After 25 years with the Indian Health Service as a public health nutritionist, Charlene Johnson saw the connection between poverty and physical health. She now leads Plenty Doors, a Community Development Financial Institution for the Crow Nation in Montana.

A 2001 state law in Maine requires schools to teach Wabanaki history and culture. More than 20 years later, some say the law has still not been fully implemented. The College of Education at the University of Maine has stepped in with two new initiatives aimed at better preparing teachers to teach Wabanaki studies. John Bear Mitchell from the University’s Wabanaki Center leads the effort.

Tribal leaders are on hand at the U.S. Capitol this week. That’s for a number of hearings on various committees in the U.S. House and Senate. ICT regular contributor Holly Cook Macarro is following all of these events.

A slice of our Indigenous world

  • A decision is soon expected on the controversial Willow Project on the North Slope of Alaska. The company ConocoPhillips Alaska is asking the federal government for five permits to drill for oil. Climate activists and environmental groups have advocated against the Willow Project, saying that the environmental impact of it would be devastating.
  • It is one of the largest Native art markets in the world. The Heard Museum opened its doors this past weekend in Arizona. ICT’s Daniel Herrera has this report.
  • Alarm bells are sounding after 23 whales have been found dead in a matter of a few months. The whales washed ashore along the East Coast with over a dozen of them found within New York and New Jersey alone since December. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the fatalities of the largely humpback happened after they were struck by ships.
  • Sydney, Australia is the center of major buzz as the international LGBTQ community celebrates WorldPride. The first event of its kind started more than two decades ago in Rome, Italy — this year is the first time the event is being held in Australia. The three-week festival is expected to have 500,000 visitors attending the over 300 events put on by organizers. 

Today’s newscast was created with work from:

Shirley Sneve, Ponca/Sicangu Lakota, is vice president of broadcasting for the ICT Newscast. Follow her on Twitter @rosebudshirley. She is based in Nebraska and Minnesota.

Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @aliyahjchavez.

R. Vincent Moniz, Jr., NuÉta, is the senior producer of the ICT Newscast. Have a great story? Pitch it to vincent@ictnews.org.

McKenzie Allen-Charmley, Dena’ina Athabaskan, is a producer of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @mallencharmley.

Paris Wise, Zia & Laguna Pueblo, is a producer for the ICT Newscast. Instagram and Twitter: @parisiswise. Email: paris@ictnews.org.

Drea Yazzie, Diné, is a producer/editor for the ICT newscast. On Twitter: @quindreayazzie Yazzie is based in Phoenix.

Pacey Smith Garcia, Ute, is a production assistant for the ICT newscast. On Twitter: @paceyjournalist

RipLey-Simone Kennebrew is an intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @ripleysimoneken

Daniel Herrera Carbajal is an intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @daniulherrrera

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