The Mirror And Mantle Podcast

A Thanksgiving Conversation w/ Elder Gregorio Kishketon


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Unthankful Truths: Reflections on History, Healing, & Honor — A Thanksgiving Conversation w/ Elder Gregorio Kishketon

THE DANDY LION PRESENTS: “UNTHANKFUL TRUTHS” — A THANKSGIVING CONVERSATION ON HISTORY, HEALING, AND HONOR

This Thanksgiving, The Mirror & The Mantle steps beyond the myth of the Pilgrims’ feast to explore the complex legacy that shaped two peoples — Native and Black — and the sacred work of truth-telling that binds them still.

In this special holiday episode, Winston “The Dandy Lion” Brathwaite welcomes Elder Gregorio Kishketon, Kickapoo Water Clan elder, U.S. Marine veteran, and national advocate for Native communities, for a candid and deeply human conversation about the untold realities of America’s first nations and their shared resonance with the African-American experience.

With elegance, empathy, and unflinching honesty, Unthankful Truths examines:

The real histories of Squanto and Pocahontas, whose lives were shaped by captivity, loss, and extraordinary resilience.

The little-known story of Native and African intersections — from shared enslavement to shared liberation.

The present-day crisis of tribal infrastructure, where many communities still lack running water and electricity.

The spirit of gratitude that transcends myth and centers remembrance, respect, and reclamation.

Kishketon also shares his current work in veteran advocacy and Native community development, offering tangible ways listeners can support ongoing tribal initiatives, educational programs, and cultural preservation efforts.

The episode closes with two signature moments of The Mirror & The Mantle — the “Mirror Reflection Question” and “Finish the Sentence” — inviting guests and audiences alike to look inward, confront inherited histories, and reimagine what honor and healing look like today.

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The Mirror And Mantle PodcastBy Winston Brathwaite