In this episode, we hear from Lynette, the mother of Nicholas Robert Patterson, a Pit River man who went missing in January of 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This conversation was recorded at the MMIP Conference in Sacramento, California on February 3rd, 2026, where families gathered to share their stories and bring awareness to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).

Lynette shares the painful journey her family has walked since Nick disappeared, from filing missing persons reports across multiple counties, to organizing searches, navigating law enforcement, and continuing to seek answers years later.

In 2024, partial remains believed to belong to Nick were discovered, but many questions still remain. Through her grief, Lynette continues to advocate not only for her son, but for other Indigenous families facing the same heartbreaking reality.

She speaks about the importance of community, prayer, and carrying Nick’s name forward so that awareness grows and other families are not left alone in their search for answers.

If you have any information related to this case, please contact Modoc County authorities.

MMIP affects Indigenous communities across North America. Every story matters. Every name matters.

If you or your family are seeking support or advocacy related to a missing loved one, you can contact Indigenous Justice for assistance at: www.indigenousjustice.org

In this episode I share an audio recording from the MMIP Conference held in Sacramento, California on February 3.

This conversation features Florence Wright, the mother of James “Little Man” Wright, and his Aunt Ginger, as they speak about James’s life, his disappearance, and the nearly four decades of unanswered questions their family continues to live with.

James “Little Man” Wright was an enrolled member of the Pit River Tribe. Born on August 2, 1969, he was raised in Redding, California. On or around November 23, 1988, at just 19 years old, James left a family member’s home to ride his bicycle to a nearby store and he never returned. His case remains open and unresolved.

In her own words, Florence shares the pain of a mother who never stopped searching, the challenges of navigating law enforcement in an unresolved case, and the importance of MMIP advocacy in keeping Indigenous lives from being forgotten.

This episode is shared to honor James Wright, uplift his family’s voice, and remind listeners that missing Indigenous people are not statistics, they are loved, and they matter.

In this episode, I sit down with my cousin Batsulwin Brown, someone I’ve been dancing with since we were little. We reflect on our lifelong connection to Pomo ceremony, what it means to wear regalia with respect, and how traditional dances are being carried forward today.

We talk about the old ways, learning from our uncles and aunties, without classes or flyers and we ask honest questions about how ceremony is being taught now. Are regalia workshops the right way? Do we lose something when teachings are taken out of family hands?

From protocol to purpose, this episode is about more than just keeping traditions alive, it’s about honoring how we carry them.

Batsulwin Brown is available to speak at cultural events, gatherings, or conferences. For inquiries, you can contact him directly at [email protected].

This episode draws a line from the past to the present. From the mercury contaminated waters of Elem Indian Colony on shores of Clearlake, where I grew up near the Sulphur Bank Mine, to the proposed Resolution Copper mine at Oak Flat.

We talk about what happens with poisoned water, collapsed land, and promises that never benefit the people. Oak Flat isn’t just an Indigenous issue, it’s an environmental crisis that will impact everyone in the region and state of Arizona.

I break down the dangers of block caving, the 250 billion gallons of water the mine will drain, and how Arizona’s groundwater laws are failing us all. What happened at Elem Indian Colony of the Elem Pomo people, is happening again. We still have time to stop it.

In this episode of Fight for Our Existence, it opens with the recent ICE raids sweeping through the country,

We then honor Apache Independence Day (June 18) with a short reflection on the history and sovereignty of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Honor Juneteenth.

Finally, we shift to urgent breaking news: the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Oak Flat has been released on June 16th, triggering the 60-day countdown that could hand sacred Apache land over to Resolution Copper. We break down what this means, how Apache Stronghold is responding by going to the Supreme Court and writing to President Biden, and why the fight is far from over.

Any Questions please contact Apache Stronghold at:

www.apache-stronghold.com.

Or their Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/SaveOakFlatArizona

The fight for Oak Flat isn’t over. In this episode, I reflect on the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the Apache Stronghold case, share a personal story about my daughter’s ceremony on sacred land, and speak on what’s at stake for my niece Lozen’s future. I also break down recent court rulings, including the May 7th decision to halt the land transfer and the upcoming June 6th federal hearing. This is more than politics, it’s our faith, our fate, our way of life.

Music: “Holy Ground Song” by Tony Logan. Used with permission. © Rights held by Btaka.

In this episode, I sit down with my family, Apache Stronghold members to talk about the recent federal court decision temporarily halting the transfer of Oak Flat (Chi'chil Biłdagoteel) to a multinational mining company.

Joining me are Wendsler Nosie, Theresa Nosie, Vanessa Nosie, Naelyn Pike, and Baase Pike, spiritual leaders, land defenders, and family members who have fought for years at the center of this battle.

We reflect on the significance of the court's decision and what it truly signifies to our people and to our future generations. We discuss the spiritual aspect of the struggle, the emotional strength it takes to continue, and the next phases in both the legal and the ceremonial journey to protect Oak Flat. This isn't just a legal battle, it's a battle to preserve our way of life, our connection to sacred lands, and the strength of our ancestors who live on in us.

This event transcends news headlines—it's authentic, improvisational insight into intergenerational struggle, love, and spiritual resilience.

Oak Flat is sacred. The fight is far from over.

Apache Stronghold Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/SaveOakFlatArizona

Protect Oak Flat Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/protectoakflat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

On May 7, 2025, Apache Stronghold returned to federal court in Phoenix, Arizona, in the ongoing fight to protect Oak Flat—Chi’chil Biłdagoteel—from destruction by Resolution Copper. I was there, alongside my daughter, nieces, and relatives, singing Apache songs and standing in solidarity. This episode brings you the uncut voices from that day: speeches from Nizhoni and Wendsler Nosie before the hearing, and from Vanessa Nosie, attorney Luke Goodrich, Naelyn Pike, and Wendsler Nosie again after court.

We close with two Apache songs—offered in prayer, strength, and spiritual resistance.

The judge has said a decision will come no later than May 14 at 5 p.m. Until then, we continue to fight for our existence.

In this episode of Fight 4 Our Existence, we have a powerful conversation with my niece Naelyn Pike, a Chiricahua Apache youth leader and lifelong defender of Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, also known as Oak Flat.

Naelyn shares the spiritual and cultural significance of this sacred site, and why she continues to stand with Apache Stronghold in resistance to Resolution Copper — a foreign mining company attempting to desecrate Apache holy land in Arizona.

We talk about what it means to carry tradition, fight for the right to pray, and protect sacred land for the generations yet to come. This is more than a political fight — it’s a spiritual one.

Apache Stronghold Website

https://www.apache-stronghold.com/

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold to discuss the latest developments in the legal battle to protect Oak Flat, known to the Apache as Chi'chil Bildagoteel. Wendsler shares insight into the recent court rulings in Apache Stronghold v. United States, the Forest Service’s plan to republish the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), and the sacred significance of the land under threat from the proposed Resolution Copper mine. This conversation dives deep into the spiritual and legal dimensions of Indigenous land defense and the urgent need to stand in solidarity.

Apache Stronghold Website

http://apache-stronghold.com

Apache Messenger Newspaper

https://www.apachemessenger.com