Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

This week, another Special Edition of Native Lights: Visiting Vaccines, where we get a pulse on Indian Country’s response to COVID-19 vaccines, here in Minnesota. On this show we hear from two people deeply committed to the health and well-being of Indigenous people and Native communities.

Dr. Mary Owen, MD (Tlingit) is the President of the Association of American Indian Physicians, and she’s also the Director of the Center of American Indian and Minority Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School, on the Duluth campus. Dr. Mary Owen speaks about working with other Native health experts to get the word out that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and crucial for Indigenous people who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

We also hear from Briana Michels (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) who is part of the American Indian Resource and Resiliency team at the University of Minnesota Extension, which holds workshops on trauma and healing. Briana Michels works on the Remembering Resilience podcast which explores Native American resilience through and beyond trauma. In our conversation, Briana speaks about the significance of historical trauma, especially during this past year and now with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations. [Read Transcript...]

This week we revisit an earlier Native Lights episode which highlights Kwe Pack, a spectacular group of Native women supporting each other to run long-distance trail races. Kwe Pack has been featured on Good Morning America, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and Oprah Winfrey’s World Vision Tour. This group encourages each other to draw on their inner strength; to heal and flourish in all areas of their lives. You can check out this episode, which is part of Native Lights Season Two, to hear more about the significant work being done to build supportive environments for Native people to heal and thrive.
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This week we kick off a special series of vaccine conversations, starting with Antony Stately (Ojibwe and Oneida). Dr. Antony Stately has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is the CEO of NACC, the Native American Community Clinic in South Minneapolis. Antony Stately shares how his clinic is safely administering vaccines, and he speaks to the challenge of providing accurate information to patients while addressing legitimate concerns and questions of community members. Antony Stately does this by keeping his focus on conversation, knowledge, and consent.

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This week we are happy to revisit our conversation with Lakota doula Takayla Lightfield (Mnicoujou Lakota, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota), in this “Best of Native Lights” episode. Takayla stands side-by-side with Native women supporting the birth of the next generation as a doula, and as a breastfeeding consultant. Takayla is now working … [Read Transcript...]