Podcasts about Navajo Nation

Most of us picture democracy being decided on Election Day. Hannah Fried spends her life on the part nobody watches — the quiet, local decisions made months and years before a single ballot is cast.Hannah is co-founder and CEO of All Voting Is Local, a national nonprofit working year-round in eight states to remove voting barriers for Black, Brown, and Native American communities. She and her co-founder spent years saying "somebody should start an organization" focused on the local officials quietly deciding how elections run — then realized they were the somebody. They built it from her kitchen table with no money, got incubated by The Leadership Conference, and went independent in 2022.In this episode, you'll hear:Why the decisions that make or break your right to vote — where polling places go, what hours they're open, how vote-by-mail works — get made by local officials long before any ballot is castThe playbook for turning one county-level win into a national conversation — and why story is the engine that does itWhy "it's never too late to get involved" is more than a platitude, plus the concrete ways any person can plug in this yearIf you've ever wondered whether slow, local, unglamorous, years-in-the-making work actually adds up — this conversation is your answer.

Analyss Benally grew up in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation and went on to play Division I basketball at San Jose State before launching her professional basketball career in Europe. Today, her nonprofit, AB Five Basketball, brings free camps and clinics to Native youth across the Southwest.This summer, AB Five returned to Shiprock with volunteer coaches, including former Los Angeles Lakers guard Andre Ingram.By Tanner WaiteWatch this story at LNN.newsThis story is sponsored by Ace Hardware in Farmington and Fitness World.Support the show

Barrett Gruber and Donald Brock are back for another wide-ranging conversation that covers the World Cup, political conspiracy theories, daylight saving time, military testosterone testing, the Carolina Hurricanes, and Soda City Comic Con — roughly in that order, and all with the humor you'd expect from two guys who are definitely not experts.The episode opens with a deep dive into the World Cup, where Barrett and Brock break down the Argentina vs. Spain matchup and make the case that the tournament is less a sprint and more an endurance race — teams that can maintain performance across weeks, not just matches, are the ones that go deep. The second-half performance conversation is particularly sharp, and leads naturally into a broader discussion about all-star games across hockey, baseball, and the NBA. The Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup victory gets its moment too.From sports, the pair pivot to politics — starting with the conspiracy theories swirling around various political figures and their health, and the broader question of what geriatric leadership means for American governance. As Brock puts it, "geriatric leadership raises important questions." The South Carolina primary and election logistics come up, followed by one of the episode's most surprisingly engaging threads: daylight saving time. Bipartisan support for a permanent time change is rare political common ground, and Barrett and Brock unpack the state-by-state dynamics, including the fascinating case of the Navajo Nation's unique time zone practices.The conversation then takes a turn into AI-generated political imagery, military testosterone testing and physical standards in leadership, and the defense budget — before landing on a preview of the upcoming Soda City Comic Con and a closing thought on why deliberation beats debate every time.Topics Covered:World Cup Argentina vs. Spain analysis and team enduranceSecond-half performance and what separates contenders from championsAll-star games: hockey, baseball, and the NBACarolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup victoryPolitical conspiracy theories and health rumors around public figuresGeriatric leadership and governance concernsSouth Carolina primary and election logisticsDaylight saving time legislation and bipartisan supportAI's impact on political imagery and perceptionState-specific time zone practices and the Navajo NationMilitary testosterone testing and physical standardsDefense budget and potential reallocationSoda City Comic Con previewDeliberation vs. debate as a civic frameworkSoda City Comic Con in Columbia, SCBarrett Gruber | LinktreeThe All About Nothing: Podcast | LinktreeSoda City Comic Con | InstagramSoda City Comic Con | FacebookClick here for Episode Show Notes!As always, "The All About Nothing: Podcast" is owned and distributed by BIG Media LLC!Check out our network of fantastic podcasts!Click Here to see available advertising packages!Mentioned in this episode:BIG Media Copyright 2026BIG Media LLCCheck Your Voter RegistrationVisit https://theallaboutnothing.com/voter to check your registration! It takes less than 2 minutes. Do it now!ZJZ Designs - Friendly and NostalgicCheck out ZJZ Designs now for original and nostalgic prints!ZJZ Designs

Send us a text and chime in!Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) is celebrating the sweet success of the 2026 Girl Scout Cookie season after thousands of girls across central and northern Arizona sold more than 2.3 million boxes of cookies. From Jan. 18 through March 1, the Girl Scout Cookie Program empowered girls across more than 90 communities, including the Navajo Nation and Hopi Lands, to build lifelong business and leadership skills, support local communities and fuel year-round experiences through proceeds that stay 100% local to Girl Scouts in Arizona. 2026 Cookie Season By the Numbers 2,303,774 total boxes sold across central and northern Arizona. A...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/arizona-girl-scouts-sell-over-2-3-million-cookies/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

It feels like monumental whiplash -- President Trump has signed an order shrinking two controversial monuments here in Utah. Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments will see a size reduction of close to 90% thanks to the order, which maintains that certain sites will be protected but many others will not. Monumental Whiplash -- Inside Sources has special in-depth coverage on the move and how those affected by the President's decision are reacting. In this special hour, Greg and Holly are joined by: Lori Maughan, San Juan County Commissioner Kate Groetzinger, Communications Director at Center for Western Priorities Davina Smith–Idjesa, co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and Navajo Nation representative Logan Monson, Utah State Representative (District 69)  

FATE Magazine debuted in Spring 1948 with 128 pages exploring everything from UFOs to Mark Twain's history with Halley's Comet to mental health, Dionysian Celebration, ghosts, automatic writing, the Great Pyramid, Giants, and even contemporary (and sadly still relevant) civil rights and social issues. And we're gonna talk about it! Join us for even more Mouthgarf Report and a classic round of I See What You Did There. Edited by: Kelly Attaway Source: https://archive.org/details/fate-1948-1/mode/2up Please give us a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts!  Want to ask us a question? Talk to us! Email debutbuddies@gmail.com Listen to Kelly and Chelsea's awesome horror movie podcast, Never Show the Monster. Get some sci-fi from Spaceboy Books. Get down with Michael J. O'Connor and the Cold Family and check out his new compilation The Best of the Bad Years 2005 - 2025 Next time: First American Film with a Set Start Time in Movie Theaters

Missionary Letter - USA - Navajo Nation

Can Under Exile Redefine Rez Metal & Navajo Rock Culture?

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola receives standing ovation from delegates at the 2025 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. She is expected to be one of the candidates to appear at this year’s convention in October. (Photo: Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media) The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) will celebrate the anniversary of its 60th convention this October. Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA has more on plans for this milestone gathering. “Rooted in Land and Tradition, Rising in Our Voices.” That's theme for this year's AFN Convention. AFN President Ben Mallott says it reflects six decades of advocacy and the power of collective voices. “We have taken our convention, over 60 years, and have made it in, I think, the state's largest meeting, with a broadcast of over 100,000 viewers. That's a powerful tool for our community.” In 1966, about 400 Native leaders from across the state gathered above an Anchorage storefront on Fourth Avenue to fight for their ancestral lands. This first gathering laid out the groundwork for the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971 — still the largest lands settlement in U.S. History. Today, the convention draws thousands of people, along with state and national leaders. Mallott says this year's keynote speaker is Dr. Rosita Worl, president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute and a longtime AFN board member. Mallott says Worl has dedicated her life to advancing Native causes. “It's Rosita. Dr. Worl, she's an icon. She's a legend. She has built Sealaska Heritage Institute into the institution it is now in Juneau, and she's also one of our strongest advocates for subsistence.” Mallott says this fall's convention will also feature candidate debates for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and Governor's races — and will be part of an extensive Get-Out-The-Native-Vote campaign. AFN will be held for three days at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska starting on October 22. On January 9, 2007, members of the Navajo Nation, faced with the devastating health and environmental effects of yet another coal-burning power plant, staged a peaceful demonstration in Window Rock, Ariz., on the day that returning Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley was sworn in. Peaceful demonstrators were forcibly stopped and blocked from attending the inauguration by the Navajo Nation Police. (Photo: Carlan Tapp / Palace of the Governors Photo Archives) An exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe, N.M. highlights the successful campaign by three Diné women to stop a coal-fired power plant on the Navajo Nation. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) talked with one – Sarah Jane White – and photographer Carlan Tapp (Wacomico/Anglo). “A Question of Power” features 40 black and white photographs by Tapp as well as video and audio interviews with residents on the Navajo Nation between 2004 and 2011. They include tense confrontations between tribal members and authorities over plans by the Dine' Power Authority to build the Desert Rock plant on the Navajo Nation near Farmington, N.M. Robin Jackson is the executive director for Diné Citizens Against Ruining the Environment (C.A.R.E.), a nonprofit that works with Navajo communities on energy and environmental issues. “President (Richard) Nixon had declared that certain parts of the U.S. would be sacrificed for energy production in order to meet energy needs for some of the bigger cities like Los Angeles or Phoenix and others.” In the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, Nixon announced Project Independence that included expanding nuclear development, including lands inhabited by Native Americans. A 2010 research article identified 37 Navajo communities with high rates of certain diseases and conditions associated with coal power plants. The growing number of children with asthma was one of the reasons Sarah Jane White became involved. “So I went around the schools too, and I found out just how many children were having respiratory issues.” She says the majority of the Navajo people opposed Desert Rock and wrote letters to then Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. She says plant owners tried to get her to stop protesting against Desert Rock by offering her sons jobs. White was joined in her fight by Lucy Willie and Molly Hogue. Tapp was drawn to their compelling story. “The thing I thought, I have got to keep really good notes on this for some reason. I don’t know why.” Tapp traveled with White, Willie, and Hogue to different communities on the reservation, and he says that it was eye opening. “I could not believe it. People without electricity, people without running water.” Tapp’s photographs and interviews also helped in the fight against Desert Rock. Ultimately, the Desert Rock Energy project was officially canceled in 2011 due to the continued opposition. With the closure of another plant, the San Juan Generating Station in 2022, Jackson says you can see the difference in the air. There is still one active power plant on the Navajo Nation scheduled for decommissioning in 2031. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, June 29, 2026 — First Nations group works to reclaim thousands of sacred items from Swiss collector

Uranium mining on Navajo Nation land began in 1944 to supply the U.S. government with the radioactive ore used in nuclear bombs. About 30 million tons of uranium were extracted by the time operations on the reservation ceased in 1986. The environmental contamination from this effort left much of the Navajo Reservation uninhabitable and has had severe health consequences on residents to this day. The reservation is the largest by area in the United States, spanning Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, and about 170,000 of the approximately 400,000 enrolled members of the Navajo Nation reside within its borders. Many of the rest live in nearby communities whose drinking water has been poisoned by uranium contamination. Now several companies including Dick Cheney’s former mining operation are amongst those trying to revive uranium extraction in the area…Joining us today to discuss this issue is Anna Rondon. Anna is a Tribal member of the Navajo Nation and the Executive Director of the Gallup based New Mexico Social Justice Equity Institute. In the first half of the show, we discuss how the mines have affected workers, their children and their animals. We also discuss which companies are looking to revive the mining efforts on these lands.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/civiccipher?utm_source=searchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uranium mining on Navajo Nation land began in 1944 to supply the U.S. government with the radioactive ore used in nuclear bombs. About 30 million tons of uranium were extracted by the time operations on the reservation ceased in 1986. The environmental contamination from this effort left much of the Navajo Reservation uninhabitable and has had severe health consequences on residents to this day. The reservation is the largest by area in the United States, spanning Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, and about 170,000 of the approximately 400,000 enrolled members of the Navajo Nation reside within its borders. Many of the rest live in nearby communities whose drinking water has been poisoned by uranium contamination. Now several companies including Dick Cheney’s former mining operation are amongst those trying to revive uranium extraction in the area…Joining us today to discuss this issue is Anna Rondon. Anna is a Tribal member of the Navajo Nation and the Executive Director of the Gallup based New Mexico Social Justice Equity Institute. In the second half of the show, we discuss the fallout of the toxicity and how it is manifested in the native populations. We discuss reparations and the lack of government intervention. We also discuss how listeners can offer support.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/civiccipher?utm_source=searchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Communities across the country are marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. In Alaska, organizers say they are using the milestone to tell a broader story — one that includes Alaska’s history, its people, and Native contributions to America’s pastime. The America250-Alaska Commission’s “Week of Dreams” begins Saturday and runs through July 4 with events in Anchorage and Fairbanks celebrating Alaska’s connection to baseball. Opening ceremonies at Mulcahy Field will include Alaska Native Heritage Dancers, a parade of athletes, and recognition of the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em Club from St. Paul Island, believed to be Alaska’s oldest baseball team. One of the organizers is Olga Zacharof of St. Paul Island. For more than a decade, Zacharof has helped organize community softball games on the island. She and her husband, Dimitri, recently expanded those efforts to Anchorage, bringing together Unangax families through the sport. Zacharof says the game has long brought families and community members together in St. Paul, and she hopes being a part of this week’s events will do the same. “I hope to make our people proud. I hope to make the Aleut people from the Pribilofs proud. And how lucky I am to be able to represent us in that light.” Former Major League Baseball pitcher DJ Carrasco will also be in Alaska for the celebration. Carrasco now serves as director of Native Nations Baseball, an organization working to increase opportunities for Indigenous youth in baseball and softball. Carrasco says Native Nations Baseball is about more than teaching the game. “Native Nations is a resource not only in the sport but like holistic health and wellness belief and nutrition. We believe in the holistic development of an actual person. A good person, how to be a good teammate.” The week’s events continue Monday at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where Carrasco, Zacharof, and former Knock Down and Skin em' team members will discuss Native representation in baseball and their work with Indigenous youth. The program will also feature a demonstration of Miachee, a traditional Indigenous ball game from Southwest Alaska, led by Sugpiat artist Andrew Abyo. According to the America250-Alaska Commission, Alaska chose baseball as the focus of its commemoration to highlight the state’s contributions to American history and culture while inspiring future generations to learn about Alaska’s past. Events continue through July 4 in Anchorage and Fairbanks. A bill that would change the dynamic between the feds and tribal nations on the cleanup of abandoned mines moved forward this week. KNAU's Chris Clements has more. The Legacy Mine Cleanup Act got a House committee hearing Wednesday with bipartisan support in Congress and the backing of the Navajo Nation. It would create a new office within the U.S> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to better track mine sites that need cleanup. And it would prioritize cutting edge cleanup methods like one backed by the company DISA Tech, which involves harvesting uranium mine waste so it can be reused. But that cleanup method has faced pushback from environmental advocates, who say it is still experimental, uses too much water, and does not fully clean up contamination. National Parks Service (NPS) employee testing for elevated radiation levels at the Orphan Mine Site on and below the South Rim in Grand Canyon National Park. (Courtesy NPS) Besides looking into new remediation methods, the bill would also give tribes more funding for cleaning up abandoned hard rock mines. The federal government estimates there are about 140,000 such mines in the U.S. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, June 26, 2026 — Native books to keep young readers engaged this summer

Roseburg Schools and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians have announced a partnership to help preserve the tribe's ancestral language, as KLCC's Brian Bull reports. Starting this fall, both Native and non-Native high school students can take the Takelma language for official language credit. The last known speaker died more than a century ago, but linguists and audio recordings from the Smithsonian Institution have helped revive it. Lindsay Campman, a spokesperson with the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua, says the tribe has deemed language as important to its citizens. “And that continues to make our people strong. It’s a link to have something in common with your ancestors who lived a very, very different life centuries ago. But being able to speak that same language that they did, that’s a powerful connection.” The Cow Creek Band is also partnering with Roseburg Schools on a statewide program to improve Native students' attendance and is gifting the district half a million dollars towards renovating Roseburg High School's sports complex. Myles Lewallen, left, his client Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture founder Tamarah Begay, and his co-counsel Jake Curtis testify before the Budget and Finance Committee on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy Navajo Nation Council) The Navajo Nation Council has paused its public hearing into the ZenniHome scandal until next month, but in testimony last week, a key witness made a bombshell allegation against her ex-business partner. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. Tamarah Begay is the founder of Indigenous Design Studio and Architecture, which hired the now-bankrupt ZenniHome as a subcontractor to make 160 modular homes for the Navajo Nation. Zenni built only 18 after getting $24 million. “I am not a thief, and I am not a criminal.” But under oath, Begay leveled an accusation against ZenniHome CEO Bob Worsley. “He went ahead and actually forged my name under HozhoniHomes and submitted that to the state of Arizona.” That 2023 filing created an LLC, naming Begay's firm as a member. Her legal counsel clarifies they have not “seen any documents with her signature forged,” but insists this entity was formed “without her consent and against her express direction.” Neither Worsley nor his attorney, who signed off on the LLC, immediately responded to KJZZ's request for comment. (Courtesy Lomakatsi Restoration Project) Nine tribal members have graduated from a forestry and wildland firefighting training program in southern Oregon that blends modern fire management with traditional Indigenous knowledge. The graduates completed 18 weeks of paid training through the Tribal Ecological Forestry Training Program, operated by the Lomakatsi Restoration Project. Participants learned wildland firefighting, forest restoration, fuels reduction, chainsaw operation and cultural burning practices. For thousands of years, Indigenous communities across the West used carefully managed burns to improve forest health, encourage the growth of important plants and reduce vegetation that can fuel large wildfires. Many of those practices were restricted after federal fire suppression policies took hold. Today, tribes and land managers are increasingly looking to traditional fire knowledge as a tool for reducing wildfire risk. Program leaders say the training not only prepares Native youth for careers in forestry and firefighting, but also helps reconnect participants with cultural traditions tied to caring for the land. The program serves tribal communities in Oregon and northern California, where increasingly severe wildfire seasons have threatened forests, wildlife habitat and rural communities. Organizers say graduates leave with industry certifications and hands-on experience that can lead directly to employment in wildland firefighting and natural resource management. As fire seasons grow longer and more intense across the West, supporters say Indigenous knowledge and the next generation of Native fire practitioners will play an important role in protecting forests and communities. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, June 22, 2026 — Rebecca Nagle's ‘First America' amplifies Native voices amid the din of America 250 celebrations

Ella Mae Begay, a beloved Navajo elder and talented rug weaver, vanished from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona, on June 15, 2021. Her silver Ford F-150 disappeared with her, but nearly five years later, neither Ella Mae nor her truck has ever been found.The investigation turned up a person of interest, but the legal process has been frustrating to say the least. The family, and the Navajo Nation community continue to fight for answers, not just for Ella Mae, but for all missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Listen in for Part 2 of Science Moab's conversation with Nicole Horseherder, co-founder and Executive Director of Tó Nízhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), a Diné-led nonprofit based on Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation. In this episode, Nicole maps her science communication, advocacy, and policy work in water protection from the earliest days of the N Aquifer education campaign; to the consequential shutdowns of the Mohave Generating Station, Black Mesa Mine slurry line, and Navajo Generating Station; all the way to her team's current focus on Just and Equitable Transition (JET)—rebuilding economic losses from coal plant and mine closures and replacing coal energy with renewable energy to protect water resources across the Navajo Nation. Missed Part 1 ? https://on.soundcloud.com/90MCcTIXGTiUdOkvjX

On today's newscast: Ex-Prescott officer guilty in shooting of unarmed man, Navajo Nation controller first to testify on ZenniHome, man dies in rappelling fall near Sedona, and more.

The University of Washington’s WWAMI medical school program just received a new $25 million endowment for scholarships and rural education support, as Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra reports. The program gets its name from the five states it serves – Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho – and educates emerging physicians in those rural states. Dr. Nick Phelps, WWAMI's assistant dean at the University of Alaska Anchorage, says the gift will go to scholarships for 30 eligible students across the five-state class. “For the students who are accepted to receive this scholarship, it covers half of their tuition.” Phelps says those eligible to apply for the scholarships are students in two specific programs: one, a rural track, and the other, a tribal and traditional medicine track. Medical school tuition – and the debt students take on to pay it – can run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Phelps says the scholarships change the financial equation. “Primary care practices and primary care physicians… are the bedrock of medicine, for lack of a better term. They’re also some of the lowest paid specialties for students to go into, so for somebody who really is strongly interested in family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, some of those other primary care specialties, they have to do a bit of an internal calculus.” Many medical students choose specialties that pay better, which has helped create a shortage of primary care practitioners, both in Alaska and across the U.S. Phelps notes that the U.S. Department of Education will soon start limiting student loan amounts that Americans can take out for higher education, including medical school. Philanthropists William and Carolyn Franke and their family gave the WWAMI program the $25 million endowment to create the Franke Medical Student Scholars Program. Phelps says he hopes that the resulting scholarships encourage more Alaska students to focus on medicine that serves rural, remote and Indigenous Alaskans. The cliffs of Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation on September 1, 2023. (Photo: Chris Clements / KNAU) An energy company is asking for preliminary approval from the feds to look into building a hydropower project on the Navajo Nation. KNAU's Chris Clements has more. The company Nature and People First is asking for a preliminary permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to investigate building a pumped storage project near Chilchinbeto, Ariz. It would include two reservoirs holding a total of 20,000 acre-feet of water. Pumped storage projects generate energy by letting water flow downhill and then pumping it back up. Nature and People First tried to get federal approval for three pumped storage projects in 2021, but the Navajo Nation and the feds later said no. Critics cited concerns about overuse of aquifers and damage to the environment of nearby Black Mesa, which is considered sacred by the Navajo and Hopi tribes. If it is granted, the permit would not allow the company to disturb any land or give them permission to enter private property. Grand Exit at Celebration 2026. (Courtesy Sealaska Heritage Institute) Thousands of Alaska Natives and visitors gathered in Juneau, Alaska last week for Celebration 2026, one of the largest Indigenous cultural events in the state. The four-day gathering, organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute, brought together Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian dancers, artists, and culture bearers from across Southeast Alaska, Canada, and beyond. The event featured traditional song and dance performances, Native art, language activities, and cultural workshops. This year’s theme was “Enduring Strength”. Celebration began more than 40 years ago as a way to preserve Native cultures and pass traditional knowledge to younger generations. Organizers say the event continues to showcase the survival and persistence of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian traditions while strengthening connections among Indigenous communities throughout the region. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, June 8, 2026 — Confronting division with Pride

Missionary Service with Stephen Archibald, service with All Tribes Mission in Navajo Nation, New Mexico

Interview - Manny Jimenez - Navajo Nation 5

Interview - Manny Jimenez - Navajo Nation 4

In Episode 30 of NW Fish Passage, Annika Fain interviews Christine Longjohn. She is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. She is an avid outdoors woman and fish biologist for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Spring. Her family comes from the Red Mesa area of the Navajo Nation in Utah. She graduated from Utah State University in 2020 with her undergraduate degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences with two minors. She continued into graduate school at Utah State University to complete her degree in a Master's of Ecological Restoration in 2022. Christine previously worked with Federal and State management agencies in suitability assessments and collection of In-stream or riparian habitat data. She recently worked with The Nature Conservancy to assess the potential restoration sites on the San Juan River, located on the Navajo Nation. Christine's passion is working with wetland habitat resiliency. She changed her career to work with the tribes and protect water resources. She is excited to work with many tribes across the United States. She loves to be outside, especially fly fishing or hiking. Enjoy!  

Interview - Manny Jimenez - Navajo Nation 3

Across many chapters, Nicole Horseherder has worked at the confluence of water, science, advocacy, and community. As a founding member and executive director of Tó Nízhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), a Diné-led nonprofit based on Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation, Nicole and her team envision a future on Black Mesa where communities exist in harmony with the Diné elements of Life —land, air, water, and sunlight.  In part one of a two-episode series, Nicole describes her childhood and young adult years—witnessing socio-political, climactic, and hydrologic shifts in her community that changed ways of life on Dził Yíjiin (Black Mesa). Nicole shares how these experiences propelled her into a leading role in the formation of Tó Nízhóní Ání to educate and mobilize Diné communities around Black Mesa hydrology and water rights.

Interview - Manny Jimenez - Navajo Nation 2

Interview - Manny Jimenez - Navajo Nation

Photo: Alex Osif is a former coal miner who worked at the Kayenta and Black Mesa mines. (Chris Clements / KNAU) A congressional watchdog office found some miners with black lung disease face barriers in getting federal payments for their disabilities. As KNAU's Chris Clements reports, that rings true to a former coal miner and advocate on the Navajo Nation. Alex Osif (Navajo, Hopi, and Pima) was a coal miner at the Black Mesa and Kayenta mines. He says the coal companies that are on the hook for paying miners' benefits can slow the process down by not providing employment histories. “That’s the kinda complications I’m having, proving that the miner did work at a mine for so many years.” The lengthy process of applying for benefits is one issue identified by the US. Government Accountability Office in a new report. It also found many coal miners have trouble using the health benefits they are entitled to, like when they need money for transportation to doctors' appointments. “The program needs to view these operators and continue to make sure that they stand up to their promise to the miner.” To help with that issue, the report says the feds need to keep track of the medical coverage coal companies give disabled miners. Tracy Day has been missing since February 14, 2019. (Courtesy Juneau Police Department) The daughter of missing Juneau, Alaska woman Tracy Day wants people to know who her mother was beyond an MMIW rallying cry. It has been seven years since Day disappeared, and the family is still searching for answers. KTOO's Yvonne Krumrey has more. Kaelyn Schnieder says her mom was always finding new adventures for the family to go on. The house she grew up in in Sitka, Alaska was spotless and Day was taking night classes to be a nurse. Her struggles with mental health came later. “But I feel like, when she went missing, everybody was like, ‘Oh, she's living in St Vincent. And like, she's a mentally ill addict.' It was just not the way I wanted people to see her, because my mom was a wonderful parent, and she wasn't always sick.” Schneider says when she was a young child, she was the victim of child sex abuse by her friend's father. After Day found out what had happened, she blamed herself for trusting the family. Schneider believes it triggered Day's mental health issues. “It changed her brain chemistry, you know. So that's, like, the best way I could explain it.” Schneider thinks that changed the trajectory of her mother's life. Day struggled with mental illness and substance abuse, but Schneider wants people to know her mom the way she remembers her, as a dignified, even glamorous woman. “She was kind of like a diva. Like back in the day, she always had her hair done, lipstick done, nails, everything. She was always dressed so beautifully.” She was also a devoted parent and she was fun. “When she wasn't at work, we were never bored. We would go ride our bike and we would get curly fries with cheese and milkshakes, and then we would go to the duck pond and feed the ducks. And, like, she was a good, like, playful parent.” Schneider says that even through Dayʼs later mental health crises, she always stuck around and checked in with her family. “She would not take off. She's the opposite. She's like, the parent that annoys you, because they're showing up so much.” Schneider's son was born after Day went missing. He is five years old now and she is finding herself having to explain the absence. “My son, he's at that age where he's starting to question, like, ‘what happened to grandma?' And like, ‘Why is she not in your life?' And you know, like, he always asks — it's so horrible — He always asks, like, ‘Are you gonna disappear?' And like, as a mom, that is just horrible. You know that knowing that my son, like, has that thought in his head, because he knows it's a possibility.” So Schneider says, for him and for her newborn son, she will keep looking for the truth of what happened to her mom. “I really want to keep searching and talking about her case, not only for me, but also for my sons. I want them to know that people are still interested and care.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, May 22, 2026 — A conversation with Native wellness advocates Chelsea Luger and Thosh Collins

At least five Native American men were detained January by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during raids in Minneapolis, Minn. As other reports of Native Americans being mistaken for undocumented immigrants continue, federal lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill to improve the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s interactions with Native Americans when they are proving citizenship. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) has more. The Respect Tribal IDs Act would require DHS working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and tribal nations to create training for officers to better detect and respect current tribal IDs. U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) says ICE agents are breaking the law. “My Native American brothers and sisters, who are American citizens, are being held by ICE agents because these agents do not recognize tribal IDs, it’s disrespectful, it’s wrong, I would argue, illegal, and that’s why we need this legislation.” Luján says tribal leaders have voiced their concerns about ICE agents detaining their tribal members near their reservations. “I’ll remind you that some of the first awareness that we had about ICE agents going after Native American communities, happened in New Mexico, down in Mescalero and also on the Navajo Nation, and it’s happening in other parts of the country as well.” DHS said in a statement that ICE agents acknowledge and recognize tribal ID cards as proof of citizenship and there have been no ICE operations on tribal lands. Lujan says it is hard to collect data on the number of Native Americans who have been detained by ICE because DHS will not release the data. Meanwhile, some legal scholars are raising concerns about a case brought by the Trump administration that is before the Supreme Court and how it might undermine birthright citizenship among Native Americans. Antonia Commack, left, Abigail Echo-Hawk, Maka Monture Paki. Charlene Aqpik Apok, Tatiana Tiknor, Malia Villegas, Sabrina Dunphrey, and Jessica Black. (Courtesy Data for Indigenous Justice) A national organization called the Courage Project shines a light on acts of bravery, both big and small. This year, a group that works to bring attention to Alaska's missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) is in the spotlight. As KNBA's Rhonda McBride tells us, Data for Indigenous Justice (DIJ) is one of sixteen organizations nationwide to receive this award. The steady beat of the drum is what you hear at many events involving DIJ and while their presence is felt more than seen, they are a force for change. Funders for the Courage Project like the MacArthur Foundation say the award was created to recognize neighbors helping neighbors, people who perform everyday acts of civic courage, that speak to the American spirit and strengthen democracy. “When I first started doing this work, people wouldn’t even meet with me.” Charlene Apok, known by her Iñupiaq name, Aqpik, founded DIJ to bring attention to missing and murdered Alaska Natives. She saw breakdowns and inequities in how law enforcement handled their investigations and pushed for a database to better track those cases and expose systemic failures. “Organizations didn’t want to talk about it. It was too hot. It was too political. It was too uncomfortable. It shouldn’t be courageous to say the things that we’re saying, and to ask the questions that we’re asking. These should be things that are expected for the safety of our people.” Doug Modig, a traditional healer, says it is never easy to speak truth to power, especially for a small organization like Data for Indigenous Justice. “Real lives are at stake her. Real people are experiencing hurt. There aren't many people that have that courage, because it's so rare. It reminds me of a wolverine. They'll take on a bear, a full-grown bear.” Wolverines, Modig says, are fearless when it comes to protecting their territory. “Why don't they just give up? They're not going to make it, because they're so small. But the truth is, courage isn't about size. It's the content of your heart.” Aqpik says heart is exactly what her team brings to their work. Their commitment has helped to uncover critical information about unsolved cases. “I’ve come to learn, with a lot of guidance from my elders, that this role is called being a story keeper.” Aqpik says it is a sacred responsibility to listen to the stories that families share. She says they are the bravest of all. Long after the marches are over and the drumbeats fade, they must live with these stories. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, May 19, 2026 — Native Bookshelf: “Shards of Silence” and “That Which Feeds Us”

Terry Murphy has been sober since May 23, 1991—nearly 35 years of continuous recovery. In this live episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded with the Camelback Recovery outpatient community in Phoenix, Arizona, Terry joins host Tim Westbrook to share the addiction that nearly killed him, the morning everything changed, and the life he has built since.Terry is a husband of 47 years, father of two, and grandfather of three. In long-term recovery, he has spent more than three decades serving in substance-use programs with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of Corrections. He was appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to Arizona's substance abuse credentialing committee and founded Helping Hands for the Navajo Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering millions of pounds of aid to tribal communities. In 2024, he became the primary author of the Twelve-Step Companion Guide of Cocaine Anonymous—the first major addict-authored recovery text since 1982. He also ran his first marathon at 50 and has now completed five ultramarathons.In this episode, Terry discusses:The night in active addiction when he believed his family would be better off without him—and what stopped himWhy he calls addiction “a grave I dug” and recovery a miracle he didn't earnLosing his job after entering rehab, and the opportunity nine months sober that changed everythingThe difficult amends he has made over three decades in recoveryWorking the 12 Steps repeatedly—and how each pass brings something newRunning marathons and ultramarathons, and what endurance teaches about sobrietyCo-authoring a new recovery guide and why it was long overdueWhat 35 years of sobriety has looked like in its most recent chapterA direct message to those in treatment—and anyone questioning whether recovery is worth itWhether you are new to sobriety, long into recovery, working the Steps, or supporting someone in addiction, Terry Murphy's story is a reminder of what long-term recovery can make possible.Go to camelbackrecovery.com for more information.

Terry Murphy has been sober since May 23, 1991—nearly 35 years of continuous recovery. In this live episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded with the Camelback Recovery outpatient community in Phoenix, Arizona, Terry joins host Tim Westbrook to share the addiction that nearly killed him, the morning everything changed, and the life he has built since. Terry is a husband of 47 years, father of two, and grandfather of three. In long-term recovery, he has spent more than three decades serving in substance-use programs with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of Corrections. He was appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to Arizona's substance abuse credentialing committee and founded Helping Hands for the Navajo Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering millions of pounds of aid to tribal communities. In 2024, he became the primary author of the Twelve Step Companion Guide of Cocaine Anonymous—the first major addict-authored recovery text since 1982. He also ran his first marathon at 50 and has now completed five ultramarathons. In this episode, Terry discusses: The night in active addiction when he believed his family would be better off without him—and what stopped him Why he calls addiction "a grave I dug" and recovery a miracle he didn't earn Losing his job after entering rehab, and the opportunity nine months sober that changed everything The difficult amends he has made over three decades in recovery Working the 12 Steps repeatedly—and how each pass brings something new Running marathons and ultramarathons, and what endurance teaches about sobriety Co-authoring a new recovery guide and why it was long overdue What 35 years of sobriety has looked like in its most recent chapter A direct message to those in treatment—and anyone questioning whether recovery is worth it Whether you are new to sobriety, long into recovery, working the Steps, or supporting someone in addiction, Terry Murphy's story is a reminder of what long-term recovery can make possible.

Welcome to the wind is the original radio podcast! Today we have an extra special episode, in which we are sharing with you an episode from Indigenous Earth Community Podcast by Frank Weaver. This is all about honouring and respecting green spaces with Watson Withford, member of the Chippewa Cree tribe and Navajo Nation. Because here on Earth.FM, listening to natural spaces is about being in relationship with, we think that for any listener and recordist, learning how to honour the spaces we visit is fundamental. This includes learning about the issues affecting those spaces, thinking of future generations, asking permission and so much more. Our gratitude to Frank Weaver for sharing this knowledge with us and please see the episode notes to learn more about Indigenous Earth.org. Episode Summary In this powerful episode, Frank Oscar Weaver is joined by Watson Whitford (Wapanatak), co-president of UNITY and member of the Chippewa Cree tribe and Navajo Nation. Together, they explore five essential ways to be a mindful visitor in parks and natural places, weaving together traditional wisdom and practical guidance for honoring our green spaces. The Five Ways to Honor Green Spaces Become a True Steward Connect with the issues affecting natural spaces Educate yourself about environmental challenges Take action in your community Leave It Better Than You Found It Take responsibility for keeping spaces clean Think of future generations Protect the beauty of our lands Honor Ceremonial Spaces Recognize the sacred nature of many parks Respect ongoing ceremonies Seek permission and guidance Respect Wildlife Boundaries Avoid disturbing animal behavior Maintain appropriate distances Remember every creature has its place Get in the Right State of Mind Ask permission before entering natural spaces Practice mindful visitation Show gratitude through offerings Notable Quotes "We're a part of this circle of life. I'm no higher than a ladybug. I'm no higher than a buffalo. And we're all the same. We all come from the same place." - Watson Whitford "I want this place to be beautiful. I want there to be clean water, clean air to breathe, to be healthy animals and healthy plants. Not just for my relatives that are here with us now, but for people that will be coming in the future that aren't even here yet." - Watson Whitford "Our traditional ways of ceremony are good... we don't talk down about other people's way of religion or talk down about the way other people pray. You know, because we want to be uplifting. We want to help each other." - Watson Whitford Special Offer Visit indigenousearth.org to receive an exclusive video prayer from Watson Whitford, guiding you in practicing mindful visitation to green spaces. Connect with Watson Whitford Email: copresident@unityinc.org Instagram: @watson_whitford05 Role: Co-President of UNITY Support UNITY UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth) supports Indigenous youth leadership across the nation. Your donation helps: Support Indigenous youth programs Preserve traditional knowledge Foster environmental stewardship Develop future leaders Donate at: unityinc.org/donate Stay Connected Subscribe to our newsletter: indigenousearth.org Follow Indigenous Earth Community on Instagram at @frankoscarweaver Credits Host: Frank Oscar Weaver - Pai Tavytera - Tribe of Paraguay Guest: Watson Whitford -Navajo/ Chippewa Cree  Sound Engineer: Jake Kelch  This podcast acknowledges that many parks and natural areas are on ancestral Indigenous lands that have been stewarded by Native people for thousands of generations.

Photo: Diné Bizaad is the latest mobile app created by Albert Haskie, the lead developer, who is Diné and from the Navajo Nation. (Courtesy Adoonee) Across the United States, there are over 575 federally recognized American Indian tribes. According to the U.S. Census, Native North American language use fell by 6% from 2013 to 2021, but among those who spoke a Native language, nearly half spoke Navajo. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) spoke to a Diné software developer who has created a mobile app to help preserve the Navajo language. Albert Haskie (Diné) spent two years building the app Diné Bizaad with a group of Navajo employees. “I’m making it for us, and that’s the primary goal.” Haskie says he learned the Navajo language at a young age but in sixth grade he transferred to a non-Navajo language school and that it was a cultural shock for him. “I kind of always missed it and always wanted to figure out how to reintroduce it into my life, but also try to reintroduce it to a lot of other people’s lives.” Haskie says users can build their own curriculum and it includes fun tools like the word of the day. He says the app differs from other language apps because this one has richer content and a practicing Navajo speaker who consulted on every word and phrase. Diné Bizaad was independently built without collaboration of the Navajo Nation. “I’ve showed them multiple times, but they just couldn’t find anything to work with me. I was more than happy to try to figure out working with them. But the reality is, it would have probably not launched within the time I wanted it to be.” A representative from the Department of Diné Education said Haskie talked with members within the department and that they are open to working with interested parties on preserving the Diné language. Haskie says he is in talks with other tribes to create language apps for their members. Whaling captain William ‘Wiyu’ Parks, right, and his wife Crystal on their way back from Punguk Island after a 3-month-long camping trip. (Courtesy Crystal Newhall) Whaling is an essential part of subsistence hunting in Siberian Yupik culture. High school student Tracy Tungiyan in the village of Gambell, Alaska on St. Lawrence Island wanted to understand more about it, so he interviewed a whaling captain from the community, William Parks, nicknamed Wiyu. He spoke to Parks in the library of the Gambell school and asked him whether whaling is easy or difficult. “There’s a degree of difficulty in it. You got to think of how enormous the whale is. You’re in basically a wash tub compared to the size of that whale. Depending on how the whale is moving, it could be pretty straightforward, catch up to it, strike. And there’s some days where the tails are really thrashing. You can’t get close to them. “We use these harpoons that have a barrel on there. We call them Puskaan [Siberian Yupik word]. I don’t know what they’re called in English. I’ve always known them as Puskaan. It has a harpoon, buoy, line buoy, and it fires either a black powder bomb or a penthrite bomb into the whale. Tungiyan asked Parks what hunting means to him and whether it was easier back then. “That’s a good question. To me, hunting is mostly about survival, it’s about tradition, and it’s about feeding family, relatives as a community, which is the most important part of life, in my opinion. You need food to survive. “I think mostly it’s like second nature to me. I don’t even think of how important this is to me anymore, more so that it’s the way I was brought up to live. It’s a part of me. It’s been a part of me since I was two, three years old. “Back then it was- seasons were more predictable. Weather was more predictable. In a way, it was easier. Nowadays, with lack of ice, bigger storms, shorter opportunities to head out. Yeah, I think it’s more difficult now compared to back then. The windows of good weather are getting shorter. “I know that everybody that goes hunting isn’t doing it for fun or sport. They’re doing it (as a) means of trying to harvest food. It's a part of who we are as people, as the community. Hunting is part of our nature. It’s been for thousands of years.” Tungiyan then asked him why catching a whale is so important for Gambell. “I think it’s important mostly because of the size of the catch. There’s enough to feed everybody. Just the sheer size of the whale. It’s an opportunity to feed the community, to have a community gather. Whaling has been part of our culture since the first whale swam and man saw it. It was a means of survival.” Tungiyan produced this story with former KNOM reporter Wali Rana and Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, May 18, 2026 – Trump administration takes aim at American buffalo

New infections aboard a cruise ship have thrust the hantavirus into the global spotlight. Hantavirus infections remain rare, with only about 1,000 cases reported in the U.S. in more than 30 years. What the world knows about the illness started in 1993 on the Navajo Nation. After struggling to identify the dangerous respiratory illness, medical researchers gained crucial insights from Navajo elders, noting that traditional oral histories had long associated spikes in deer mouse populations — driven by specific rainfall patterns — with deadly disease. That knowledge directly informed the scientific discovery of what we know now as the Sin Nombre virus. The discovery also offers a lesson in public notification of diseases. Early media reports labelled the pathogen as the “Navajo flu”, which stigmatized the community for years afterward. We'll look at the history of the hantavirus and the current efforts to prevent its spread. GUESTS Dean Seneca (Seneca), CEO of Seneca Scientific Solutions+, adjunct professor at the School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University at Buffalo, and Adjunct Instructor at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Dr. Steven Bradfute, associate professor in the Center for Global Health at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine Dr. Erin Phipps, New Mexico State public health veterinarian Break 1 Music: Healing Song (song) Judy Trejo (artist) Circle Dance Songs of the Paiute and Shoshone (album) Break 2 Music: Fearless I Live (song) Courtney Yellow Fat (artist) The Lost Songs of Sitting Bull (album)

How many times have I watched brilliant, capable women quietly talk themselves out of their own value, defaulting to structures that weren't built for them, avoiding the language of profit like it would somehow compromise their integrity, waiting for the right credential or the right moment to finally call themselves the expert they already are?It's a pattern that runs deeper than most of us realize and it's long overdue to name it out loud. My guest today is Vanessa Roanhorse, CEO of Roanhorse Consulting and Return on Indigenous Studios, a for-profit social enterprise rooted in Indigenous knowledge. A citizen of the Navajo Nation, she started her business in 2016 trying to close her own personal wealth gap. No financial background, no roadmap, just relationships and a willingness to keep asking why. Over the next decade, she evolved her firm into what she now calls an Indigenous ecosystem architecture firm, redesigning how institutions think about risk, building new capital mechanisms, and launching Return on Indigenous Studios to take community-centered businesses from idea to full capitalization.This conversation goes far beyond what Vanessa built. It's about how she built it and why the way she did it matters for every woman listening.Because the story of Roanhorse Consulting is not just a business story. It's a story about what happens when a woman stops asking permission to do good work profitably, starts building systems that didn't exist before, stays rooted in relationships when everything around her is uncertain, and works through enough grief, therapy, and hard decisions to finally arrive at the place where she knows, without question, exactly what she is doing.I think every woman in the middle of her own long game needs to hear this one.In this episode, you'll discover:Why women doing mission-driven work keep underselling themselves as experts and what it looks like to stopHow Vanessa made the case for a for-profit social enterprise, and what that choice can teach any woman building at the intersection of purpose and incomeWhat it means to buildnewsystems instead of just participating in old ones and how to teach that thinking to othersWhy relationships are not just a personal value but a structural strategy, especially in uncertain timesHow to stay grounded in your work and your purpose when the external environment feels chaotic and find what's yours to doWhy more women need to name their version of elderhood and give themselves permission to work toward it nowBehind every woman who makes it look easy, there is a decade of figuring it out. Behind every new system, there are years of asking why the old one wasn't working. And behind every vision of a different future, there is a woman willing to build toward it before anyone else can see it yet. ✨ Ease in knowing that you don't have to shrink your work to make it meaningful. Vanessa chose a for-profit structure not despite her values, but because of them. You are allowed to own your expertise, charge what you're worth, and build in a way that also sustains you. ✨ Joy in giving yourself permission to name what you're actually working toward. Vanessa knows exactly what she's building toward: an elderhood where she gets to be present, available, and free. What does your version of that look like? Start there. ✨ Impact in understanding that the most durable impact isn't always built at scale, it's built in relationships, in rooms where decisions get made, in the quiet work of holding knowledge and passing it forward. ✨ Self-trust in recognizing that walking away from something that no longer feels right is not failure. Vanessa stepped away from an organization she co-founded because it stopped feeling good and that decision became the moment she finally knew exactly what she was doing. When something stops feeling right, that is information. You are allowed to listen to it. ---✨ The Well Woman Show is delighted to partner with the Work and Family Researchers Network and its next conference June 17-20, 2026 in Montreal, Canada. For more information, look to https://wfrn.org/2026-work-and-family-researchers-network-conference/ ✨ Join other smart, high-achieving women to rewrite the rules for how to love, lead, and succeed — so you can live with more joy, ease, and abundance, even when life is tough.

Multiple witnesses from across North America call in with encounters they've never forgotten. A Virginia hunter describes watching a towering upright figure through his scope at dawn in the Shenandoah Valley. Deep inside Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest, campers hear powerful voices rolling across the ridges before the woods fall completely silent. In the Florida Panhandle, one caller shares a rare sighting of a glowing Bigfoot-shaped figure sprinting through the trees. Northern British Columbia brings a mountain encounter involving huge tracks, a face-to-face sighting, strange odors, and a desperate retreat. Then an unforgettable report from the Navajo Nation details two Bigfoot chasing down deer in the snow under a full moon. Real people, real stories, and one wild episode of Bigfoot Society.

Dr. Elmer J. Guy serves as the President of the Navajo Technical University, and he joined TJ to discuss the Navajo Technical University, Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratory Expanded Partnership to Build High-Tech Workforce on Navajo Nation. All this and more on News Radio KKOBSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photo: A semi-truck carrying uranium ore from the Pinyon Plain Mine is parked near Shonto on the Navajo Nation after a collision on May 6, 2026. (Courtesy Navajo Police Department) The Navajo Police Department responded Wednesday to a crash involving a semi-truck carrying uranium ore from the Grand Canyon's South Rim to a mill in Utah. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on the first reported incident since hauling began nearly two years ago. The accident occurred about a half mile east of Highway 160 and state Route 98 near Shonto in Navajo County. Officials say an SUV tried passing another vehicle, striking the passenger-side tire and bumper of the uranium truck bound for Blanding, Utah. The tribe's Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Pinyon Plain Mine, which is owned by Energy Fuels, were notified. Using a gamma radiation detector, they inspected the crash site, concluding no radioactive material leaked. The collision sent two people in the SUV to a local hospital with injuries, while the truck driver was unharmed. Tracy Day's daughter Kaelyn Schneider hugs MMIP advocate Jamiann S'eiltin Hasselquist at the Kaasei Healing Kootéeyaa on May 5, 2025. (Photo: Yvonne Krumrey / KTOO) Juneau, Alaska woman Tracy Day has been missing for more than seven years. And while her disappearance has become a rallying cry for MMIP in Juneau, her daughter also wants people to know who she was before she went missing. KTOO's Yvonne Krumrey has more. Kaelyn Schnieder says her mom was always finding new adventures for the family to go on. The house she grew up in in Sitka, Alaska was spotless and Day was taking night classes to be a nurse. Her struggles with mental health came later. “But I feel like, when she went missing, everybody was like, ‘Oh, she’s living in St Vincent. And like, she’s a mentally ill addict.' It was just not the way I wanted people to see her, because my mom was a wonderful parent, and she wasn’t always sick.” Schneider says when she was a young child, she was the victim of child sex abuse by her friend's father. After Day found out what had happened, she blamed herself for trusting the family. Schneider believes it triggered Day's mental health issues. “It changed her brain chemistry, you know. So that’s, like, the best way I could explain it.” Schneider thinks that changed the trajectory of her mother's life. Tracy Day has been missing since February 14, 2019. (Courtesy Juneau Police Department) Day struggled with mental illness and substance abuse, but Schneider wants people to know her mom the way she remembers her, as a dignified, even glamorous woman. “She was kind of like a diva. Like back in the day, she always had her hair done, lipstick done, nails, everything. She was always dressed so beautifully.” She was also a devoted parent and she was fun. “When she wasn’t at work, we were never bored. We would go ride our bike and we would get curly fries with cheese and milkshakes, and then we would go to the duck pond and feed the ducks. And, like, she was a good, like, playful parent.” Schneider says that even through Dayʼs later mental health crises, she always stuck around and checked in with her family. “She would not take off. She’s the opposite. She’s like, the parent that annoys you, because they’re showing up so much.” Schneider's son was born after Day went missing. He is five years old now and she is finding herself having to explain the absence. “My son, he’s at that age where he’s starting to question, like, ‘what happened to grandma?' And like, ‘Why is she not in your life?' And you know, like, he always asks — it’s so horrible — He always asks, like, ‘Are you gonna disappear?' And like, as a mom, that is just horrible. You know that knowing that my son, like, has that thought in his head, because he knows it’s a possibility.” So Schneider says, for him and for her newborn son, she will keep looking for the truth of what happened to her mom. “I really want to keep searching and talking about her case, not only for me, but also for my sons. I want them to know that people are still interested and care.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, May 8, 2026 – What Native graduates are looking forward to

On today's newscast: Uranium ore truck crashes on Navajo Nation, Flagstaff council considers zoning changes to limit data center development, Ashfork-area truck and rail heists point to organized crime, and more.

In this episode of Sew & So, we're stepping into a powerful intersection of storytelling and sewing with filmmaker and artist Valerie Soe. Valerie is a fourth-generation Chinese American, born and raised in San Francisco, and like so many, her sewing journey started with a single machine—a 1970s Kenmore she still uses today. What began as a practical skill in high school, and later as a way to sew for her family, became something she would return to in a moment when it mattered most. As an award-winning filmmaker and professor of Asian American Studies, Valerie has built her career around telling stories that reflect identity, memory, and community—stories she didn't often see growing up. And in early 2020, when the world slowed down and uncertainty set in, she found herself both living and documenting one of those stories in real time. Through a simple call to action, the Auntie Sewing Squad came together—hundreds of volunteers sewing masks for people who needed them, at a time when supplies were scarce and fear was high. Valerie was part of that effort, sewing alongside others while also capturing the experience as a filmmaker. Her newest documentary, The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook, revisits that moment—what it felt like, what was created, and what it meant to come together in a time of crisis. Many of you may remember our earlier conversation with Kristina Wong. (Episode 75) Today, we return to that story through Valerie's lens, with a deeper look at the impact of that movement. This is a conversation about sewing as something more—more than a skill, more than a craft—but a way to connect, to respond, and to care for others when it matters most. (3:25) Valerie talks about her first sewing machine – a 1970's Kenmore – and the beginning of her sewing adventures (4:53) What first drew Valerie to film and telling stories? (5:34) How did she become involved with The Auntie Sewing Squad? (7:00) How did she decide that the first film needed to be made? (8:12) And the second film…why this one? (9:05) Valerie talks about Kristina Wong (11:14) Valerie was both film producer and Sewing Squad participant. How did this affect the film? (12:45) This film was made during the time when Asian Americans were in danger. What was this like for her? (14:00) What were the most unexpected and powerful moments for her in the film? (15:25) How did the Auntie Sewing Squad serve the Navajo Nation and what affect did this have? (16:48) Valerie talks about the tiny details of the film where sewing was a practical tool rooted in community care (18:05) What does Valerie hope people will take away from the film? (20:30) What's next for her and what's her dream? (21:25) She takes us behind the scenes and explains the mechanics of making an independent film. (23:17) Want to see the film? Go to The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook.com (23:36) Anything we didn't ask? (24:10) Find Valerie at ValerieSoe.com and let her know you heard her on this podcast! Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today's and all of our Guests.

Mollie Boone was an 8-year-old Diné girl who went missing on January 15, 2026, in the Coalmine area of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. She was walking a path she knew by heart. She never made it home.Investigators now believe she may have been hit by a vehicle but no one has come forward.Sources: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/fbi-new-lead-death-maleeka-mollie-boone-8-points-vehicle-strike.amphttps://nativenewsonline.net/currents/missing-8-year-old-found-dead-on-navajo-nation-investigation-ongoing/Support the show

With the passage of the district's $6.2 billion bond proposal, officials in Dallas ISD are looking ahead to a massive round of construction and renovation projects that will take years to complete. In other news, Frisco's mayoral election is headed to a runoff as none of the four candidates secured more than 50% of the vote in Saturday's election;  on Sunday, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson backed the city's new cost-cutting measures, slamming City Council members who talk about restraint but approve “bloated” budgets and resist meaningful cuts; and SHEE-yahz Pete, an undrafted free agent left tackle out of Kentucky, is not the first player with a Native American background to make it to the NFL, but he is the first, specifically, from the Navajo Nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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An intensive traditional foods program aimed at curbing diabetes is credited with major weight loss and health benefits for some of its participants. Native Food for Life is a collaboration between tribal health officials and the Physicians Committee on Responsible Medicine. Native America Calling had an inadvertent role in the program's inception on the Navajo Nation almost two decades ago. It has since expanded beyond the Southwest. Did pemmican bread pudding sway the judges who awarded Diné chef Justin Pioche champion of the “Indigenous Inspiration” episode of the Food Network's “Chopped” cooking competition? Pioche is busy back to work at his Fruitland, N.M.-based Pioche Food Group business, but is taking time out to reach out to his fans, both new and old, after his high-profile success. GUESTS Justin Pioche (Diné), chef and owner of Pioche Food Group and James Beard Award Best Chef finalist Jenson Yazzie (Diné), photographer Dr. Josie Howard (Cherokee), psychiatrist Dr. Neal Barnard, adjunct professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Break 1 Music: Ch'iya'a'n Biyiin/Native Food Song (song) Radmilla & Herman Cody (artist) Shi Kéyah (album) Break 2 Music: Heartbreaker (song) Sage Lacapa (artist) Heartbreaker (single)

An oil and gas lease sale is scheduled in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for June. The auction of drilling rights is mandated in federal law, but also reflects the Trump administration's commitment to promoting energy development in the state. The response from Indigenous residents that live in or near the refuge is mixed, as the Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA reports. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced this month it will hold a lease sale in the nation's largest wildlife refuge, in the northeastern corner of Alaska. The piece of ANWR that has been the subject of passionate dispute for decades is the Coastal Plain, a swath along the Beaufort Sea that potentially has oil and gas reserves. The only community within the refuge is Kaktovik, an Iñupiaq village of about 300 people. Kaktovik Mayor Nathan Gordon Jr. says resource development in the refuge means economic opportunity because the regional government, the North Slope Borough, taxes oil and gas companies. “The taxes that come from the development pay for our schools, our water system, our sewer system. It pays for everything that has meaning in our lifestyle and protection and safety.” ANWR provides habitat for migratory birds and polar bears. And the Coastal Plain specifically is the calving grounds for the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Gordon says he believes development within the refuge will not interfere with wildlife. “With restrictions in place, it’s already set in stone for us to have safe development with our animals.” But opponents of the project are concerned that gravel roads, drilling, and seismic exploration can harm caribou, especially during their vulnerable calving period. The Gwich'in community of Arctic Village is located right outside ANWR to the south. Faith Gemmill lives in Fairbanks, but is from Arctic Village and has family there. “Imagine oil development in their core calving area. It’s going to … devastate our herd.” Gemmill says caribou support food security, culture, spirituality, and economy for Gwich'in people, including the future generations. “Our way of life is reliant on the caribou. So in my opinion, (President Donald) Trump’s incessant drive to drill in this area is a form of cultural genocide of the Gwich’in.” If the upcoming lease sale is successful, it could still take years for a project to break ground. Additional reporting from Alaska Public Media’s Liz Ruskin Diné chef Justin Pioche, right, inspects ingredients as “Chopped” host Ted Allen watches during an episode from April 21, 2026. (Courtesy Food Network) “Chopped” is a Food Network show where four chefs compete in a race against time to make a three-course meal. The latest episode aired Tuesday night and featured an all-Indigenous lineup. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, a Navajo chef took the honors. From Chicago to Montana, Indian Country's top cooks vied for the “Chopped” title, but two of them repped the Southwest including Chef Ray Naranjo, who comes from the Santa Clara Pueblo just north of Santa Fe, N.M. Justin Pioche lives on the Navajo Nation. The 2023 James Beard finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest co-owns Pioche Food Group, a high-end catering company. He plans on using the $10,000 cash prize to help pay for his own brick-and-mortar restaurant. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native Aerica Calling episode Thursday, April 23, 2026 — Gathering of MCs: Native musicians compete for best bars, beats, and freestyles

Caro and their girlfriend, Charlotte, live in rural northern Arizona, just south of the Navajo Nation. One night, while driving to Charlotte's house, Caro spotted her standing in the road calling out for her missing cat, Benny. As the search unfolded, they both realized something felt seriously off. It was then that they saw an unnatural and inhuman figure sprinting across the road. Check out our Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For business inquiries contact: OtherworldTeam@unitedtalent.com If you have experienced something paranormal or unexplained, email us your story at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stories@otherworldpod.com

Photo: Fresh snow coats Monument Valley Tribal Park straddling Utah and Arizona in February 2026. (Gabriel Pietrorazio) The Navajo Nation signed an agreement with Utah last month that centers on advancing economic development and authentic Indigenous representation through cinema. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, it also formalizes a time-honored tradition of filmmaking on Navajoland – home to one of Hollywood's most iconic Western settings straddling Utah and Arizona. If you ever take a road trip to Monument Valley, you will see why this legendary landscape is so much more than just a movie set. It is also a tribal park, the first to be founded in 1958 and where about 100 or so Navajos actually call home. This 17-mile dirt loop – dotted with horses and hogans – is managed by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department. “If they say no, we tell the film production, no. But that doesn't mean that we're going to shut the door on you.” For Edsel Pete, who is in charge of the Navajo Nation TV and Film Office, the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state of Utah is all about being “film friendly”, while also caring for the environment. Scripts can be changed – the land, not so much. “As we know, film is not going anywhere, but we don't want to just give away the resources. This is all we got, and we want to protect it.” Towering red sandstone buttes have, time and again, turned into the unmistakable backdrop for some of Tinseltown's biggest blockbusters. From Tom Hanks in “Forrest Gump” to the final chapter of the “Back to the Future” trilogy. No matter the genre, Monument Valley has been glittering on the silver screen for nearly a century, but its popularity began with Westerns. Virigina Pearce is director of the Utah Film Commission. “Both states claim it as our own and it does get a lot of requests.” Arizona was the first state to ink such an MOU with the Navajo Nation in 2019; talks are underway with New Mexico to follow suit. “This MOU came at such a great time for us to not only look back and consider the history, but also look forward and think about how much more could we do if we work together.” James Lujan is from the Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. He chairs the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M. and suggests these MOUs could benefit everyone. “It's a win for the production companies. It's a win for the tribe, because they have people that they're putting to work to train below-the-line crew members.” Like gaffers, camera operators, and set designers. But Lujan thinks training above-the-line talent – screenwriters, producers and directors – is even more important for representation. “Because that's the only way we're going to break into mainstream cinema is by taking ownership and control of our own stories.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – Iñupiaq leaders weigh their economic future and oil drilling in the Arctic

Photo: A voter fills in a ballot during Bethel’s municipal election on October 1, 2024. (MaryCait Dolan / KYUK) The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) is speaking out against a proposed federal voting bill it says could create new barriers for Alaska Native voters. In a press release issued April 6, AFN urged Congress to reject the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which is currently being debated in the U.S. Senate. AFN represents more than 190 tribes, along with Native corporations and nonprofits across Alaska. Leaders say the bill would require voters to present documentary proof of citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — in person at a designated election office in order to register for federal elections. For many Alaska Native communities, especially in rural areas, that could mean traveling long distances, often by plane, at significant cost. In the statement, AFN says, “The SAVE Act… would disenfranchise eligible voters and recreate the very barriers our communities have fought for decades to dismantle.” The organization also raised concerns about how the bill would treat Tribal identification, noting that many IDs do not include citizenship status and could require voters to obtain additional documentation. AFN says that process could take weeks and may be difficult or impossible for some community members. The group argues the legislation is unnecessary, calling it “a solution in search of a problem” and pointing out that noncitizen voting is already illegal and rare. AFN says the bill could also restrict systems widely used in Alaska, including mail-in and online voter registration. As the debate continues in Washington, tribal leaders are calling on Congress to focus instead on improving access to voting, particularly in rural communities. A federal judge has rejected a plea agreement in the case of missing Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay. Begay, a 62-year-old member of the Navajo Nation, was last seen in 2021 at her home in Sweetwater, Ariz. and has not been found. According to the Associated Press, the judge denied a proposed deal for Preston Henry Tolth, who is accused of assaulting Begay before she disappeared. Prosecutors say the agreement would have allowed Tolth to avoid additional prison time. Begay's family opposed the deal in court. Her niece, Seraphine Warren, told the judge, “Accountability is not time served… we still don't have the truth.” Advocates say the case highlights ongoing challenges in addressing missing and murdered Indigenous people across the country. Arizona drivers have lots of specialty license plates to choose from – 114 to be exact. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, the largest tribe in the Phoenix metro area is among the latest to be featured. Back in 2023, State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-AZ) pitched letting the Gila River Indian Community design its own plate. “Lots of people will think, ‘Oh, this is just another license plate bill.' … It is a very big deal.” Because for each plate sold, $17 will be donated to the tribe's transportation committee for traffic and road improvements. Commuters regularly travel through their reservation just south of Phoenix. “Especially when the I-10 is down.” Martinez's proposal passed as part of a larger bill that included the neighboring Ak-Chin Indian Community and Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Gila River, in March, became the fifth of Arizona's 22 federally recognized tribes to print one. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, April 14, 2026 — Native in the Spotlight: cartographer Margaret Wickens Pearce

After much speculation, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced earlier this week that he will seek reelection later on this year. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. President Nygren became the youngest president in Window Rock after defeating incumbent Jonathan Nez four years ago. Nygren won that race by just more than 3,500 votes. In a video message on social media, Nygren picked up his signature, black open crown hat. “And I will be tossing my hat into the race for Navajo Nation president. Let's keep building on the momentum that we've built so far.” Since his inauguration, the sitting president has faced considerable scrutiny. A special prosecutor has called for his immediate resignation over alleged ethics violations that included the misuse of public funds, while Navajo Nation Council delegates continue trying to oust him. (Courtesy Mircea Brown) The nonprofit tribal organization Sealaska Heritage Institute has published a new book that presents Tlingit Raven stories for the first time in the original language with English translations. The 860-page volume brings together 50 stories by seven Tlingit storytellers born in between 1870 and 1915 across Southeast Alaska. As KCAW's Hope McKenney reports, the stories were transcribed from recordings of oral performances and include some of the oldest known recordings of these stories told in Lingít. The book is currently available through Sealaska Heritage Institute's website. Geiger says they also hope to make the original audio recordings of these stories available in the near future. 75-year-old Ḵ'ashgé Daphne Wright grew up listening to her aunt Katherine Mills tell her stories of Raven, a cultural hero, world-maker, and trickster figure among the Tlingit of Southeast Alaska. “I can just remember we’d be sitting in the kitchen, around the kitchen table, and it was maybe in the evening, with everyone just kind of sitting around and just listening, and just kind of a warm feeling. And just listening to my aunt’s voice.” Wright says reading this book, which features stories from her aunt, is like hearing her aunt's voice again. “I miss her so much, you know. And I miss my mother … And so it just means so much that there’s something here and an actual physical book that has her stories in it.” This volume has been more than four decades in the making. It is the fifth in a series of books from Sealaska Heritage Institute called the “Classics of Tlingit Oral Literature,” and is the first in the series to be exclusively focused on Raven. Will Geiger is a research specialist with the Southeast nonprofit. “The intention of this series is to present standout examples of the Tlingit oral tradition in a written form, so that people who whether you do speak Lingít or not, you’re able to appreciate the depth and the artistry and the history.” This book features a transcribed version of the original recording on the left hand page and an English translation on the right. Geiger says Raven is one of the most developed characters in the Tlingit oral tradition, with stories ranging from sacred to humorous. “Mostly, he appears in the form of a person. And he can change forms … He turns into a woman, a little hemlock needle … and a raven.” For Lgeik'i Heather Powell Mills, a Lingít language teacher in Hoonah, hearing or reading these stories in the original language leads to deeper understanding. “Hearing our language is it’s like medicine to us… to have a strong connection to the land, to understand where you come from, in order to know where you’re going.” Mills says she's grateful these stories were recorded and preserved for future generations. “We don’t have the time we used to have. I think this is a great way for us to learn. It was their dream for us.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, April 10, 2026 – Money management during economic uncertainty and the rise of Buy Now Pay Later

Over the weekend, a Diné pro athlete from the Arizona Ridge Riders ascended to the top ranks of competitive bull riding worldwide. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. “Keyshawn just crafted his career moment, and he perches above them all and is the master of the Pit.” For the first time, Keyshawn Whitehorse from Kraken Springs, Utah won the Ty Murray Invitational after hanging onto a bucking bull named “Lights Out”. The 28 year old had a perfect weekend, going 4 for 4 on rides, with pretty much everybody in the building was right behind him. “And all you guys, Navajo Nation, the support here in Albuquerque, N.M. – I've dreamed of this moment in my entire life, and now we're on track for a gold buckle. This is a great stepping stone.” With this title win, Whitehorse is among the top 10 riders in the world. Gayle Hoseth (Yup’ik), Alaska Federation of Natives Co-Chair. (Photo: Avery Lill / KDLG) Alaska Native groups have scrambled to make their voices heard on a series of subsistence proposals from Safari Club International, which aims to reshape fish and game management on federal lands. By the time the deadline for public comment passed on Monday, more than 2,000 people had weighed in. Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA reports. The letters are emotional, overwhelmingly from rural hunters and fishers, worried that the Safari Club's proposals to the U.S. Interior Department would threaten their ability to live off the land. Tribal leaders like Gayla Hoseth (Yup'ik), Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Co-Chair, say these battles never seem to end. “We're often times, repeating ourselves, over and over.” This time, Native groups are facing off against one of the most powerful sport-hunting advocacy groups in the nation, which seeks to overturn Biden-era policies that added three tribally nominated seats to the Federal Subsistence Board. The Safari Club also wants to remove three other public seats and return the board to its original make-up, limited to the heads of five federal agencies. “We've said this many times on the record that it's a revolving door of these regional administrators that come through our state – and that are here for a time — and not really knowing and being on the land.” As a senior advisor to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland during the Biden Administration, Raina Thiele shepherded the process of adding the additional tribal seats. Although it took about three and a half years to get them in place, Thiel says it was worth the effort. Along the way, tribal leaders introduced many ideas on how to improve subsistence management on federal lands “Nobody really lives the way we live in Alaska. It's an incredibly unique system so folks just don't have the context or the history with it to really understand it.” The Safari Club has also called on federal managers to defer to the state when overseeing wildlife on federal land, which opponents say conflicts with a 1980 law that gives rural Alaskans priority for hunting and fishing on federal lands. John Sturgeon, a longtime Alaska Safari Club policy maker, says the group does not oppose rural priority for hunting and fishing. “The word deference means consideration. It's not a mandate. So bottom line, Fish and Game does not have the authority to promulgate regulations. We're not asking for that. We're saying that we have to listen to (the Alaska Department of) Fish and Game, and we don't think they've been doing that over the years.” Alaska's dual management system for state and federal lands has spawned many a battle over the right to hunt and fish – and this one could be the start of another long fight. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, April 2, 2026 – The promise and curse of social media

Texas lawmakers are floating a wild idea for 2027: what if a few eastern New Mexico counties just joined Texas. That headline is designed to hit a nerve, so we slow it down and walk through the legal barriers, the voting reality, and the oil-and-gas economics that make a “county takeover” far more clickbait than credible policy.From there, we turn to the New Mexico governor race and a Republican debate moment that says a lot about discipline and temperament. A straightforward residency question turns into a personal, sexist jab at veteran journalist Jessica Garate, and we explain why that kind of dodge matters for anyone who wants to lead a state. We also talk campaign math, donor history, and the difference between throwing punches and actually building the trust needed to win a primary and compete statewide.We also get into the Albuquerque No Kings protest and how media coverage can reward performative politics while New Mexico's daily crises keep stacking up: education outcomes, violent crime, and access to doctors. Then we unpack the Santa Fe appearance by Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the controversy over heightened security, tying it to the very real era of political threats that now follows public officials everywhere.On the national front, we dig into DHS funding, TSA staffing lines, Senate procedure, and how cable news can “fog up” accountability. We also look at border security concerns, reports about Iranian nationals stopped at the border, and the latest talk about Iran and whether “boots on the ground” becomes mission creep. Finally, Christy shares a Navajo Nation mission trip story with Across Nations that includes a frightening lockdown and a powerful reminder of faith, service, and protection.Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. What part of today's conversation do you disagree with most?Website: https://www.nodoubtaboutitpodcast.com/Twitter: @nodoubtpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoDoubtAboutItPod/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markronchettinm/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D

This week, Diné poet Jake Skeets brings us into the rising dust, big sky, and bent light of summers on the Navajo Nation, and explores how the body is not separate from the seasons, rather one of the many terrains upon which they play out. Now living amid excessive heat warnings, sandstorms, and wildfire haze that test his love of the summer, Jake asks how such extremes will reshape our intimate and ancestral relationship with the seasons.Read the essay. Discover our latest print edition, Volume 6: Seasons.Image Credit: Evelyn Dragan / Connected Archives