This episode explores work being done towards authentically and accurately representing Native people, communities, and our stories.

Rebecca Crooks-Stratton (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community) is the Secretary/Treasurer of her tribe, and now she leads "Understand Native Minnesota," an ambitious campaign to support Native American narrative change in Minnesota’s K-12 education system, as a way to raise awareness and constructively overcome misunderstandings and misperceptions.

Chad Germann (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) is the Founder and CEO of Red Circle, one of the nation’s top Native-owned advertising agencies.  Chad Germann is a rising success in the Twin Cities ad agency world, specializing in marketing and advertising for Casinos, and is known for his notable ads bringing awareness to the #NotYourMascot movement.

Both leaders talk with us about their careers, their motivations, and gifts for doing this work.

Hosts: Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) and Cole Premo (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe), siblings, musicians, and contributors to Minnesota Native News.

In-studio Guest: Laurie Stern, producer & reporter.

Theme Music: Cole Premo

Links:

https://www.understandnativemn.org/

https://redcircleagency.com/

You can reach us at: nativelights@ampers.org

Native Lights Podcast is a production of Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities, and made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Culture Heritage Fund, and the citizens of Minnesota. Ampers is an association of 18 independent community radio stations in Minnesota, which are all licensed to a college, school, university, Native American tribe, or directly to the community. http://ampers.org/

**