Lynette Clark and Ron Jackson are active and committed members of the Fort Peck community who bring honest and thoughtful perspectives to this conversation on grief. In this session, they openly discuss both the positive and negative ways grief is expressed and handled within their community. Drawing from personal experiences and what they’ve seen in those around them, Lynette and Ron offer a grounded and relatable look at how loss can impact individuals, families, and the broader community. Their insights encourage reflection, healing, and a deeper understanding of how we support one another through the hardest times.

In this powerful session, Mabel, a respected elder from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, shares her truth about grief, love, and the strength it takes to carry on. With calm wisdom and deep cultural understanding, she reflects on personal loss and the traditional ways that have helped her and others move through sorrow.

In this powerful audio session, Blackfeet women from the Browning, Montana community come together to shed light on the urgent and often overlooked issue of tribal maternal health and maternal mortality. Through heartfelt storytelling, they share personal experiences of loss, resilience, and healing. These voices—rooted in tradition, love, and community—offer insight into the challenges faced by Native mothers and families, while also honoring the strength it takes to move forward. This session is both a testimony of grief and a celebration of the collective healing journey led by Native women. 

In this session, we hear from Max HighWalker, a respected voice from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana.  Max shares from experience, honoring the deep pain that grief brings, while offering encouragement to those still walking through it.

In this session, we welcome Laurie FourHorn, a strong voice from Lame Deer, Montana.
Laurie speaks from the heart—with honesty, compassion, and the wisdom that comes from walking through grief and standing back up.

Her words offer strength for those who carry sorrow and guidance for those learning how to support others in their pain. Through story and reflection, she reminds us that healing is not forgetting—it’s remembering with purpose.

Tommy Christian (Nakoda name of Eagle Claw), is a respected leader and spiritual teacher from the Fort Peck Reservation. Rooted in the traditional ways of his ancestors, Tommy carries deep knowledge, his words reflect a lifetime of commitment to cultural healing and spiritual responsibility. When speaking about grief, Tommy offers more than comfort—he brings teachings that help people understand loss through connection to the spirit world. His guidance helps others walk with purpose, honor their loved ones, and restore balance through the sacred ways passed down from elders long before him.

Eloise speaks openly about grief, offering insight into how loss has touched her life and how she’s found ways to cope, reflect, and keep moving forward. Her words offer comfort without judgment, and she reminds others that healing doesn’t follow a set path—it’s something we learn to carry with us, one day at a time.

Vernon "Tuffy" First is a respected elder and storyteller from the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana. Known for his gentle strength and heartfelt wisdom, Tuffy draws from the deep well of his heritage to share traditional teachings, personal experiences, and stories passed down through generations. In his reflections on grief, he offers a powerful blend of cultural knowledge and spiritual insight—guiding others to understand loss not just as sorrow, but as a sacred part of life’s circle. 

In this session, we are honored to welcome Les Lefthand.
Les brings a powerful presence and deep wisdom shaped by lived experience, cultural grounding, and years of walking with others through their own grief.
Whether you are listening for your own healing or to better support someone you love, we invite you to receive these words with an open heart. Les speaks from a place of compassion, strength, and truth.