Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

This is the extended version of our conversation with Anton Treuer. Today’s conversation is with Dr. Anton Treuer (White Earth/Leech Lake Ojibwe), a prolific author, international speaker, historian, and professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University. As a spiritual guide and father of nine, Anton Treuer embodies and defines what it means to be a Language Warrior, which he writes about in his lat...

Today’s conversation is with Dr. Anton Treuer (White Earth/Leech Lake Ojibwe), a prolific author, international speaker, historian, and professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University. As a spiritual guide and father of nine, Anton Treuer embodies and defines what it means to be a Language Warrior, which he writes about in his latest book. What does it take to keep the Ojibwe language thriving eve...

Today’s conversation is with Ashley Fairbanks, an Anishinaabe artist, organizer, designer, and digital strategist, and the Creative Director for the 100% Campaign, which is working to build equitable clean energy to Minnesota’s economy. Ashley Fairbanks has risen in the political world, recently serving as Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s digital director. She shares about growing up in South Minneapoli...

Native Lights – Gifts of Culture & Storytelling with Deanna StandingCloud Today’s conversation is with Deanna StandingCloud (Red Lake Anishinaabe) who is a mom, playwright, organizer, artist, community leader, pow-wow emcee, and advocate for Indigenous people. Deanna shares how she pushed through her nerves to take her proper place as a leader, on a stage, holding a mic, or in front of a camer...

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program and podcast 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 – Dalton Walker’s Gift for Sharing Stories Today’...

Native Lights – A Gift for Numbers with Daniel Lemm Today’s conversation features Daniel Lemm (Lower Sioux Indian Community) who is the Chief Financial Officer at the Charles K. Blandin Foundation, in addition to being Leah’s spouse. Daniel Lemm shares how his love of numbers led to his career in philanthropy, helping get resources out into communities and in a good way. Daniel also speaks about w...

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. In today’s conversation, Host Leah Lemm and Reporter Melissa Townsend reflect on how we’re helping one another get through the pandemic. Throughout the 22 weeks of this program, we have been moved and inspired by so many sharing their stories; people have r...

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. Winter is coming! So, on today’s show Host Leah Lemm looks at how to stay physically and mentally active while continuing to keep our communities safe.  Leah shares a fun conversation with Bill Premo (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) a retired elder who is also h...

How Leech Lake Schools Support Students Through Pandemic’s Constant Change  Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. Today on the show, Host Leah Lemm looks at how schools are supporting their students under seemingly constantly changing conditions, especially given how internet access has been cr...

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. Today on the show, Host Leah Lemm hears what’s on the minds of Native youth in Minnesota. Leah chats with Caley Coyne (Athabaskan and Yup’ik) a 10th grader from Saint Paul.  Caley shares her reflections on distance learning, missing powwows, racial justice,...

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. Today on the show, Host Leah Lemm explores the question: what have we learned? As we cross the six-month milestone of this pandemic. We hear from two Minnesota Leaders about some of the topics the pandemic has brought to the surface, including health inequi...

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On this show, Host Leah Lemm celebrates what the earth provides in the way of food and medicines grown and harvested throughout the year, and how this connects to our health and well-being. Leah’s guests work closely with the land to help provide for our co...

  Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On this show, Host Leah Lemm reflects on the moments of beauty during challenging times. Leah is joined by reporter Melissa Townsend and together they review and reflect on some of their inspiring conversations with community members.  Minnesota Native Ne...

Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On today’s show, how two different musicians find creative ways to make and share their music, even as the pandemic continues. Leah visits with Annie Humphrey, an Anishinaabekwe mother, grandmother, and an award-winning musician who’s been a presence on the...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On today’s show, Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) looks at how parents and families are grappling with the challenge of heading back-to-school as the pandemic continues. Reporter Melissa Townsend spoke with three different parents about how they are gearing up for the school...

Anishinaabe writer Marcie Rendon has just been awarded the prestigious McKnight Distinguished Artist Award for 2020. Rendon is a citizen of the White Earth Nation who lives in south Minneapolis. She is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, play write, author and poet. The McKnight honor comes with 50-thousand dollars. Reporter Melissa Townsend talked with Rendon about her work and the most rec...

  Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On today’s show, Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) looks at how tribal leaders and health care providers are ensuring tribal community members are getting the care and information they need. Joining Leah is Community Health Nurse Teri Morrison, who has lived and worked on t...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On this show, Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) continues her look at how parents of very young children and specifically how new moms are facing the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic Leah’s guest today is Shashana Craft (White Earth Nation) who works for Headway...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis.   On this show, Host Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) looks at how parents and teachers are facing the challenges and opportunities of getting back to school, even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.  The state is providing data-driven guidance, which allows local school district...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On this show, Host Leah Lemm reflects on the themes of rising to the challenge of the pandemic, respecting the virus, and coping with many unknowns. Leah is joined by reporter Melissa Townsend and together they review and reflect on some of their wonderful conversations with community...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. On this show, we hear some nuts and bolts about COVID testing in Indian Country and current challenges our relatives face in getting treatment.  And Leah looks at ways we embrace a healthy lifestyle while keeping an eye on our communities. Leah catches up with Dani Pieratos (Bois Fort...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. In this show, Leah welcomes Lyz Jaakola, an Anishinaabe mother, teacher, and musician living on her home Rez, Fond du Lac in Cloquet, MN.  They reflect on the relationship between the federal government and tribes –and how it affects the health and economic well-being of tribal commun...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. In this show Host Leah Lemm continues her conversation about art and health, with artist Isabella Star Leblanc (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota).  Leblanc grew up in the Twin Cities and is a writer and acclaimed actress, starring in theater productions around the country and on the big scree...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. Today on the show, Leah looks at how our artistic gifts can be motivation to prioritize health, to get healthy, to stay healthy. Last week we discussed how a cancer diagnosis and treatment can be complicated during the pandemic. Today on the show, Leah looks at how our artistic gifts...

Host Leah Lemm explores how Indian Country in MN is responding and adapting to the current pandemic health crisis. June is National Cancer Survivor Awareness Month, and in this show Host Leah Lemm explores how it's important to stay focused on health, even as the pandemic adds more risk and uncertainty. Leah is joined by MN Native News reporter Melissa Townsend, who is a cancer survivor herself an...