November 13, 2025
As the nation observes Native American History Month, Cherokee Film is inviting audiences to revisit the country’s beginnings through a more inclusive lens — one that recognizes the deep role of Indigenous nations in shaping early America.
Currents
Tune in Saturday, Nov. 15 at 4 pm ET for a special Native Bidaské as host Levi Rickert, editor of Native News Online, interviews award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns and Jen Loren, an Emmy Award-winning host, filmmaker, and senior director of Cherokee Film.
From Our Partners
Across the country today, museums are being forced to reckon with the truth. For centuries, most mainstream museums were built from taking — taking objects, taking stories, taking lands. They displayed the Ancestors of Native Nations under the banner of “education,” while silencing the very Peoples those Ancestors came from.
Brimley, MI – November 5, 2025 – As rising grocery costs and recent government instability affecting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits strain household budgets, Bay Mills Community College (BMCC) is reaffirming its commitment to student well-being by ensuring reliable access to nutritious food through its Campus Cares Cupboard and free lunch program, now bolstered by critical state grant funding.
The nation’s first Indigenous-focused Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) and a corresponding Indigenous concentration in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program will open for applications in 2026 at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. These groundbreaking graduate programs, offered through the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health , will prepare future leaders to address the health priorities of Indigenous peoples through culturally informed, community-driven solutions.
Palm Desert, California — California Indian Nations College (CINC), the only accredited tribal college in California in decades, is experiencing remarkable growth while making a profound impact on Indigenous education. Since its founding, CINC has served 506 students, providing culturally responsive higher education that empowers Native communities and fosters leadership, academic success, and cultural preservation.
Opinion
Guest Opinion. Last week, I was honored to testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on the matter of Lumbee recognition. I am grateful to Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for holding a serious, measured hearing — one that created space for actual evidence to be presented. This is long overdue.
Opinion. One in four Native Americans utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, often referred to as SNAP or food stamps. Native Americans live at the poverty level twice the national average. Among Native American SNAP recipients, most are elders, children or disabled individuals.
Sovereignty
An overwhelming majority of Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians voters support moving forward with a U.S. Department of the Interior Secretarial Election to adopt a three-branch system of government, according to unofficial results shared on social media by Chairperson Austin Lowes and Unit 1 Tribal Councilmember Rob McRorie.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation will host its annual Puneesuwak “Honoring” Our Veterans event, a celebration recognizing more than 200 years of Native and non-Native Americans serving side by side in the U.S. Armed Forces. The celebration will honor more than 200 years of Native and non-Native military service
Education
The American Indian College Fund has released its annual State of the College Fund address, delivered by President and CEO Cheryl Crazy Bull (Sicangu Lakota), emphasizing the enduring importance of tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) in advancing Native people and communities amid national conversations about the future of higher education.
The American Indian College Fund has launched a new campaign, You Can Do Something , in recognition of Native American Heritage Month. The effort aims to reshape how Americans understand history, power and culture — and to encourage action to honor and support Native peoples.
Arts & Entertainment
As the nation observes Native American History Month, Cherokee Film is inviting audiences to revisit the country’s beginnings through a more inclusive lens — one that recognizes the deep role of Indigenous nations in shaping early America.
WNYC’s new podcast Our Common Nature takes listeners on a journey across the U.S., blending music, nature, and Indigenous stories.
Health
Environment
Leaders of the Chilkat Indian Village of Klukwan and the conservation group Chilkat Forever are warning the new owners of the Palmer mine project that they will face “sustained and unyielding opposition” if they pursue hardrock mining in the Chilkat Valley.
Two South Texas tribes and a local environmental group are calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to revoke a federal permit for a proposed export terminal at Donnel Point, saying new environmental and cultural findings invalidate the original approval.