level during video portion may have to be increased to hear better.)

Mark Trahant is an independent writer, teacher and a “Twitter poet.” He is currently Editor in Residence at the University of Idaho, School of Journalism and Mass Media. He was a 2009 Kaiser Media Fellow and is writing about health care reform with the focus of learning from programs the government already operates, such as the Indian Health Service. Trahant recently completed a monograph on the legacy of Sen. Henry M. Jackson. “Scoop” Jackson waswell known for his work on the environment and in the international arena. Less well known is his legacy on American Indian policy. He was the sponsor of a series of major reforms ranging from the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Trahant was a visiting lecturer for a course he developed called “Twitter & Democracy” at the Universityof Colorado at Boulder. The course raised questions about how a nation can tell its story in 140characters. It explored the relationship between social media and the news media. The course beganwith a history of media change, and then followed how the values of professional media are beingrewritten, ignored or transmitted through social media, including MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.He will teach a shorter version of the class at the University of Idaho in the Spring of 2010 and will participate in the UI’s Borah Symposium. Trahant also writes “news poems” on Twitter, four line rhymesbased on current news events under the handle, “NewsRimes4lines.”

Mark Trahant is an independent writer, teacher and a “Twitter poet.” He is currently Editor in Residence at the University of Idaho, School of Journalism and Mass Media. He was a 2009 Kaiser Media Fellow and is writing about health care reform with the focus of learning from programs the government already operates, such as the Indian Health Service. Trahant recently completed a monograph on the legacy of Sen. Henry M. Jackson. “Scoop” Jackson waswell known for his work on the environment and in the international arena. Less well known is his legacy on American Indian policy. He was the sponsor of a series of major reforms ranging from the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Trahant was a visiting lecturer for a course he developed called “Twitter & Democracy” at the Universityof Colorado at Boulder. The course raised questions about how a nation can tell its story in 140characters. It explored the relationship between social media and the news media. The course beganwith a history of media change, and then followed how the values of professional media are beingrewritten, ignored or transmitted through social media, including MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.He will teach a shorter version of the class at the University of Idaho in the Spring of 2010 and will participate in the UI’s Borah Symposium. Trahant also writes “news poems” on Twitter, four line rhymesbased on current news events under the handle, “NewsRimes4lines.”