There are still school mascots called the “R word” in the state of Pennsylvania. That’s the name that was dropped nearly two years ago by a certain Washington, D.C. football team. ICT’s Stewart Huntington reports.

As an anthropologist, Sven Haakanson says he is concerned with connecting the past to the present for Indigenous people. He is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington and the Curator of North American Anthropology at the Burke Museum. In 2007 he was named a MacArthur Fellow for being a leader in the effort to rekindle Alutiiq language, customs and culture. ICT’s Shirley Sneve has this conversation.

A Samson Cree fashion designer brings his culture to not one, but two brands. Justin Jacob Louis is the founder and creative director of SECTION 35 and his namesake label, Justin Jacob Louis.

ICT’s Paris Wise spoke with him about the meaning behind his work and his debut at New York Fashion Week.

A slice of our Indigenous world 

  • Mexico reacts after a major hurricane. President Andrés Obrador said the country will prioritize rebuilding military barracks at hotels and resorts. In late October, Hurricane Otis made landfall as a category five storm, killing more than 45 people. The National Institute of Indigenous Peoples are distributing 4.5 tons of food and water across Guerrero.
  • West Virginia prison officials are under fire for allegedly ignoring the rights of Indigenous inmates. Rights Behind Bars, the Native American Rights Fund react to a troubling pattern of violations. Inmates at Mount Olive Prison are denied access to ceremonial items including traditional foods, drums, feathers and tobacco.
  • Traditional Penobscot homelands on track for rematriation. The Trust for Public Lands bought 31,000 acres near Mount Katahdin and wants it to go back into Penobscot tribal stewardship. The tribe and the trust are now out to raise $32 million to pay off the debt the trust took on for the property.
  • Mattel has released a Barbie that honors a Native woman featured in its Inspiring Women series. Wilma Mankiller is the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Her doll is wearing a turquoise ribbon dress and carrying a woven basket. She was a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights. Mattel will contribute $25,000 to the American Indian Resource Center to support Indigenous women. 

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

McKenzie Allen-Charmley, Dena’ina Athabascan, is a producer for the ICT Newscast. Instagram: @mallencharmley.

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

Stewart Huntington is a producer for the ICT Newscast.

Quindrea Yazzie, Diné, is a video production editor for the ICT Newscast. Email: qyazzie@ictnews.org . Yazzie is based in Phoenix.

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

Pauly Denetclaw, Diné, is a political correspondent for ICT. Email her at pauly@ictnews.org

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

Nick Parks is a Production Assistant for the ICT Newscast.On Twitter: @NickParks2002

Jack Orleans is an Intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter @JackOrleans5

Demi Dupavillon is an Intern for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter @DemiDupavillon

Mark Trahant, Shoshone-Bannock, is ICT editor-at-large and Executive Producer of the ICT Newscast Email: marktrahant@ictnews.org

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