Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

In Native Lights, people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce - a.k.a. Minnesota - tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. These are stories of joy, strength, history, and change from Native people who are shaping the future and honoring those who came before them. Native Lights is also a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities. Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

  1. 2d ago

    Alexandera Houchin: Life on Two Wheels

    Today, we're very excited to Welcome Alexandera Houchin to the Native Lights podcast. Alexandera is a citizen of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe). She resides in her reservation community in northern Minnesota. She's an ultra racer, bike packer, mountain biker, outdoor adventurer, storyteller, and writer. And she is currently working on her memoir for Penguin Random House and is the subject of a documentary.   Alexandera shares her story of growing up apart from her Ojibwe roots. Her mother had been adopted and spent the first 19 years of Alexandera's life trying to track down her Native birth family.    As an adult, Alexandera got her first bike to replace a car that no longer worked. But soon, she was sucked into the exciting world of bike tours and ultra endurance events, multi-day races over hundreds of miles. She tells us how the long stretches of open road helped her cultivate healing and a place for ceremony.   She also opens up about how her racing career led her to become a writer and how following her passion—along with setting records in some intense, grueling races—led to a documentary project and an unexpected invitation to write a book. ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Alexandera Houchin: Life on Two Wheels
  2. Jul 9

    Bradley Harrington: The United States 250th Anniversary from an Anishinaabe Perspective

    On this episode Leah and Cole speak with Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe citizen Bradley Harrington who recently penned an article in the Mille Lacs Band newspaper, Ojibwe Inaajimowin, about 250 years of US occupation as the country marks the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.     Bradley delves into the politics that led to the European occupation of the continent, and how a belief that the land was theirs by divine right and Supreme Court lawmaking ignored thousands of years of Native history and stewardship. He shares what the country's 250th anniversary might look like from the perspective of an Anishinaabe citizen.   He also catches us up on what's happened in his life since Leah and Cole last spoke to him in 2022. How a career shift has made it possible for him to devote more time to making the Ojibwe language accessible to learners. How years after his own incarceration he is going behind bars to be of service to prisoners. And, how learning ceremony from his elders has led him to connect with the larger Anishinaabe community. ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Bradley Harrington: The United States 250th Anniversary from an Anishinaabe Perspective
  3. Jun 25

    Dr. Samantha Majhor: The Story Collector

    Today, we're excited to welcome Dr. Samantha Majhor to Native Lights. Samantha is a direct descendant of Fort Peck. She's Dakota and Assiniboine and is an assistant professor in American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. She focuses on Native American literature, particularly literature by Dakota and Ojibwe writers around the Great Lakes region.    Samantha gives us an inside look at the creation of the Oceti Sakowin Story Map Project, which she is co-developing. It's a digital archive of oral narratives connecting Dakota and Lakota stories across the Oceti Sakowin diaspora. She also discusses the challenge of archiving this valuable resource online, while trying to keep it out of the reach of AI searches and web results, and how the stories spoken in the Dakota language might be their own best protection.   She talks to us about rematriation, what it is, how it's different from repatriation and why it's important to use this term when thinking about land back.   And, of course, we couldn't talk with American Indian Studies and literature professor Samantha Majhor without asking her to share the books on her to-read list as well as some recommendations: To the Moon and Back by Eliana RamageBack for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst JR. The Berry Pickers by Amanda PetersPython's Kiss by Louise ErdrichThe Grass Dancer by Susan PowerIndian Horse by Richard WagameseWhereas (poetry) by Layli Long SoldierThere There by Tommy Orange  ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Dr. Samantha Majhor: The Story Collector
  4. Jun 4

    Aleyna Morales: Baking and Believing in Herself

    Today, we're speaking with Aleyna Morales. Aleyna grew up in the Twin Cities and Somerset, Wisconsin. Aleyna's heritage includes Ojibwe from the Fond du Lac Band community and Mexican. She is the creator and baker behind Baked to Bliss by Laney. You can catch her selling baked goods at the Carlton County Farmers Market.   Aleyna shares how a need to pull herself out of the lowest point in her life led to taking classes and an interest in sourdough bread. She posted videos on TikTok, never expecting people to reach out and to buy her bread. A decision to attend a local entrepreneur meet-up led to an encounter with a neighbor who was starting a coffee business and, coincidentally, needed scones and muffins to sell to his customers. Together, these surprising turns of events, her gifts and the support of her community have allowed her to create a thriving baking business she calls Baked to Bliss by Laney.   She also talks about what helps her to cope when times get hard and why believing in yourself is key to building a better life.     Aleyna is the mom of five children and lives with her partner in the Fond du Lac community. ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Aleyna Morales: Baking and Believing in Herself
  5. May 14

    Adam Savariego: The Power of Asking Questions

    We're excited today to speak with Adam Savariego. He's a citizen of the Upper Sioux Community and is the Native American Affairs Advisor with the Minnesota Governor's Office. Prior to his current work, Adam served on the Upper Sioux Board of Trustees and as the community cultural liaison at Yellow Medicine East High School in Granite Falls Minnesota. He's also a traveler, a foodie and a cat lover.   When he was 20, Adam began asking questions. What did it mean to be Dakota? What did it mean to be part of community and a tribe? He wanted to understand who he was. That journey led him to learn everything he could about the Dakota and the Upper Sioux Community.   In our conversation, he reflects on the importance of being a good relative to that history and about passing on that knowledge to the next generation through his work as an educator.    Adam served on the tribal council for four years as secretary. When he left, he didn't have a plan for what came next. He shares how leaving that important decision in the hands of fate and belief led to a career change.   Along with a glimpse into his work as the Native American Affairs Advisor with the Minnesota Governor's Office, he talks about his love of traveling, a memorable trip to Croatia and his favorite Mexican street food.----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Adam Savariego: The Power of Asking Questions
  6. Mar 26

    Dr. Antony Stately: Building Health Equity in Indigenous Communities

    Today, we're excited to welcome Dr. Antony Stately to Native Lights. Antony Stately is a transformative leader dedicated to health equity in Indigenous communities. He's enrolled with the Oneida Nation, and he's a descendant of both the Red Lake and White Earth nations here in Minnesota, and he has two sons. He's currently the Executive Officer and President for the Native American Community Clinic in South Minneapolis, providing primary care, dental care and behavioral health services to the Native American community in the Twin Cities.    Antony gives updates on the long-awaited new Native American Community Clinic building and shares his hope that it can be a space where Indigenous people recognize, from the moment they enter, that it's a place for them and where they belong.    He also reflects on his youth and the early addictions that eventually led to a hospital room and a transformative moment that changed the trajectory of his life. ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Dr. Antony Stately: Building Health Equity in Indigenous Communities
  7. Mar 12

    Gary Farmer: Living Life on Screen for 50 Years

    Today, we're excited to be joined by one of the most recognizable faces in Indigenous film. Gary Farmer is from the Cayuga Nation and has a long career in movies and TV, and he's a musician, performing with his group Gary Farmer & The Troublemakers. Among his screen credits are Smoke Signals, Dead Man, Powwow Highway and, of course, more recently, he played Uncle Brownie in Reservation Dogs. He's also a storyteller and a force for pushing for authentic Indigenous representation. So he joined us to talk about what's going on in his life, his music, his acting career and how they connect with his gifts and purpose in life.    Gary grew up in theater and has made a 50-year career on the big and small screen, most notabaly in Reservation Dogs. He's still working and taking on roles. He talks about what keeps him motivated and how his work as a gigging musician with Gary Farmer & the Troublemakers keeps him in shape for his acting day job.   He currently lives in Santa Fe. ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood Photo credit: Cara Romero Photography ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    Gary Farmer: Living Life on Screen for 50 Years
  8. Feb 26

    David Amitrano: Witnessing

    Today, Leah speaks with David Amitrano, the owner of Midwest All-Star Wrestling, a Minnesota-based, Native-owned independent wrestling organization in Woodbury.   He is originally from Ely, Minnesota and is a citizen of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. He and wife Brittney have four kids at home.   He got into wrestling as the CFO of Women of Nations, a women and children's domestic violence and sexual assault shelter. He's been there for over a decade. It's a 44-bed shelter for Native women and children but also women and children of all nations. It was founded in 1982. Located in St. Paul, it is one of the largest shelters of its kind not on reservation land.    In 2017, David was at work when he got a call from Jesse Ventura. He had seen a video about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The shelter had been mentioned in the program. Jesse suggested doing a fundraiser and put him in contact with an owner of Midwest All Star Wrestling. David didn't know much about wrestling at the time, but they held their first wrestling fundraiser at the American Indian Center in 2017. It was a success and ever since they've done it every year.   After the fundraiser, he became an owner of Midwest All-Star Wrestling, which distinguishes itself as one of the organizations to highlight women's wrestling. His daughter is a huge wrestling fan. And one day she said, "How come there are no girl wrestlers?" So, he did something about it. ----- Hosts / Producers: Leah Lemm, Cole Premo  Editor: Britt Aamodt  Editorial support: Emily Krumberger  Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood  ----- For the latest episode drops and updates, follow us on social media.  instagram.com/ampersradio instagram.com/mnnativenews facebook.com/MNNativeNews Never miss a beat. Sign up for our email list to receive news, updates and content releases from AMPERS. ampers.org/about-ampers/staytuned/  This show is made possible by community support. Due to cuts in federal funding, the community radio you love is at risk. Your support is needed now more than ever. Donate now to power the community programs you love: ampers.org/fund

    David Amitrano: Witnessing

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
49 Ratings

About

In Native Lights, people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce - a.k.a. Minnesota - tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. These are stories of joy, strength, history, and change from Native people who are shaping the future and honoring those who came before them. Native Lights is also a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities. Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/

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