The series “America’s Hidden Stories” on the Smithsonian Channel is on its third season. It shares secrets from buried stories in our nation’s history. On Monday, May 29, it will dive into the unsolved murders of the Osage people in the 1920s. The executive producer is Anna Davies. The program director for the White Hair Memorial Osage Learning Center is Tara Damron.

On Monday, Western states reached what’s being called a historic agreement to save the Colorado River. It provides drinking water for 40 million people across seven states and at least 30 tribal nations. ICT regular contributor John Tahsuda joins us once again with more.

Nika Bartoo-Smith is a reporter for Underscore News and ICT. Her reporting largely covers the Pacific Northwest where she’s based out of Portland. She recently filed a story called “A journey of healing,” about the mental health services in Washington state. 

  • A bill addressing Native American mascots has passed both the Minnesota state House and Senate last week. It would ban the use of Native mascots and nicknames for public schools in the state, starting in July. If signed by Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesota would be the ninth state to enact a legal ban on this issue.
  • The fate of Native-led productions is unknown as writers are on strike. The Writer’s Guild of America is on strike over poor working conditions, low pay and their limited benefits for streaming content. Some of those members include Indigenous writers who have already been occupying the picket lines, including Jana Schmieding, Brian Bahe and Tai Leclaire. The Native American and Indigenous Writers Committee is planning a demonstration outside of Disney studios in Burbank, California on June 7.
  • A new Washington state law is mirroring a program first initiated by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The law, which was signed last week by Gov. Jay Inslee, authorizes the use of dental health therapists statewide. This program was previously available, but was only authorized on tribal lands and to tribal patients. Now, dental health therapists will be able to help a wider range of people, particularly those who live in rural communities.
  • An Indigenous singer is the “American Idol.” Iam Tongi who is Samoan, Tongan and Irish was crowned the winner of Season 21 on Sunday. He first went viral during his audition when he honored his late father Rodney. After that was posted to social media, it became the most viewed video in the show’s history. He grew up in in Kahuku, Hawai’i.
  • In South America, Indigenous people from a small village are in a court battle against a gold mine over land rights. ICT’s Vincent Moniz has this report.

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

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

Virginia Rigney, Chickasaw, is a video editor for the ICT Newscast.

Daniel Herrera Carbajal is a video editor for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @daniulherrrera

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

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