Native America Calling

Both presidential campaigns are pouring resources into Arizona, a swing state where Native American votes could make a substantial difference in the outcome of the election. But it’s also a state emblematic of laws — proof of citizenship, limits on ballot collecting — that voting advocates say hinders or discourages Native voter participation. As it is, a glitch in the state’s citizenship verification methods puts the votes of some 218,000 registered voters of all races and political persuasions in jeopardy. Also on the campaign trail, an incumbent Idaho state lawmaker angrily told a Nez Perce challenger — the only person of color in the race — go back where you came from” Candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart said she was shaken and worried about her safety. We’ll hear from Carter-Goodheart about the event.

The Indian Health Service finds Native Americans and Alaska Natives are two and a half times more likely to report serious psychological distress than other populations. Psychiatry experts say intergenerational trauma may be one factor. There are steps both employers and employees can do to avoid the effects of stress and burnout in the office. There are additional steps that may be beneficial specifically for Native employees. On World Mental Health Day, we’ll find out ways to build a healthy workplace.

Weary residents in the southeast United States are preparing for the inevitable destruction of Hurricane Milton just two weeks after Hurricane Helene claimed at least 230 lives and billions of dollars in property damage. Area tribes not directly affected by the storm double-punch are offering aid and assessing their own disaster preparedness in light of the devastation. We’ll hear from other tribal emergency management officials about their own evolving disaster plans.

A portrayal of the Pine Ridge Reservation by a YouTube personality with more than 2,000,000 subscribers is drawing criticism for focusing on stereotypes of poverty and substance abuse. Tommy McGee, who goes by the name “Tommy G”, makes a name for himself producing what he calls “documentaries” that depict extremes of American life. His video of the Oglala Lakota reservation, called "The poorest place in America", has more than 3,000,000 views. He paints a picture primarily of meth and alcohol addiction, unemployment, squalor, and crime. Pine Ridge residents, including one Native youth organization, say the video crosses the line into “poverty porn.” We’ll explore current approaches for responsible media representation of Native people.

A possible rat sighting has the remote Pribilof Island of St. Paul in Alaska on high alert. Scientists are concerned an infestation of the invasive species could threaten nesting seabirds and other wildlife. They have reason to be concerned: rats from a Japanese shipwreck more than 200 years ago inundated a series of Alaska’s Aleutian islands, devastating the native species. And a part of Louisiana offers another cautionary tale about invasive rodents. Nutria were originally introduced to help the fur trade. Now the aquatic rodents destroy the vegetation that protects land and coastal marshes from erosion. We'll look at how tribes are grappling with invasive rodents.

In his newest album, “Waiting for a Sign,” Hitaałiinez Wheeler (Diné), better known as ‘Hitaałii,’ takes listeners through Navajo country with his signature hazy and dreamy aesthetic. Sierra Kihega (Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee), who goes by Sierra Spirit, released new singles from her forthcoming collection of indie pop songs, “coin toss,” about personal growth. We’ll talk with these Indigenous artists about their new tunes to add to your Native Playlist.

An Albuquerque, N.M., organization is cutting the ribbon on a new building they say will help in their mission to developing Native entrepreneurs. New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC) has had to be flexible to meet Native business owners “where they are” to provide mentorship, business consultation, and other services that help them succeed. They’re among a number of business incubation efforts with a personal approach to help start and work with people who have ideas, but are from populations that statistically need more assistance to get going.

Republican U.S. Senate challenger Tim Sheehy is drawing fire from Montana tribal officials for comments deemed derogatory against the state’s Native American residents. A recording of the comments at a previous public appearance surfaced at the end of August. In a candidate debate, incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) called on Sheehy to apologize. In a state with 70,000 Native Americans and seven federally recognized Native reservations, how the candidates appeal to Native voters could make a difference in the outcome of a close race. Plus, we'll get updates on Hurricane Helene damage from North Carolina.

The increasing demand for power is prompting challenges from a number of tribes who say the means to transmit that power is harming culturally significant tribal land. The Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Zuni, and San Carlos Apache tribes were dealt a legal setback by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year in their opposition to a proposed $10 billion transmission line through a pristine Arizona canyon. And pueblos and other tribes say they are concerned about additional transmission capacity planned to boost power at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. In both cases, tribal officials say the proposals did not adequately take cultural and archaeological significance into consideration.

Tlingit warriors enjoyed an initial victory in defending their home against Russians intent on re-establishing their settlement in Sitka. But after first driving the Russians back and wounding their leader, Alexander Baranov, in the first week of October, 1804, the Tlingits concluded they couldn’t sustain another armed assault. They moved to the far end of the island that now bears Baranov’s name, but remained contentious cohabitants with the Russians, keeping the settlers on guard. Even though the Tlingits lost, the battle was a landmark event that influenced Russian settlement that came after. We’ll hear about the Battle of 1804, and also the 1869 American assault on the Village of Kake, for which the U.S. Navy just formally apologized.