Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

Today’s conversation features Daniel Lemm (Lower Sioux Indian Community) who is the Chief Financial Officer at the Charles K. Blandin Foundation, in addition to being Leah’s spouse. Daniel Lemm shares how his love of numbers led to his career in philanthropy, helping get resources out into communities and in a good way. Daniel also speaks about working through loss, learning to proudly embrace his heritage, and the importance of support from others along his journey.

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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We round out Season 2 of our Native Lights podcast by exploring the cultural influences that have shaped the work of two celebrated and accomplished Native artists.

Chaz Wagner (Bois Forte Ojibwe) is a musician, singer, traditional drummer, and co-leader of the Native American rock band, War Bonnet, which was nominated for two 2019 Native Grammy Awards.

Dyani White Hawk Polk (Sičangu Lakota), is a mixed media visual artist. Dyani has earned many grants, fellowships, and awards, including “Artists of the Year” from the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper. The honor was shared with five of her peers for their work curating the ground-breaking “Hearts of Our People” touring exhibition, launched in June of 2019 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. [Read Transcript...]

In this episode, two stories highlight significant work to build supportive environments for Native people to heal and thrive.

Kwe Pack is 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.

We also talk with hosts Leah and Cole’s brother Bryce Premo (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) about how facing his own struggles with depression and anxiety brought him tools that he now shares with others in his work in mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. As a youth leader at the Division of Indian Work, a Safe Talk presenter, and Sober House manager, Bryce explains how helping create supportive environments for others is the best medicine for himself. [Read Transcript...]

The program explores the unstoppable power when two visionaries come together to bring a special project to life.

We meet Deb Foster (Ojibwe), the Executive Director of Ain Dah Yung and Mike Laverdure (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota), a partner with DSGW Architects. Deb Foster and Mike Laverdure both played leading roles in the creation of Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung, a beautiful new apartment building in St. Paul, where formerly homeless Native young adults can live, reconnect to culture, and get job skills. [Read Transcript...]