On the cusp of what could be a new era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), some researchers are urging caution and the need for deliberate controls to keep the developing technology from robbing Indigenous people of their cultures and sovereignty. A project with three universities provides a framework of standards to prevent AI from stripping Native Americans and all other Indigenous peoples of their right to control images, language, cultural knowledge, and other components of their identities they’ve worked so hard to retain. We’ll hear about the potential benefits and threats of AI to Native people. This is an encore show so we won’t be taking calls from listeners.

GUESTS

Danielle Boyer (Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), robotics inventor

Randy Kekoa Akee (Native Hawaiian), Julie Johnson Kidd Professor of Indigenous Governance and Development at Harvard University

Michael Running Wolf (Lakota and Cheyenne), community leader in AI research

Crystal Hill-Pennington, professor at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Break 1 Music: Obsidian (song) Red-209 (artist)

Break 2 Music: Coventry Carol (song) PIQSIQ (artist) Coventry Carol (album)

December is a traditional time for feasts, family, and giving, but the financial and time burdens of the holiday-heavy month, combined with the change of seasons and other factors, also make it a time ripe for breaks in a person’s mental health. We’ll find out how connections — with other people, cultural traditions, or spiritual foundations — can be a way to mitigate the added stresses of December — or any time, in this encore presentation.

GUESTS

Dr. Pamela End of Horn (Oglala Lakota), national suicide prevention consultant for the Indian Health Service

Kristin Mitchell (Diné), assistant project director for Project AWARE Wildcats (PAWS)

Dr. Jessica Saniguq Ullrich (Nome Eskimo Community and Native Village of Wales), assistant professor at the Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH) at Washington State University

Break 1 Music: Dreaming of A Christmas (song) Randall Paskemin (artist) Christmas Cheer (album)

Break 2 Music: Coventry Carol (song) PIQSIQ (artist) Coventry Carol (album)

New York Times best-selling author Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) made a number of best-of-2025 lists with the third book in her series centered in the Ojibwe community, Sugar Island, titled “Sisters in the Wind.” Another favorite comes from young adult author and editor, Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee), who challenged more than a dozen other Native authors to imagine a Native future where a frybread eatery holds community and culture in the “Legendary Frybread Drive-In.” And renowned Potawatomi botanist and writer, Robin Wall Kimmerer tapped into the curiosity of young readers with her first children’s book “Bud Finds Her Gift.” They are among the Native works highlighted by our distinguished panel of reading enthusiasts. You can find their lists of favorite books of the year below.

GUESTS

Allison Waukau (Menominee and Navajo), American Indian Library Association member -at-large

Amber McCrary (Diné), writer and poet

Stacy Wells (Choctaw Nation), author and librarian

Allison Waukau’s favorite books: 

Stacy Wells’ favorite books: 

Amber McCrary’s favorite books: 

Shawn Spruce’s favorite books: 

Andi Murphy’s (NAC producer) favorite books:

Break 1 Music: 12 Days of Christmas (song) Carol Adams (artist) Heartbeat of the Holiday Season (album)

Break 2 Music: Coventry Carol (song) PIQSIQ (artist) Coventry Carol (album)

With the stroke of a pen, the U.S. welcomes more than 50,000 new federally recognized tribal citizens. After numerous failed attempts, the Lumbee Nation is the 575th federally recognized tribe — the fourth-largest overall in terms of population and the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River. The recognition brings a host of potential changes, including new political power, economic development opportunities, and a sense of pride for Lumbee citizens who have worked for nearly 140 years to be counted among the country’s established sovereign nations.

GUESTS

David E. Wilkins (Lumbee), professor at the University of Richmond

Malinda Maynor Lowery (Lumbee), professor at Emory University, historian, and filmmaker

Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz (Lumbee), professor at the University of Iowa and director of the Native Policy Lab

Break 1 Music: Maple Leaf Rag (song) Lakota John (artist) Winds of Time (album)

Break 2 Music: Coventry Carol (song) PIQSIQ (artist) Coventry Carol (album)

Leonard Peltier’s release after nearly 50 years in federal prison tops our list for the most momentous events of 2025. We’ll explore what the unrepentant elder activist’s relative freedom (he remains under house arrest) means nearly a year after President Joe Biden commuted his sentence. We’ll also revisit some of the other top news events including how President Donald Trump’s first year touched everything from Native health care to federal contracts, and federal recognition for the Lumbee Nation.

GUESTS

Jourdan Bennett-Begaye (Diné), managing editor of ICT

Graham Lee Brewer (Cherokee), national reporter for The Associated Press

Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), publisher and editor of Native News Online and Tribal Business News

Melanie Henshaw (Mvskoke), Indigenous affairs reporter for InvestigateWest

Break 1 Music: Ridin’ Out the Storm (song) Samantha Crain (artist)

Break 2 Music: Coventry Carol (song) PIQSIQ (artist) Coventry Carol (album)

“Cruel Joke”, the new album by Cherokee singer-songwriter Ken Pomeroy, scored celebratory reviews from Rolling Stone and NPR’s World Café among many other outlets. Chickasaw classical composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate puts an Indigenous twist on classical music, teaming up with the Dover Quartet, which BBC Music magazine calls one of the greatest quartets of the last 100 years. And the popular First Nations powwow group Northern Cree released two singles with Juno-award winning blues duo Blue Moon Marquee. They are among the countless talented Native musicians who are mastering their craft and reaching new audiences in 2025. We’ll review some of the notable music from this past year.

GUESTS

Brett Maybee (Seneca), host of “The Mainstream”, “Gaënö’”, and Full Moon Radio; multi-instrumentalist; and singer- songwriter

Larry K (Ho-Chunk), CEO and program host of “Indigenous in Music”

Tory J (Quinault), host of “Sounds of Survivance” on KEXP

Break 1 Music: LUCKY8 (song) Ribbon Skirt (artist) Pensacola

Break 2 Music: Hug Room (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album)

The prime minister of Denmark apologized for the forced contraception of thousands of Indigenous women in Greenland dating back to the 1960s. The Danish government is also ending problematic parent competency tests associated with disproportionately high numbers of babies being taken away from Indigenous mothers. Both milestones come as Greenland — an autonomous territory of Danish rule — is making strides toward independence. The Trump administration has also made public comments about exerting U.S. control over the mineral-rich territory occupied almost entirely by Indigenous Inuit residents. We’ll talk with Greenlanders about how these developments address Denmark’s complicated past and what remains to be done.

GUESTS

Najannguaq Hegelund, chair for SILA 360

Johannes Geisler (Inuk), Greenlandic parent

Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, Member of the Parliament of Greenland

Ujammiugaq Engell, museum director for the Nuuk Local Museum

Break 1 Music: Ikitaa (song) PIQSIQ (artist)

Break 2 Music: Hug Room (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album)

During the brief time it was open, the Turtle building in Niagara Falls, N.Y. served as the Native American Center for the Living Arts. It was designed by Northern Arapaho architect Dennis Sun Rhodes. Now it stands vacant and is in the way of a proposal for a high-rise hotel. It is on the most recent list of Most Endangered Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Another place on the list is the Pamunkey Indian Reservation. Tribal leaders say their land will be underwater within the next 65 years. We’ll hear about some of the threatened historic places and the efforts to save them.

GUESTS

Chief Kevin Brown (Pamunkey)

Shaun Wilson (Mohawk), president of the board of directors for the Friends of the Niagara Turtle

Emma Wilson (Mohawk), student and social media manager for the Friends of the Niagara Turtle

Charles Vaughn (Hualapai), council member and former chairman of the Hualapai Tribe

Break 1 Music: Stomp Dance (song) George Hunter (artist) Haven (album)

Break 2 Music: Hug Room (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album)

Rodeo announcer Randy Taylor (Cherokee) knows what he’s talking about. He was a bareback rider for nearly 20 years. Forty years ago, the Oklahoma native was the first rider out of the chute at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev. After a stint in college and then as a chiropractor, Taylor turned to announcing. His voice is now recognizable all over and on his nationally syndicated show, “Word With A Champ“. He just received the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. He is also a dedicated advocate for Native American youth. Taylor is our December Native in the Spotlight.

Break 1 Music: Hooked on an 8 Second Ride (song) Chris LeDoux (artist) Chris LeDoux and The Saddle Boogie Band (album)

Break 2 Music: Hug Room (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album)

The holiday gift-giving time is when many retailers make a bulk of their annual profit. Several Native entrepreneurs have just opened their doors and are hopeful that this season will propel them forward, despite some indications that shoppers are cautious. Others are veterans of the business world, but are also pinning a lot of hope on the public’s ability to make the most of holiday shopping. We’ll hear from both rookies and long-time Native retailers about what it takes to start and stay in business.

GUESTS

Amy Denet Deal (Diné), founder of 4KINSHIP

Ruth-Ann Thorn (Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians), entrepreneur and owner of Native Star

Jeremy Arviso (Diné, Hopi, Akimel O’odham, and Tohono O’odham), artist, designer, and entrepreneur

Break 1 Music: Dat One (song) The Delbert Anderson Trio (artist) MANITOU (album)

Break 2 Music: Hug Room (song) Chuck Copenace (artist) Oshki Manitou (album)