Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine

In this episode, we speak with Allison Waukau (Menominee/Navajo), who serves as the Tribal Liaison and Native Relations Coordinator at the Metropolitan Council. She previously worked at the Hennepin County Library and the Roseville School District as American Indian Community Liaison.

Last year, she started a new podcast with Odia Wood-Krueger. Through “Books Are Good Medicine,” the co-hosts explore Native literature with the aim of increasing the knowledge of educators and libraries about Native American books and materials.
Allison Waukau lives in Minneapolis with her family, including a young son, and had a dream come true recently when she was selected to participate in Cohort 14 of the Native Governance Center’s Rebuilder Program.

Allison’s podcast with Odia Wood-Krueger can be found at Books Are Good Medicine. [Read Transcript...]

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Amber Annis about the joys and challenges of rebuilding community and finding your voice as a leader.

Dr. Amber Annis is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Executive Director of Native Governance Center. Prior to taking on her role at NGC in December 2024, she worked at the Minnesota Historical Society as Associate Vice President of Tribal Nation Relations and Native American Initiatives. She was also a member of NGC's Native Nations Rebuilder Program for Cohort 11.

In her position at NGC, she supports efforts to rebuild Indigenous communities and empower leaders to find their strengths and their unique voices. A mother of two, she lives in St. Paul with her husband, a citizen of Turtle Mountain, and their dogs.
[Read Transcript...]

In this episode, we hear from Deven Current about tattooing, sports and the importance of sobriety, family and faith.

Deven is an Ojibwe tattoo artist, who connected with his culture later in life. Deven grew up in the Twin Cities and, at a young age, fell into drug addiction. He ended up incarcerated, but his time in prison introduced him to an unrealized talent - tattoo art. He turned that talent into a career and recently into his business, LuckyDuck Ink and Art in Atwater. Through his business and tattoo career, Deven honors a friend who passed away.

Deven also spent time as a competitive mixed martial artist.

In 2025, Deven and his wife Sabrina are celebrating six years of sobriety and enjoying family time with their 11 children.
[Read Transcript...]

In this episode, we hear from Korina Barry on her work with NDN Collective and the campaign to free Leonard Peltier, in addition to reflections on her roles as mother, doula, and metal fabricator in training.

A Citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Korina Barry manages the organizing, policy and advocacy direct-action arm of NDN Collective, which, in January 2025, led the successful campaign to free Leonard Peltier from prison.

She divides her creative energies between metal fabrication and sewing. But it is her role as mother to a young daughter that trains her energies on creating a better world for the next generation to inherit. She also discusses how her childbirth experience led her to seek out training as a doula to help indigenous mothers impacted by unequal medical system. [Read Transcript...]