Pearl Yellowman (Diné) was the Vice President of Operations at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, N.M. She recently found herself on the list of layoffs at the school, SIPI, among 20 others. Yellowman talks about the impact of cuts to higher learning and Native American students. [We’ve reached out to SIPI’s current leadership for comment, we’ll update when we get a response.]

Federal Indian Law Attorney Julia Kolsrud discusses the tribe’s quest to gain crucial and much-needed resources in what would be the largest tribal water settlement in U.S. history.

Melanie Henshaw (Muscogee Nation) is an indigenous affairs reporter for InvestigateWest. Her recent reporting focuses on Colville tribal members facing higher than average medical debt for bills that aren’t even theirs to pay.

Former Miss Navajo Nation Alyson Shirley recently graduated from Arizona State University with her Master’s degree in Global Health. She plans to work with tribal member to address health disparities and inequities when it comes to HIV and STIs. Shirley also talks about her reign as Miss Navajo.

Gary Farmer is an actor, musician, and activist whose made a career in indigenous media. His performances in television and film have received rave reviews. The1989 film “Powwow Highway”, in which he stars, was just inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry.

Rep. Ruben Gallego joins Colton to discuss the Native American Child Protection Act.

Jeffrey Lazos-Fern is the marketing consultant for Arizona American Indian Tourism Association. This year he's had a major hand in putting together the Arizona Indigenous Food Symposium taking place in Old Town Scottsdale mid November. There will be a heavy focus on food sovereignty, environmental justice, as well as preserving cultural food practices. He shares how the indigenous culinary scene has grown in recent years. 

Alana Yazzie, aka The Fancy Navajo, is a Diné chef. She started posting recipes online about a decade ago and has cultivated a huge following on social media. Her first cookbook "The Modern Navajo Kitchen" will be released on October 8th. She shares recipes that highlight her Navajo culture.  

Dr. Two Bears is from the Navajo Nation. She brings a native perspective to archaeology, most recently recovering and recording information on federal Indian boarding schools. Her most recent work profiles the tribal response to the boarding Indian schools with its own community schools that heavily promote and teach Navajo language and culture.

Patty Talahongva is a Hopi journalist whose made her career in the television news industry. She’s currently working on a book focusing on Indian Boarding Schools using her first-hand experience at the Phoenix Indian School.