Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

Today Leah and Cole chat with An Garagiola, a descendent of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and the University Coordinator and a Lead Researcher on the TRUTH Project. An shares about researching archives from the University of MN and the MN Historical Society, findings from the TRUTH Project, and how she’s bringing Indigenous values to Academia and research.The Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (TRUTH) project has released a report detailing the “persistent, systemic mistreatment” of Indigenous people by the University of Minnesota. As a land grab/grant university, the U of MN received stolen land as investment capitol from the US Government through the Morrill Act in 1862. The TRUTH project looks at different points of history within the U of MN and how it affected Native people, with input and research from the 11 Tribal nations in Minnesota.This is the third episode of a series with some of the leaders of the TRUTH research project: Listen to our interview with Misty Blue, and Audrianna Goodwin as well. Find out more about the TRUTH project: https://mn.gov/indian-affairs/truth-project/ In a statement to MN Native News, the University of Minnesota said “In recent years the University has committed to acknowledging the past and doing the necessary work to begin rebuilding and strengthening relationships with Tribal Nations and Native people. Openly receiving this report is another step toward honoring that commitment. While documenting the past, the TRUTH Report also provides guidance as to how the University can solidify lasting relationships with Tribes and Indigenous peoples built on respect, open communication and action. As we engage in the important discussions that will now follow, that guidance will be invaluable.”Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.    Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Today Leah and Cole chat with Audrianna Goodwin, a Red Lake Nation citizen and part of the core research team for the TRUTH Project where she has been appointed tribal research fellow for Red Lake Nation. Audrianna shares her outlook as a ‘dreamer’ and how family and community helped her along her path. She explains her TRUTH Project research that examines medical research done to Red Lake children by the University of Minnesota and how Indigenous-led research is vital to healing and recognition The Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (TRUTH) project has released a report detailing the “persistent, systemic mistreatment” of Indigenous people by the University of Minnesota. As a land grab/grant university, the U of MN received stolen land as investment capitol from the US Government through the Morrill Act in 1862. The TRUTH project looks at different points of history within the U of MN and how it affected Native people, with input and research from the 11 Tribal nations in MinnesotaThis is the second episode of a series with some of the leaders of the TRUTH research project: Listen to our interview with Misty Blue. Find out more about the TRUTH project: https://mn.gov/indian-affairs/truth-project/ In a statement to MN Native News, the University of Minnesota said “In recent years the University has committed to acknowledging the past and doing the necessary work to begin rebuilding and strengthening relationships with Tribal Nations and Native people. Openly receiving this report is another step toward honoring that commitment. While documenting the past, the TRUTH Report also provides guidance as to how the University can solidify lasting relationships with Tribes and Indigenous peoples built on respect, open communication and action. As we engage in the important discussions that will now follow, that guidance will be invaluable.”Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Today Misty Blue, White Earth Nation citizen and Tribal coordinator of the TRUTH Project, chats with Leah and Cole about some of the TRUTH report’s findings, the importance of Indigenous-led research, and what the TRUTH project recommends the UMN do to take steps toward healing.  The Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (TRUTH) project has released a report detailing the “persistent, systemic mistreatment” of Indigenous people by the University of Minnesota. As a land grab/grant university, the U of MN received stolen land as investment capitol from the US Government through the Morrill Act in 1862. This is the first episode of a series with some of the leaders of the TRUTH research project.  Find out more about the TRUTH project: https://mn.gov/indian-affairs/truth-project/

Today Leah and Cole chat with Gerilyn Lopez, a member of the White Earth Nation. Gerilyn works as a weatherization auditor and inspector at MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership. She connects low incomes families to energy-efficient practices and materials in Northern Minnesota. In addition, she is an advocate for women and diverse communities getting into the clean energy and home improvement industries. Her work led her to speak at the Aspen Ideas: Climate conference in March. She shares her experiences at the conference, what she does as a weatherization auditor and how her interest in solar energy has lead her down this path. Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.    Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Today we’re chatting with Alicia Smith, Alicia is Yupik from Pitkas Point Village in Alaska, and is the Deputy Director of the Economic Assistance and Employment Support Division at the MN Dept of Human Services. After working as an American Indian advisor for the state, she now oversees the state’s anti-poverty support programs that include food stamps, food banks, shelters, and community action programs. She shares how family, community, and Yupik values have guided her along her path. Miigwech to Alicia for taking some time to chat!  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Today Leah and Cole speak with Wayne Somes, a citizen of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Wayne shares how his passions for family, early childhood development, and Ojibwemowin have led him along a path to Northern Minnesota.  Wayne is also the Tribal Liaison for MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, a community support non-profit serving Mahnomen, Hubbard, Becker, Otter Tail and Wadena counties. In his role, he works on outreach, tribal collaboration efforts, Ojibwe education, and increasing cultural practices. Wayne shares how his passions for family, early childhood development, and Ojibwemowin have led him his path to Northern Minnesota. More about MAHUBE-OTWA at : https://mahube.org/ Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Today we’re speaking with artist Thomasina “Tomie” TopBear. She is a self-taught artist, muralist, published illustrator and organizer from the Oglala Lakota & Santee Dakota Nations. She specializes in large-scale murals; her work can be seen on the sides of buildings throughout the Twin Cities and the country. Cole talks with her about City Mischief Murals, which she co-founded. It’s an all Indigenous, Black & Pacific Islander artist collective centered on healing through art. She had some great things to say about how murals can build a stronger community, the process of painting a mural, and much more. You can get a taste of her art at: https://www.instagram.com/tomierae  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Leah and Cole chat with Tabitha Chilton, a White Earth Nation member who serves as Sanford Health’s Native American patient advocate in Bemidji, Minnesota. Tabitha’s focus on outpatient care at the Joe Lueken Cancer Center helps Native communities access healthcare throughout Northern Minnesota. She works with Tribal communities to help build trust and understanding in the healthcare system and emphasizes the need for preventative care and primary care. Tabitha chats with us about her current position at Sanford Health, helping youth through trauma-informed care and her path to serving communities.Miigwech to Tabitha for sharing about what has led her along the path of advocating for Native Americans in Healthcare systems!Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Today Leah and Cole chat with Jewell Arcoren (Sisseton Wahpeton Nation). Jewell is a community activist and the Executive Director for Wicoie Nandagikendan, an Ojibwe and Dakota language immersion preschool in Minneapolis. There, she pursues her commitments to early childhood education, language revitalization and addressing intergenerational historical trauma. Jewell talks about how cultural integration is a key to healing and moving forward, including language revitalization and traditional foods. She shares about her journey with Wicoie Nandagikendan, the school's hope to expand and how culture can put people onto a path of healing. Wicoie Nandagikendan is language immersion pre-school that teaches through Ojibwe and Dakota languages. They are located along Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis within the American Indian corridor. Since 2006, they’ve been a national leader in language immersion. https://www.facebook.com/WicoieNandagikendan/  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

Today is a special episode of Native Lights. We have two guests! Sasheen Goslin and Deanna Reder from the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) in Duluth. They are two members of the small team at AICHO that is dedicated to all aspects of wellness for the Indigenous communities in Duluth. Sasheen (Prairie Band Potawatomi, Red Cliff Ojibwe and Kickapoo) is the Indigenous Health Coordinator at AICHO and Deanna serves as the Legal Advocate for Dabinoo’Igan Domestic Violence Shelter ran by AICHO. Sasheen and Deanna share their a little about their journey to AICHO, what makes AICHO special, and the upcoming benefit for Dabinoo’Igan.AICHO is in the process of fundraising for an expansion of Dabinoo’Igan, including a benefit concert at the NorShor Theatre featuring performances by Annie Humphrey and Keith Secola. Find out more about the Dabinoo’Igan Domestic Violence Shelter expansion benefit show happening April 6th in Duluth: https://www.aicho.org/funddvshelter.html#/ Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

Today we chat with Annie Humphrey (Leech Lake Ojibwe). She’s an Anishinaabekwe mother, grandmother, and an award-winning musician who’s been a presence on the music scene for decades. We have a wide-ranging conversation with Annie that highlights her wisdom, her path to music, her care for her family and empathy for community. Annie talks about her latest album Eat What You Kill, building a hemp house, and the upcoming benefit show for the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO)’s Dabinoo’Igan Domestic Violence Shelter expansion. Find out more about the Dabinoo’Igan Domestic Violence Shelter expansion benefit show happening April 6th in Duluth: https://www.aicho.org/funddvshelter.html#/Annie Humphrey’s website: https://www.anniehumphreymusic.com/Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/ 

Today we chat with LeAnn Littlewolf, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen and co-Executive Director for the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) in Duluth. AICHO’s community informed programs aim to create a stronger, healthier, more stable Native community in Duluth. As co-Executive Director, LeAnn brings three decades of experience in community leadership and advocacy, culturally informed strategies for community and economic development. She shares about her path to leading at AICHO, how her work and AICHO’s service are built around community needs and engagement and what is next for AICHO.AICHO’s programs include emergency and transitional housing; health equity and food sovereignty initiatives; and community arts and cultural programming. Learn more about AICHO at: https://www.aicho.org/ Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/ Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. 

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. Rebekah Fineday’s Gift for Building Trust in Healthcare Systems & Native Communities Today, we’re speaking with Rebekah Fineday, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen and Air Force veteran who serves as Sanford Health’s Native American community advocate in Bemidji, Minnesota. She is also a Registered Nurse and has worked at Indian Health Service (IHS) in Cass Lake and Red Lake for more than a decade. Through her work, she’s been advocating to improve health care in Native American communities which include community-minded patient relations, building relationships with other tribal health groups, and in-person patient advocacy. She shares a little about her time in the Air Force, working in Indian Health Services, and the importance of community and culture in the health care system. Miigwech to Rebekah for sharing about what has led her along the path of advocating for Native Americans in Healthcare systems! Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.  Levi Brown’s Gift for Building Relationships Across the Table Today we’re speaking with Levi Brown, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen and Director of Tribal Affairs at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDot). Levi talks with Leah and Cole about acknowledgement on a person-to-person level and on an institutional level. In his current position at MnDot, Levi helped facilitate the highway signs marking the 1854 Treaty boundaries in Northern MN, a step toward acknowledgment and a point of education. Levi is also a part of the Tribal State Relationship Training Program that helps develop collaboration and understanding between tribes and Minnesota state departments.   Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.Elaine Fleming: Celebrating and Sharing the Culture of Leech LakeToday Leah and Cole chat with Elaine Fleming. She teaches and preserves Leech Lake Ojibwe culture, history, and language. Elaine proudly lives in Cass Lake, where she has been an instructor at Leech Lake Tribal College for 29 years. Elaine has immense gratitude and care for Leech Lake’s natural gifts. At the tribal college, she has taught through hands-on experiences rooted in Leech Lake history and tradition, including manoomin harvesting, historical theatre, and knowledge bowl. She teaches several subjects including Leech Lake history, Anishinaabe studies and Indigenous American Women. Elaine shares her journey to working at the tribal college, her experiences teaching the next generation, and how through teaching she is still learning.Elaine is also an Army veteran; was the mayor of Cass Lake from 2003 to 2006; and is the host of the History of Leech Lake Show on KOJB Radio. Chi miigwech to Elaine for sharing with us!Find the Leech Lake Tribal College online at: https://www.lltc.edu/Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine. Native Lights is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at MinnesotaNativeNews.org/NativeLights

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. Amber Annis: Nurturing & Protecting Authentic Narratives Today Leah and Cole chat with Amber Annis, a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe citizen who is currently the director of Native American Initiative at the Minnesota Historical Society. Amber has a long history not only as a public historian, but as an educator, tribal nation liaison, community engagement specialist and collaborator.  She also talks about her experience teaching “Topics in Contemporary Native North America” at Metro State University; the process behind reframing historical archives of Indigenous people; and how her and the Minnesota Historical Society are helping reframing how K-12 teach the history of Minnesota.  Pidamayaye and Miigwech to Amber for sharing with us today!  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine. Native Lights is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at MinnesotaNativeNews.org/NativeLights

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices ShineNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. Jada Brown: Expression and Affirmation Through Singing Today Leah and Cole have a conversation with Jada Brown. Jada is a Minneapolis-based singer, songwriter and spoken word poet who is affiliated with the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. She just released her debut solo album Admiration this month. Jada is also in the band Willows who are releasing an EP at Icehouse in January. Jada has been singing since her teen years and moved to Minneapolis from St. Michael. Jada is also studying Global Studies, American Indian Studies and Gender studies at the University of Minnesota. Chi Miigwech to Jada for talking with us today.  Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio ShowNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.  Karen Jones and Stephanie Longfield: Taking Initiative for Future Generations Today Leah shares her conversations with Karen Jones and Stephanie Longfield from White Earth Nation’s cohort of Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative (IPLI). As graduates of the initiative, they’ve begun projects to deepen connections between their communities and culture. Karen’s project, “Traditional Healing Home for Young Adults” plan to create two traditional healing home for young adults that have aged out of foster care or have nowhere else to go. Stephanie’s project “Preparing Our Youth” focuses teaching “life” skills to young adults in the White Earth community, from opening a bank account, to building credit and even maintaining vehicles.  Chi-Miigwech to Karen and Stephanie for sharing with us today! The Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative is a 21-week course for parents that integrates Ojibwe culture, child development and leadership. To find out more about the next cohort at IPLI, visit https://www.indigenousvisioning.com/ or on their Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/Indigenous-Parent-Leadership-Initiative-104913428664845 Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio ShowNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.Jessica Glidden: Fostering Native Leadership Today Leah and Cole chat with Jessica Glidden (Bois Forte). Jessica is the Program Manager at the Native Governance Center (NGC). She shares her thoughts about Native identity, moving away from colonized ways and the Native Rebuilders cohort. Native Rebuilders is a leadership development program for Indigenous changemakers. The program aims to strengthen Native leaders and changemakers and gives them the tools to better their communities. The Native Governance Center is a native-led nonprofit that aids Native nations in the region, strengthening their own governance systems and capacity to exercise sovereignty. Find NGC online at: https://nativegov.org/Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine – Weekly Radio ShowNative Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce -- a.k.a. Minnesota -- to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. Derek Nicholas: Indigenous Fare for Future GenerationsLeah and Cole have a conversation with Derek Nicholas (Red Cliff Band of Ojibwe) about food sovereignty and Indigenous cooking. Derek shares his experiences as the Nutrition Program Coordinator at the Division of Indian Work in Minneapolis; his views on culturally, seasonally appropriate foods; and about the growing, multi-faceted Indigenous food community. Derek authored the book Eating with the Seasons, Anishinaabeg, Great Lakes Region and is planning to start a non-profit cultural camp to gather, grow and cook Indigenous foods and connect future generations to cultural traditions of all types. He’s also the founder of Wiisinig LLC, a platform to showcase his food sovereignty work. Chi-Miigwech to Derek for sharing with us today! Find Wiisinig online: https://www.wiisinigllc.com/ Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/