Upcoming Native Bidaské: Leonard Peltier on Life After Prison, His Art and a Message to Native Youth

Leonard Peltier spent more than 49 years incarcerated. Now, more than a year after his release, he is adjusting to life outside prison while continuing to fight for greater freedom, medical treatment and the opportunity to tell his story on his own terms.

On Friday, September 18, at 12 ET, Native Bidaské host Levi Rickert sits down with Peltier for a wide-ranging conversation about his life, artwork, upcoming documentary and hopes for the next generation of Native people.

Peltier, who celebrated his 82nd birthday on September 12, discusses his ongoing vision loss and efforts to find treatment. He says he has lost 82 percent of his vision and remains frustrated by restrictions that limit his travel and activities.

Those restrictions could affect Peltier’s ability to attend an upcoming October 4 exhibition of his artwork in New York City. The exhibition at the 15th Street Friends Meeting House will feature roughly 10 to 15 pieces of artwork Peltier created while incarcerated.

Peltier tells Rickert that he has created more than 200 pieces of art during his years in prison, drawing on a lifelong connection to art and its importance within Native cultures.

The conversation also looks ahead to the release of Free Leonard Peltier, a documentary directed by David Frank and Jesse Short Bull (Oglala Sioux). Peltier discusses his involvement with the project and his insistence that his story, and the history surrounding his case, be told accurately.

With his declining eyesight making it difficult to write, Peltier is also preparing to record his life story by audio, with plans for his words to eventually become a biography.

The conversation closes with Peltier reflecting on tribal sovereignty, land reclamation, treaty rights and the responsibility of Native youth to carry the work forward.

Watch this episode of Native Bidaské on Friday, September 18, at 12 p.m. ET on Facebook, YouTube, NativeNewsOnline.net, and TikTok.

Watch past episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@NativeNewsOnline/streams