Monday, June 20, 2022 – The remaining COVID threats

06/20/22 • 55 min

The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation estimates as many as 25 million Americans are experiencing long COVID. So little is known about the condition that the number could be much higher or significantly lower. But medical experts suggest a large percentage of the population could suffer serious symptoms from the virus for a long time. Those symptoms might be as mild as a loss of smell, or as severe as difficulty breathing. And the significant rate of infections is far from over. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Dr. Jill Jim (Navajo), executive director of the Navajo Nation Department of Health; Dr. Anthony Fleg, physician with the University of New Mexico and co-founder of the Native Health Initiative; and Chasity Salvador (Acoma Pueblo), long COVID survivor, community partner with the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, poet, community doula, seedkeeper, and farmer.

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Friday, June 17, 2022 – Losing control of language revitalization

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s experience is a cautionary tale for tribes working with outsiders to help preserve their language. Tribal members worked with the Lakota Language Consortium for years, recording elders, developing workshops, and translating books. When the tribe wanted to utilize the materials they’d worked on, they discovered they were copyrighted and controlled by a non-Native entrepreneur and tribal members would have to purchase the books and other materials. The tribe has since taken the rare step of banishing the organization. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Graham Lee Brewer (Cherokee), investigative reporter for NBC News; Alex FireThunder (Oglala Lakota), Lakota language instructor, musician, and incoming deputy director for the Lakota Language Consortium; Tipiziwin Tolman (Standing Rock Sioux), Indigenous language revitalization student and board member on the Lakota Language Consortium; Jennifer Weston (Standing Rock Sioux), co-author of the resolution to ban the Lakota Language Consortium from the tribe; and Waniya Locke (Ahtna Dene, Lakota/Dakota, and Anishinaabe), community organizer, Indigenous doula, former Lakota Language teacher, and transcriber of Lakota language.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – Uneven recognition of marriage equality

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Tribal Council reversed course on recognizing marriage equality after their citizens and others spoke up. Today on Native America Calling, in celebration of Pride month, Shawn Spruce takes a look at the varying actions across Native nations to acknowledge same-sex unions in light of the growing trend among states to do so with Curtis Alexander Jr. (Omaha-He/She/Bitch), president and public relations chair for Winnebago Two-Spirits, and Alray Nelson (Diné-He/His/Him), lead organizer for Diné Equality and executive director for Navajo Nation Pride.