For more than 30 years, Denise Alley has worked as motivational speaker and staff trainer. Some of her clients include Disneyland Park, Motorola, the Indian Health Service and hundreds of tribes across the country. She’s put all that experience into her book called “Native Soul, Heart and Healing.”

For the third year the Cheyenne River Youth Project is offering fellowships to students to help them improve their arts and communication skills. This year there are four youth in the Lakota Art Fellowship. Julia Lesmeister, Journey Grey, Haylee Wells and Jayson Little Wounded. We hear from two of the fellows about their chosen art.

We get a year in review with John Tahsuda as he breaks down how U.S. politics impact Indian Country. 

A slice of our Indigenous world 

  • Mashpee Wampanoag Chairman Brian Weeden is accused of breaking into a local museum and stealing four cultural items. According to the police records from the Plymouth Police Department, the incident happened on Nov. 7.
  • The bodies of more than 80 Native American children are buried at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School in central Nebraska. ICT Senior Producer Vincent Moniz has a story about the location of the cemetery.
  • Allie Greenleaf Maldonado is the first Indigenous person to be appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the bench. 
  • The PBS kids show “Molly of Denali” was nominated for two Emmys. The show follows the adventures of a 10-year old Athabascan girl and showcases Alaska Native way of life. While the show didn’t ultimately win an award, Gwich’in Creative Producer of the show Princess Daazhraii Johnson took to twitter to share her gratitude saying they have won the hearts of children and families across our beautiful mother earth. 

Today’s newscast was created with work from:

Shirley Sneve, Ponca/Sicangu Lakota, is vice president of broadcasting for Indian Country Today. Follow her on Twitter @rosebudshirley She’s based in Nebraska and Minnesota.

Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor and managing editor 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.

Patty Talahongva, Hopi, works for Indian Country Today. Follow her on Twitter: @WiteSpider.

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

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

Maxwell Montour, Pottawatomi, is a newscast editor for Indian Country Today. On Instagram: max.montour Montour is based in Phoenix.

Kaitlin Onawa Boysel, Cherokee, is a producer/reporter for Indian Country Today. On Instagram: @KaitlinBoysel Boysel is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma

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

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