Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities

18 Unique Stations from Border to Border

Minnesota Native News a weekly radio segment covering ideas and events relevant to Minnesota’s Native American communities

Special Editions | documentaries and special reports

Native Lights | stories of people within Minnesota’s Native communities

MN Native News: Cultural Lessons for Kids at Home

 Lives are changing drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are out of work, more and more people are holding work meetings virtually, and everyone is making major adjustments. Students are also home from school. Which means families are trying to find ways to keep the learning going. And for Native students, there are online resources that provide culturally focused learning through language and art.

Native Lights- Derek Nicholas: Indigenous Fare for Future Generations

Derek shares his experiences as the Nutrition Program Coordinator at the Division of Indian Work in Minneapolis; his views on culturally, seasonally appropriate foods; and about the growing, multi-faceted Indigenous food community.

Minnesota Native News: Supreme Court Case Challenges Indian Child Welfare Act

The US Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of ICWA or the Indian Child Welfare Act in early November. Reporter Emma Needham sheds light on this case and its implications as Indian country awaits a decision.

Heather Friedli: Revealing Nature’s Allure

Today Leah and Cole chat with Heather Friedli, a contemporary impressionist oil painter. Heather creates vivid landscapes inspired by her family’s Native American and Mexican heritages and her time exploring the natural world. In addition to painting, Heather is also a professional snow sculptor and recently appeared in Disney’s Best In Snow sculpting competition. She shares about her family, painting styles, and her inspiring hike along the whole Appalachian Trail.


Native Lights- Rita Walaszek Arndt: Representation in History

Today Leah and Cole chat with Rita Walaszek Arndt (White Earth Nation). Rita is the program and outreach manager of the Native American Initiatives department at the Minnesota Historical Society. She’s also the curator of the Our Home: Native Minnesota exhibit at the historical society.

Minnesota Native News: New Round of Free At Home COVID Tests Available for Holiday Season

This week on the Health Report, a new round of covid tests are available through the state of Minnesota and we’ll hear about the Covid 19 treatment, Paxlovid and how to find out if you’re eligible for the treatment. Here’s reporter Leah Lemm…

Susie Ballot and Lera Hephner’s Work to Preserve Culture Across Generations

Today Leah shares her conversations with Susie Ballot and Lera Hephner from White Earth Nation’s cohort of Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative (IPLI). As graduates of the initiative, they’ve begun projects to deepen connections between their communities and culture.


Native Lights – Duane Goodwin: Expressing Culture Through Sculpture

Today Leah shares her conversation with artist Duane “Dewey” Goodwin (White Earth Nation). Duane is known for his sculptures, including large-scale rock sculptures that stand beside rivers and in parks across Minnesota.

Bivalent Vaccine The Best Tool to Fight Fall COVID Surge

This week on the Health Report, an update on vaccine clinics across the state, plus recent data suggests a covid surge in the coming weeks.

Counter Stories: GOTV: The Fear of Voting

As election day nears, several things weigh heavy on the minds of voters. There is real fear about the safety of getting their ballots counted, voter intimidation, political parties attempting to staff polling locations, and more.


Native Lights: Elizabeth Day’s Gift for Nurturing Community and Storytelling

Today we hear from Elizabeth Day (Leech Lake Ojibwe) with the Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI). She’s the Community Engagement Programs Manager at NACDI focusing on healthy access that includes the Four Sisters Farmers Market and Make Voting a Tradition, a year-round voter mobilization program. Elizabeth views herself as a public servant, supporting the community through her work at NACDI as well as creating short films with traditional Ojibwe storytelling using contemporary filmmaking techniques. Currently, she lives in Twin Cities.

Supported by...

McKnight FoundationPohlad family foundationThe Minneapolis FoundationSaint Paul & Minnesota Foundation