Native America Calling

At least two tribal relocation efforts foreshadow what can go wrong when even small communities are forced to contend with the increasing threats posed by climate change. A report by the Washington Post, ProPublica, and Bethel radio station KYUK documents the ongoing difficulties which the residents of Newtok, Alaska confront after moving their village to escape the effects of the rising sea and thawing permafrost. We’ll hear about that report and the worries about future efforts to react to changing landscapes.

An exhibit at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Eugene, Oreg. assembles works by Native LGBTQ2 artists that express this moment in time. It is among the hundreds of events, including parades and panel discussions, to mark Pride Month. This year’s push for awareness will have to go on without acknowledgement by the federal government, which is foregoing any mention of Pride. And the annual report by the advocacy group, GLAAD, notes that while violent incidents against gay and lesbian people are down as a whole in the past year, attacks against trans citizens has significantly increased. We’ll check on the status of Native Pride. Plus, we'll get career highlights of the late actor Jonathan Joss (Comanche and White Mountain Apache) who died this week.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of Native America Calling’s first national radio broadcast. Started in the studios in Albuquerque public radio station, KUNM, NAC has been the daily voice for Native issues, politics, entertainment, and arts ever since. Tribal leaders, activists, educators, bureaucrats, aunties, presidents, and everyday people have all made their way onto the airwaves on NAC, all with one common thread: to talk about the things that are important to Native Americans from a Native point of view. We’ll mark the occasion by hearing from some of the voices associated with Native America Calling over the years.

The increase in highly publicized deportations is unnerving both undocumented and documented migrants in the United States. Indigenous people from other countries, some who have visas or are awaiting decisions from immigration proceedings, are among those caught up in the Trump administration’s focus on mass deportations. Many of those who remain say they live in fear of being apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The New York Times reports immigration actions appear to have ramped up in May. The top deportation destination are Guatemala and Honduras, places where Indigenous people are fleeing violence and poverty. We’ll talk with people working with migrants about what is happening on the ground and what is different than actions in the past.

Three Alaska Native tribes filed a lawsuit to stop a controversial gold mining operation east of Nome. The tribes say a permit just granted by the U.S. Corps of Engineers will allow the destruction of salmon habitat and other important environmental elements in a pristine estuary. The mining process involves extracting ore from material dredged from river and ocean beds. On the other side of the state, residents of Wrangell are concerned about a gold mine just over the border in Canada. A new report finds heavy metals in groundwater on the Alaska side.

David A. Robertson (Norway House Cree Nation) gives us 52 practical suggestions — one for each week of the year — to support and connect with Indigenous people. 52 Ways to Reconcile lists tasks as simple and enjoyable as making Bannock, to as challenging as taking personal action toward reconciliation. Matthew Fletcher (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians) has devoted himself to the legal profession, becoming one of the most respected experts in Indian Law. In his spare time he has written and published a collection of fictional short stories, Stick Houses. He draws from his own observations and stories from his family to illustrate the lives of modern Native Americans. We’ll add Matthew Fletcher’s Stick Houses, and David A. Robertson’s 52 Ways to Reconcile to the Native Bookshelf.

President Donald Trump’s proposed spending plan, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” would cut about $300 billion from the program that provides food to low-income residents. If it survives Congress intact, thousands of Native people will lose eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Tribes and conservation groups worry the Trump administration’s push for expanded logging of federal land poses a threat to Indigenous foods, like salmon. Nicole Livingston is one of a handful of students who graduated this semester from the only tribal college culinary arts program at Navajo Technical University. She’s off to an internship at the country’s most renown Indigenous restaurant: Owamni by the Sioux Chef. We’ll talk about these topics on The Menu, our regular feature on Indigenous food sovereignty hosted by Andi Murphy.

Tornados and other severe storms that stretched across three states killed nearly 30 people this month. Before that, storms left at least 37 people dead and damaged hundreds of homes. Early warnings are key to saving lives during tornados and other damaging weather events. We’ll talk with people who are part of the process to spot severe weather and get the word out when minutes save lives.

The 3,300-member Chinook Tribe in Washington State just scrapped their support of legislation for federal recognition tribal leaders had been working on for more than two years. The rejection comes after the key author of the bill added a series of onerous conditions at the last minute. A handful of other tribes around the country are working through the long, complicated process to secure recognition. Meanwhile, efforts to follow through on President Donald Trump’s promise of federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe is encountering criticism from other tribes who say the process ignores important considerations that most other tribes have to contend with. We’ll get status updates on tribes awaiting federal recognition.

The Trump administration cut a quarter of the staff at Haskell Indian Nations University in February. A little over a month later a judge reinstated those positions. Even though the jobs at Haskell and other Bureau of Indian Education schools were restored, uncertainty over the future of those institutions prevails. Similar anxiety accompanies dozens of other important programs and institutions including libraries, museums, low-income heat assistance, and Medicaid. We’ll get updates from places feeling the effects of fast-changing federal support.