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O'odham Action News Podcast is a place where you can get Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community news, as well as hear us connect with our members.
You can read the latest issue of O'odham Action News at:
https://oan.srpmic-nsn.gov/
Skuttash, calm doom Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. Welcome back to the O'odham Action News Podcast. I'm your host, Kari Hart, and I'm so excited to be here with you. Today, we are thrilled to share a conversation that we had with members of the Ak-Chin O'odham Runner, the Ak Chin Indian Community's tribal newspaper. This summer, some from our newsroom, Ak Chin, and Gila River attended the annual Indigenous Journalists Association Conference in Portland, Oregon.
Kari:You heard us talk about that a few episodes back. While there, we began networking, sharing resources, and brainstorming ideas on how to collaborate on short and long term projects. Today, you'll hear us continue those discussions. OAN reporters Chris Picciuolo and Juani Sigiri sat down with photojournalists Kristen Villegas and Megan Quintero to get an inside look at how they publish their newspaper and what it's like documenting and reporting on news and events happening in the Ak Chin Indian community. So let's fix those pics, turn in those final articles before the deadline, and let's get into it.
Juan:My name is Juan Isigiri, OAN news reporter for O'odham Action News here in the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian community. We have two special guests here today in studio from our sibling tribe, the Ak-Chin Indian community. Go ahead and introduce yourselves, y'all.
Kristin:My name is Kristen Viegas. I'm a photojournalist with the Ak-Chin O'odham Runner. I've been there for about two years. So seasoned, but not very knowledgeable at the same time. Still learning.
Juan:Welcome. Welcome.
Megan:Good morning, everyone. My name is Megan Quintero. I'm also a photojournalist at the Ak-Chin Indian Community Runner. I've been there for about a couple months now, so I haven't been there too long, but I'm enjoying it.
Juan:Welcome. Welcome. We also have OAN news reporter Chris Picciuolo in the house.
Chris:thanks for joining us. I'll I'll start us off. So, Megan, Kristen, can you introduce yourselves more to our listeners and kind of what you do at the Ak-Chin Runner on a daily basis when you're there?
Kristin:So we work with the newspaper. Basically, we find stories for the paper for a community. A lot of it is like community events, sometimes it's council news. But for the most part, it's mainly catered to our community and maybe surrounding cities if they're interested or even our sibling tribe.
Megan:Yeah. Pretty much the same thing.
Juan:Very nice. Very nice. So, you know, we here in OAN are very familiar with the Auction Runner. We get it mailed to us. But can you explain to our listeners who maybe not too sure about what the Auction Runner is?
Juan:Can you describe just a little bit what it is?
Megan:The newspaper for the community.
Juan:Very nice.
Chris:How often does the newspaper come out?
Megan:It comes out every first and third Friday of the month.
Kristin:So twice a month. Yeah.
Megan:Twice a month.
Kristin:Every two weeks. On occasion, we do have breaks, but we usually plan those beforehand, like, that you hear in events.
Chris:And and how do you get the newspaper to the readers in the community?
Megan:We deliver them somewhere by hand to the houses, and then we do a certain amount at the different departments.
Juan:How many houses do y'all deliver to?
Kristin:There's about three sixty now. We just opened a new subdivision. So yeah.
Juan:Are you guys on deadline week right now?
Kristin:No. Okay. No.
Megan:Thank thank God. Next week. Next week.
Juan:Very nice. Very nice.
Chris:So I have another question too. Do you do you throw the newspapers out the window? So onto people's driveways like
Kristin:We do on occasion. Our other photojournalist, Bob, he really loves doing that. So most of the time it's him. But, yeah, on occasion, me and Megan will get out there too.
Juan:So what kind of what's your daily duties at the newspaper? I'm sure it can be a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Like when you get to the office, do you start with coffee, tea, kind of Celsius drink? How do you start your day?
Megan:Red Bull.
Kristin:Yeah. Red Bull for sure. But usually we, you know, come in. We talk about what kind of events are coming up and who has coverage for what. And then sometimes it's about editing stuff like photos, what photos we wanna use for the paper.
Kristin:Sometimes we are all working on a story. So we kinda let everyone know like, oh, we're waiting for your input on that. It just depends on the day or like the week or time of year. We're slowly starting to pick up because it's the end of the year, which is like a lot more holidays. And then our Masakdaj celebration, which is Ak-Chin's birthday, which is our busiest time of year.
Kristin:I'm pretty sure, yeah, you guys are familiar with that.
Juan:I love Masaktaj. Yeah. Yeah.
Megan:Can't wait. It's gonna be my first year.
Chris:Oh. So for listeners who don't know, piggybacking off of that, Juan and myself used to work at the Action Runner. So this is kinda nice to to talk to you both and just to just to connect. So it's really nice talking to you right now. I I have a question for you.
Chris:What is your favorite part about working working for the Runner? I mean, do you have any things that you enjoy writing about and covering? And just expand upon that a little bit.
Megan:I think right now my favorite part would probably be like covering the preschool events. I like working with the younger kids. Like, I like writing the stories on what they're doing and what they're learning throughout the month, I guess. I kinda enjoy that.
Kristin:For me, I would say like it kinda changes. Like, I do love covering all the cultural stuff. I feel like it's really nice to see how our sibling tribes do their, you know, like their dances or even like their arts. But also I do enjoy like covering like community members because in a way it just links us all together. Like we get to learn more about them and like their family.
Kristin:And you realize that, you know, a lot of us are just like related or, you know, there's a lot of similarities between us all. But definitely, massage too. I think it's fun to be around, you know, all the chaos and be busy all the time. Like, think I really enjoy that. So it just depends on like the time of year.
Kristin:Definitely a lot of that stuff.
Megan:Oh, there was one more.
Juan:What you got?
Megan:Recently, there was a rodeo when I first started. I think that was probably one of my other favorite ones to do. That that was pretty fun to
Kristin:The ropes roundup?
Megan:Yeah.
Kristin:Ropes roundup. That was really
Chris:So you need cool shots?
Megan:Yeah. I got some pretty good shots. I think that's, like, my favorite part is taking action shots too.
Chris:So the both of you working at the Runner, how'd you end up at The Runner, what got you interested in doing this kind of work?
Kristin:So I'm part of the Ak-Chin Indian community. So when I was growing up, when I would see The Runner, I would mainly just look at it for the pictures or the flyers and, you know, that kind of thing. It wasn't until, you know, I got older that I started really, I guess, like skimming the stories. And then a position opened at the Runner, and I was like, I'm not really experienced in that area, but I'm interested, you know? So I was like, you know, I'll try it out.
Kristin:And when I first started, it was a little overwhelming, I would say. Like, you know, it's very intimidating, like, not only having your work critiqued, but, like, you don't know how it's gonna be perceived by everyone. Like, you know, so I think that was my main obstacle. But, you know, throughout my time here, I feel like I've grown comfortable in my stories. Definitely with the camera, I feel like I was comfortable right away.
Kristin:Like, I love it. Like, just taking pictures of anything, like random stuff, that's, like, something I love. But for my stories, I kinda like I feel like if you read, like, some of my, like, first stories from, like, now, I feel like there's a lot of growth for me personally. But, yeah, it also happened that, yeah, my older sister, she worked there as the news assistant. And she's like, you know what?
Kristin:You should try it. You know, I feel like you would like it. I was like, I don't know. But I tried it and, you know, haven't looked back since. I really love it.
Kristin:I love the traveling to new places, the new trainings and, like, things we're exposed to. It's just really there's so much to learn. And, you know, I can't wait to see where my next few years here will take me. You know?
Juan:Here. Here. Very nice.
Chris:Top that.
Juan:What you got? What you got, Meg?
Megan:So I my background, I guess, would be in high school, I took a graphic design class for two years. So it was kind of like a big jump. I was working at the casino with their summer youth program. So, I did that for those same two years. And then after that, I ended up going to work at the casino full time doing their HCS program, which is their Harris Development System program.
Megan:So, I got to go through all the different departments and stuff and work there. I ended up doing maintenance for a little while, like six months, and then kind of got bored. Well, not really bored, but like, I felt like they couldn't teach me what they've learned already. So from there I went to slot performance and became a slot technician.
Juan:Dang, you're all over.
Megan:Yeah. There you go. So, I did that for another couple months and then I just ended up started looking through different jobs because, I don't know, it was kind of like really repetitive, same stuff. So, saw photojournalists opened up. So, I told my sister about it.
Megan:She kind of egged me on and told me to do it, try something new. So, I went from there and I don't know, I waited a couple months. I didn't think that they were gonna hire me or anything, but like a couple months later they called me back and I was like, Okay, cool. So I started in February. Yeah, I think it was February.
Megan:And I don't know, ever since then, like it's been a little journey. At first I was a little like overwhelmed. I don't know, was just kinda getting comfortable with the camera and stuff, like new people. Still kinda am, still trying to get out of my comfort zone still.
Chris:I've seen you with a camera. Know you're kind of a pro at this point.
Juan:You've been locked in. I just saw you today too. So Yeah.
Chris:We've been walking around with you before this recording, and I've seen you take some some, you know, award winning photos.
Megan:Oh, man.
Juan:I see you mirrorless, Megan. See Nice you. I see you.
Chris:So so question for I mean, since this is all full circle. So, Juan, a question for you too. Used to work at Ak-Chin. Could you talk a little bit about how you started there as well and when you worked there?
Juan:Dang. Nice. So, yeah, I started when I was a teenager. I grew up in Maricopa. My grandparents my old grandparents' house was across the street from Maricopa High School.
Juan:And so it just my family worked for Ak-Chin and it just having a camera and writing about it, about things, it was always something I did as a as a kid in elementary school. And so stop me if you've heard this before. Rachel's looking for coverage and staff were out. And so she asked this little kid, me, and was just like, do you, you know, what do you think? And was a rodeo.
Juan:That was the first article I ever wrote. And I remember, I'm here for a long time. Like, I just didn't know. But ended up just building a little collection of runner stories. And then got a little bit older, had a little bit of experience, and applied for the position years later.
Juan:And ever since, just been a student of Rachel Peters, basically. Just basically, yeah, getting getting articles in. So I I would I would go to Maricopa High School basketball games on deadline Wednesday
Kristin:Oh, wow.
Juan:For freshmen, JV, and varsity. And let me tell you, all those three articles were turned in Wednesday night.
Kristin:Oh my god. I can't even imagine how long you stayed.
Juan:I did that with volleyball and basketball. And, you know, you kinda learn learn how to do it, you know, kinda fast. So like even here, they're like, dang, it's not due till next week. What are you doing? I'm like, hey, just, you know, turning in.
Juan:But yeah. So that was me. And yeah. It's but then the drive. The drive is what got me just, you know, I get caught in traffic so much.
Juan:I'm just like, ugh, man. I need a helicopter to get over there now. Just, you know. Right. CP, what you got, man?
Juan:I know Ak-Chin's been a big part of your career as well.
Chris:I'm forever, like, forever grateful for my time at Ak-Chin. One of the best decisions I ever made, really. And how that happened was just oh, man. You just kinda put one foot forward and the next one follows sometimes. For me, I started my own video business when I moved out to Arizona from Illinois, and this is like twenty eighteen or so.
Megan:Is it still going?
Chris:No. Oh, no. It's it's not as soon as I start working at Ak-Chin. I just kind of I stopped doing I would do things, but it would just be like for my own. Like, I wouldn't really put it out there.
Chris:Just kinda like build a little portfolio of stuff. But it was a part of my, I guess, portfolio of things was I was just I think I was just reaching out to the Ak-Chin community. I saw there's a thing called the Mazik Tosh celebration. You already talked about it. And I was like, oh, what's that?
Chris:Let me go out and let me contact the tribe. And I ended up interviewing chairman Miguel. He's on your on your team right now as a photojournalist at that time. And I did a video, yeah, with my with my cell phone. I just held it up on a on a little tripod and and interviewed him.
Chris:The it wasn't that great quality because there's so much music going on. It was so you know, it had kind of rudimentary stuff, but I did. I just went out there.
Juan:And It was
Juan:probably Gertie in the back.
Megan:Yeah. Yeah.
Chris:I think
Megan:it was. It was Gertie. It was definitely Gertie. It was Gertie
Juan:in the TOO. Yep.
Chris:And from there, I think, like, a few weeks or a couple months later, I was just looking out there, and there was a a position for photojournalist. And I was like, I'm just gonna go for it because I liked being there, and this is what I wanna do. So it just kinda made sense, and I did it and worked there, I think, from 2019 to right when the pandemic happened. Pandemic started, and I had a decision to make with, like, what Juan was talking about, like, you know, the the driving. I think for me, my car kept dying in in the middle of Maricopa, just overheating.
Chris:And so I was like, well, I gotta do something. So I think it was just the the distance. And then, you know, the position popped up here at Salt River. And I went for it, and I've been here for six years. So I'm I'm forever grateful for my experience at Ak-Chin, just to the staff, to to Rachel, to to the community because I'd I made some lasting, know, friendships and relationships with with people in the community that's that are still here today.
Chris:So, yeah, it's nice. We're all here talking about Ak-Chin.
Juan:For reals. Yeah.
Chris:I'll tell
Juan:I can yeah. So, like, I remember my first year here, I had this habit of like, I'd go to an event in the morning, and then by the end of the day, a rough draft would be in. And they'd be like, okay. Yeah. Like, he's new.
Juan:He's just, know, on probation. Right? But I kept doing it. And then when our previous editor, Dodham Emanuel, she's retired. Dalton replaced her.
Juan:Dalton Walker, our current editor. And so Dodham pulls me aside just kinda like just person to person, not even manager or staff. Right? She's like, how are you doing that? And I'm just like, what?
Juan:Know? And she's just like, well, it's not not necessary. You don't really have to, you know? And I'm just like, in my head, I still was getting Rachel in my head. Just like, get it in because the faster it's in, we can put it in InDesign and we can fix the photos.
Juan:We could you know, so it's just it's the sooner it's in. So that so definitely, I'm a student of Rachel Peters for sure.
Chris:So the two communities here are connected. Many have families on both sides. It would be great to collaborate in some way. What type of ideas do you have on how to collaborate with us?
Kristin:I would say, like, since, you know, we're sibling tribes, finding, like you said, like, finding a way to connect the families. I know, like probably like for our younger generation, I know some of them do read or like look at the Runner, but it would be nice to like show them, like in a way, like a family tree. And it doesn't have to be like super detailed, but like just like last names or, you know, this person belongs to this family and all that, you know, because like I said, like, it's interesting to know how, like, closely everybody can be if we were to like map that out. But also, you know, definitely, like because we've covered, like, stories here with the tournaments. What was it?
Kristin:The the DBACS tournament? I can't remember recall the name exactly.
Juan:Dbacks intertribal?
Kristin:Yes. There we go. Yeah. So even just that, like, I saw that one of our our members was in your paper. And I believe it was Andrea Miguel.
Kristin:She covered it. And my best friend, her son was actually one of the pictures that she took. And I was like, oh, look at Salt River's paper. You know, your son's there. And she's like she was like surprised.
Kristin:So I think like stuff like that, like even just identifying, like, a member, like, oh, this you know, obviously, there's parameters with that. But this Action member, you know, like, in your paper or even, like, if one of your, like, Salt River's members was in our paper, you know, this Salt River member, you know, that'd be really cool.
Juan:Man, shout out Andrea Miguel. She's just golden. She's platinum. She's just she rocks it. Yeah.
Juan:She's cool. What she got, Megan? Any ideas?
Megan:Not that I I don't think I had enough time to think about it. Honestly, I was just thinking about what I was gonna say.
Chris:Well, you being here is a good start.
Juan:Yeah. I mean Yeah. Yeah. It's it's been it's been fantastic having you here.
Megan:Thank you.
Chris:Absolutely.
Megan:It's been nice. I enjoyed the day, I guess. Oh, not I guess, but like Are
Chris:you sure?
Juan:She says I guess.
Chris:You're about to have some food from the stand, so, you know, I think you'll be okay.
Juan:Yeah.
Kristin:I see them all over TikTok, so I'm like, I'm really curious.
Juan:Have you ever had it?
Kristin:No.
Juan:Oh, yeah. This is
Kristin:yeah. This is
Megan:It's good.
Juan:Oh, yeah. I had to add yeah. It's cash only though. So if you go back, you can't take your debit cards or anything. Cash only.
Kristin:No Zelle. No.
Juan:Cash out. No. No. Just paper and coin.
Megan:I have like 50¢ in my wallet, I think.
Juan:Okay. So we've been asking y'all questions. Do have anything for us?
Chris:Only only easy questions. Right. Softballs. Softballs.
Juan:Yeah. You know, floaters. What
Megan:was your guys' favorite story that you've written here?
Juan:I really enjoyed every so for the last two years, there's been the Native American Community College Convocation where it's all the native students that go to all the community colleges in Maricopa County. For two years in a row, Salt River's hosted the convocation ceremony to celebrate them. And last year was the first year they had it, and the second year was just happened and there was about double the amount of graduates this year. And so just seeing the different cultures, the different elders, different you know, governor Lewis was there from Gila River. So it's all these different people.
Juan:It's really cool to see kind of all the tribes coming together. You know, me myself, I'm from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, so of course, I'm trying to fist bump everybody who's PYT over there at the graduation. But it's it was really good to kinda see the different families kinda celebrate, like, whether this is, you know, the fifteenth graduate in the family, right? Hey, yeah. Cool.
Juan:Or if it's the first one ever to, you know, graduate from college and it's just, you know, they're both super impactful, super important. And so just being there for me, it's healing in in a way just because, you know, we do cover harsh events sometimes. So anytime you get smiles and hugs in your photos, I'm like, okay, yeah, this is good.
Chris:Oh, man. There's so many things that come to mind, and I get asked this question sometimes. So I'm trying not to repeat a story and think of something a little bit well, I did talk a little bit about something today that kinda reminded me. I did cover something, I think, in 2021. It's a while ago.
Chris:It was one of the community members here carried a burden basket, O'odham burden basket, and they wear it and, you know, go to into town, into Scottsdale from Salt River here. And it was this this cool, like, planned walk with the community members. They started early in the morning at a resident's house, and they and she started walking with everybody. And as they were coming closer to the highway, to the 101, it started to look really interesting as a from my perspective as a reporter. You have, you know, you have that the lens, you have everything pointing at this the scene.
Chris:And as I'm looking at the scene through the lens, you know, they're coming in with the traditional you know, everything's traditional and coming from Salt River, and they're entering this, like, Scottsdale busy cars intersection, and they're walking underneath the bridge into Scottsdale with all these, like, stoplights and stuff. I thought it was a really interesting juxtaposition. But that story was pretty impactful for a variety of reasons. We don't have a lot a lot of time to get into it, but I just thought that that was something that was unique, but also a a good chance to tell a story and involved a cultural element that was bringing something back. Like, we're bringing this tradition back.
Chris:We're going into town to the general store or whatever to go bring our basket and bring something back or vice versa. And I thought that was really interesting. So that's one of my favorite things to write about and cover. It was an all day thing. I like those kind of things.
Chris:You just go out. You start early in the morning. You're thinking of the sights, the smells, the things that you're feeling, and you get to describe that in the article. So those are kind of things I think about, like, it was an early morning. The sun was this.
Chris:And you kinda think about bringing people who weren't there into the story so they can live that story. And I think that's a big part of our job is to bring the story to community members through our lens so that we can through our lens in a way, but it's also for the community too. But we have that responsibility to to make sure that that lens is also in focus to the community as well. So that's one of my favorite stories, I'd say. But I have so many.
Chris:I mean, we could this could be like a twenty seven hour podcast episode. Yeah. Of course.
Juan:Question. You wanna ask us anything before we get into the food?
Kristin:I guess more. So about the podcast, like, how did it come about? You know, I know you guys talked about it a little bit a little bit about it when we first were like touring. But like, what kinda drove the interest? And do you have interest from, like, the members?
Kristin:Like, how often do they, like, check-in on the podcast? Do you get input from them? You know, that was a lot of questions. Sorry. But
Juan:You're a runner. Here you go.
Chris:Like, I can answer a little bit about the history of it because I came I came in here, like I said, to Salt River, like, during the pandemic. And during that time is when we already had some episodes going. We had Jessica Joaquin, who's now podcast producer here for the community, but she was on our O'odham Action News team. And she was really pivotal getting those podcasts out and starting that in the branding and showing us how to post about it online and coming up with all those things. So it really kinda started then as just a way to get different kinds of stories out to people and and find a new way to reach community members because there's different ways, different media formats that we post out to.
Chris:Especially during the pandemic, it was really important to have that kind of outlet because not everybody was out and about. A lot people were working at home, staying at home, having more time to listen and more time for yourself to kind of process the news a little bit. And that was really fun. I remember being at home trying to record a podcast episode and just talking like this, and you'd hear, like, people and, like, horns and stuff outside my window because I'm, like, on the 3rd Floor. And so it's nice to be in here in this in this podcast studio now.
Chris:We took a little break from the podcast, but it started back up again within the last couple of years. I don't know. Juan, if you wanna talk more about that.
Juan:I would say probably, what, last two years? It's it's gotten a good kinda reboot. And it kind of reminds me because like Jessica Joaquin and Kaylee, they'll just be, it's a conversation. Know? And I think I remember Rachel Peters' mom, Leon Acaker, she I interviewed her when she retired.
Juan:And she said that one of the first council meetings that they used to have was just elders sitting under a tree just talking.
Kristin:Oh, wow.
Juan:And so for me, a podcast kind of brings back a little because it's just people talking and it's just recorded. Know, that's the only difference. Like there's still people talking. And so when we rebooted the podcast, we did kind of get an increase of folks helping us out like, oh, hey, yeah, This will be a story. And then when we would reach out to them, you know, I'd be like, hey, do you wanna do podcasts?
Juan:And they'd be like, oh, you guys got a podcast? Yeah. Let's see what you know. So it'd be more of like I've never been on a pod like, My Singaliendo, Unity's 25 under 25 honoree. It was his first podcast ever.
Juan:But when I offered it to him, he was like, yeah. Let's I wanna see it. I wanna do a tour. I want you know, wanna see everything. And so it kinda makes it a really easy sell just to show him this studio and you know what I mean?
Juan:Just be like, oh, yeah. Let's talk about your recent achievement, you know. And it just goes back to just being under that tree, I think. And, you know, like, y'all y'all are like, oh, we're gonna be nervous. Didn't, you know.
Juan:It it just it's a conversation at that point. And Yeah. It it really just kinda for me, it kinda brings that back a little bit of where you're just talking. And then, you know what I mean? It's it's structured.
Juan:It has questions and things, but I mean, just conversation. So, you know, yeah. It's it's really nice here.
Chris:Do you have any shout outs?
Kristin:Yeah. Shout out to my family.
Juan:Name them.
Kristin:You know? Obviously, my mom, my dad, my siblings, my fiancee, Runner Staff. You gotta listen to this one because we're on here.
Juan:Let's go.
Kristin:That's it. My Tolkien team. I didn't forget about you guys. Yeah. Everybody.
Juan:Let's go. Let's go.
Megan:Yeah. She forgot about me. I'm sitting here. I'm like I'm just like You're on my Tolkien.
Chris:Oh, you're on a team together?
Kristin:Yeah. Yeah.
Chris:Okay. Well, okay. Well, really quick. Talk tell tell us about that. Like, what it's like being on a team together and just talk about playing.
Chris:I think that's interesting.
Kristin:So the team we're on, I'm not really sure how to pronounce it. So
Megan:Scoop, Jo Chodham? It's brown bear in O'odham.
Kristin:But it's really a memorial team for our coaches, their sister. I'm not gonna go too much into detail, but it's a memorial memorial team for her. And basically comprises of, like, a bunch of Auction members. Me and Megan, don't even know how long I've been playing. I think it's two years now.
Kristin:Two or three years.
Megan:Yeah. I think I've been playing since 2023 maybe. So it's been almost three years
Kristin:for me. Okay. Yeah. Then probably two years
Megan:for me. I think it's been three years.
Kristin:But, we yeah, play with them. Been a little hot this summer, so we haven't really gotten, like, practice. But we're slowly starting up again. But, yeah, we play tournaments in TO, Summon, Hill River. But yeah.
Chris:Have you played out here? Sorry.
Kristin:No. Actually not.
Megan:Didn't even know they had tournaments here.
Chris:We're gonna make that happen whoever's listening. Rec, whoever's, you know,
Juan:our listeners. Let's go David Willis. We got you. Yes. And then, yeah, stop by when y'all, you know, during the week.
Juan:Yeah.
Megan:Whenever I go to the casino, guess. I'm just kidding.
Juan:Alright, Megan. Go ahead and shout out family, friends, and those who helped you on your way.
Megan:Shout out my sister, I guess. She she was the one who really pushed me to go out and do different things. Live my life, I guess. Yeah. I guess same shout out to, I guess.
Megan:My family, my TOCA team, they really helped push me to be a better player. I guess it helps me like take my, not really my anger, but like a little bit of my feelings. Helps me stay out of my feelings, I guess. You you're supposed to have good positive feelings whenever you're playing. So yeah.
Megan:I guess a lot of the running helps and a lot of the movement.
Juan:Shout out Luzanne Enos for teaching me to stay off the field. I'll never forget that.
Kristin:She yell at you?
Megan:Yeah. Oh, I bet. Get off the field. I'm like
Juan:so I have my camera. I've told Chris this story. So like, I'm I get to the get to the field right right across from the elementary school. Right? And then I'm like, okay.
Juan:I see folks. So I'm like gonna go introduce myself. Like, hey. I was gonna cut across the field and then, oh, no. I'm not supposed to do that.
Juan:And loose end, I just hear, get off the field. And I like, look.
Megan:And she's like, yeah, you.
Chris:Like so I like going a long way.
Juan:I'm like and then yeah.
Megan:Told seen her done that do that a couple of times.
Juan:I told Race, you know, like back in the offense, she's like, yeah, get off the field. So I was like, okay. So but, yeah, I love Luzano. She's great. Let's see.
Juan:I'm still one Isigere news reporter for O'odham Action News here in the Salt River Pee and Maricopa Indian community. It has been fantastic to get to know y'all and have you on the studio here. It's been just a delight and thrill to meet fellow runners. Agreed. I think it is time for us to dig into the stand.
Juan:So that's all
Chris:I got. That's all I got. We appreciate you both for being here and your whole team who's listening.
Juan:Let's go.
Chris:Most of the team. I don't know who's all here right now at this point. But, yeah, thank you to the Ak-Chin Runner staff for being here and visiting with us.
Megan:Thank you for having us.
Kristin:Yeah. Thank you. This has been fun.
Chris:Very nice. Absolutely.
Megan:Maybe I'll try and do it again.
Juan:I'll see. Alright. Part two part two coming soon. Don't worry. We'll be on
Chris:the road. Let's enjoy some some good food and have a good drive back later.
Juan:Let's do this. Thank you. Thank you.
Kristin:Thank you.
Kari:Wow. What a great discussion. Great job to all involved and huge thank you to Kristen and Megan for taking the time to sit down with OAN. You all do fantastic work at the Ak-Chin O'odham Runner. As you know, we are big fans.
Kari:We can't wait to collaborate on future projects with the Runner team and the Gila River Indian community. Exciting things are truly coming along. And by the way, we all miss you, T. O. Runner.
Kari:That's all we have for this episode. Do you have a story idea? You can email us at OANsrpmic nsn dot gov. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at O'odham Action News. You can find a hard copy of our print issue at local newsstands, which comes out every first and third Thursday of the month.
Kari:Head to o'odhamnews.org where you can find more stories, more photos, more everything. That's it for today. We'll talk soon. Goodbye.