Red Hoop Talk

In Episode 105 of Red Hoop Talk, host Jennifer Robin welcomes Shonnie Bear, a citizen of the Quapaw Nation and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Southern Cloth dancer, powwow tabulator, and founder of the Central Valley Women's Service Society. Through her work at powwows across Native Country, Shonnie has dedicated herself to supporting dance competitions with fairness and integrity while helping...

In Episode 104 of "Red Hoop Talk," host Jennifer Robin welcomes Darren Thompson, citizen of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, an Indigenous journalist, photographer, musician, and multimedia storyteller whose work focuses on Native Nation sovereignty, environmental issues, and Indigenous-led reporting. Darren has spent years covering major issues across Native Country, in...

In Episode 103 of “Red Hoop Talk,” host Jennifer welcomes Dr. Luhui Whitebear, a citizen of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, with Huastec and Cochimi Ancestry, whose work is grounded in staying close to culture. Rooted in her Chumash homelands in Santa Barbara and her life in Oregon, she carries that responsibility into every space she moves through. As an Assistant Professor of Indigenous...

In Episode 102 of Red Hoop Talk host Jennifer welcomes Michael Duncan (Wintun, Maidu, Wailaki, Western Band Shoshone), founder and Executive Director of Native Dads Network, a Sacramento-based organization focused on fatherhood, wellness, and intergenerational healing. Michael shares how his own lived experience—overcoming addiction, incarceration, and disconnection from identity—shaped his commit...

In Episode 101 of “Red Hoop Talk,” host Jennifer sits down with Michelle Schenandoah (Onʌyota’:aka/Oneida Nation, Wolf Clan), an inspirational speaker, filmmaker, and founder of Rematriation, to explore what it means to return the sacred to the mother. Joining from Onondaga Nation Territory, Michelle reflects on her Haudenosaunee matrilineal teachings and the responsibility she carries as a Hauden...

In this 100th episode of Red Hoop Talk , host Jennifer is joined by Shannon O’Loughlin, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Association on American Indian Affairs’ CEO and Attorney, for a candid conversation on sovereignty, repatriation, identity, and community responsibility. They reflect on the purpose of Red Hoop Talk as a space for honest, community-centered dialogue and the si...

In the 99th episode of Red Hoop Talk , host Jennifer is joined by Kimberly Norris Guerrero (Colville Confederated Tribes, Salish and Kootenai), a contemporary storyteller whose work spans film, television, and theatre. Kimberly’s recent projects include the HBO Original Series It: Welcome to Derry , streaming hits Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls , the gritty revenge thriller Catch the Fair O...

In Episode 98 of “Red Hoop Talk,” Jennifer sits down with Sandy White Hawk (Sicangu Lakota), a nationally respected advocate whose life story has reshaped how the country understands adoption, foster care, and the long-term impacts of Native child removal. Taken from Rosebud at just 18 months old, Sandy grew up far from her relatives, culture, and sense of identity. Her adoptive home was marked by...

In Episode 96 of Red Hoop Talk , host Jennifer welcomes Julian Brave NoiseCat (Canim Lake Band Tsq̓éscen̓/Líl̓wat Nation), a writer, Oscar-nominated filmmaker, champion powwow dancer, and student of art and history. Julian’s work has appeared in The New York Times , The Washington Post , and The New Yorker , earning him honors such as the 2022 American Mosaic Journalism Prize and recognition on th...

Angeline Boulley, citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, joins host Jennifer Robin on the 97th episode of Red Hoop Talk to chat about the power of stories to heal, educate, and protect culture. Born into a family of storytellers, Angeline has spent her career in Native education and now brings that lived experience into her work as a bestselling author. Her novels reflect not o...

In Episode 96 of “Red Hoop Talk,” host Jennifer sits down with Tiokasin Ghosthorse, a citizen of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation of South Dakota and the longtime voice behind First Voices Radio . For more than three decades, Tiokasin has used live radio to share Native perspectives on peace, culture, and our relationship with Mother Earth. Known internationally as an educator, musician, and advoc...

In Episode 94 of "Red Hoop Talk," host Jennifer Robin sits down with Michael Ramirez (Konkow Maidu, Hupa/Yurok, Wintun), a Native educator and passionate activist, to unpack California’s dark colonial legacy. Michael leads listeners through a deep and powerful reflection on the formation of the state of California—what he calls ground zero for many of the United States’ most brutal policies agains...

In Episode 93 of “Red Hoop Talk,” host Jennifer welcomes Gary Farmer (Cayuga/Mohawk/Tuscarora), a celebrated actor, musician, and trailblazer in Native media. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Gary has left a powerful mark on Indigenous storytelling across film, television, music, and radio. Best known for iconic roles in Powwow Highway , Dead Man , and Smoke Signals —films that transfor...

Mary Youngblood, a citizen of the Seminole and Aleut Nations, is a groundbreaking musician and the first woman to professionally record the Native flute. She is also the first woman to win not just one, but two Grammy Awards for Best Native American Music Album. A classically trained flutist, Mary’s lifelong journey in music began with piano lessons at the age of six and expanded to guitar at ten....

In Episode 91 of "Red Hoop Talk," host Jennifer welcomes Dan Nanamkin, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, educator, storyteller, and founder of the Young Warrior Society. Raised with deep respect for traditional knowledge, Dan blends cultural teachings with modern storytelling to uplift Native voices, promote healing from historical trauma, and inspire the next gener...

In Episode 90 of Red Hoop Talk , host Jennifer sits down with Keith Secola, from Couchiching First Nation and Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (Nett Lake), an icon of Native music. Critics have called him the Native Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, but Secola is in a league of his own—his music is the soundtrack of Native Country. His hit song NDN Kars has become a contemporary Native anthem, holding l...

Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota (Sioux) runner, was born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Orphaned at 12 and surrounded by poverty, he turned to running as a source of strength, eventually earning a track scholarship to the University of Kansas and serving as a Marine Corps officer. At the 1964 Olympics, he shocked the world by winning gold in the 10,000...

In this episode of "Red Hoop Talk," we sit down with Shannon O’Loughlin, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Chief Executive and Attorney for the Association on American Indian Affairs. Shannon’s remarkable career spans over 23 years, including roles as an attorney, educator, and leader in Native advocacy. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, from her work with the Nati...

Episode 87 of Red Hoop Talk features Monica Zavala, a citizen of the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation, Acjachemen, and Chicana and artist. Monica draws inspiration from her cultural heritage, blending stories and traditions passed down through generations into her artwork. She works in a variety of mediums, including illustration, painting, sculpture, writing, and digital art. Monica collaborates with Nat...

The 102nd Annual Membership Meeting of the Association on American Indian Affairs featured an unforgettable live taping of Red Hoop Talk Episode 86, starring the hilarious and groundbreaking comedian JR Redwater. A citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, U.S. Navy veteran, and pioneer in Native comedy, JR shared stories filled with humor and heart. From his Navy days to his first day of 7th grad...

Episode 85 of Red Hoop Talk features Brian Wallace, a citizen of the Washoe Tribe and a Nisenan descendant, whose extensive career spans over 25 years of service to the Washoe Tribe. Known for his unwavering dedication to cultural preservation, environmental advocacy, and fostering cross-cultural partnerships, Brian is a respected leader in Native Country. In this episode, Brian shares his family’...

In Episode 84 of "Red Hoop Talk," host Jennifer welcomes Johnny Moses (Tulalip/Nuu-chah-nulth), a master storyteller, healer, and cultural ambassador. Johnny’s journey began in the remote village of Ohiat on Vancouver Island, where he was raised in the traditional ways by his grandparents. He carries the Si. Si .Wiss teachings—meaning "sacred breath, sacred life"—and is dedicated to sharing his pe...

Jessie Taken Alive-Rencountre Episode 83 Jessie Taken Alive-Rencountre is a Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She has worked as a school counselor serving hundreds of students for 15 years. She was named the Great Plains Emerging Tribal Writer’s Award winner for her 1st children’s book Pet’a Shows Misun the Light. Utilizing her teachings from her Lakota culture combined with a sc...

In episode 83 of Red Hoop Talk , we welcome Carly Harvey, descendant of the Eastern Band Tsalagi and Tuscarora, known as DC’s Queen of the Blues! Carly brings a unique blend of Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Indigenous American styles, creating a powerful fusion she calls "Native Scat"—an improvisational style that combines traditional Jazz scat with Native vocables. Carly Harvey, based in Washington, DC,...

Episode 81 of "Red Hoop Talk" opens with an engaging conversation between our host, Jennifer, and Mark Williams, a citizen of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and an award-winning filmmaker. Mark shares his journey from humble beginnings in filmmaking to his work with the Native American Paranormal Society. The episode delves into the rich history of the Southeastern Native sport of stickba...