- Details
- By Levi Rickert
Coming up next on Native Bidaské is a special interview with Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis. This episode is co-hosted by Native News Online Editor Levi Rickert and comedian/actor Chance Rush.
The conversation highlights Governor Lewis’s enduring friendship with Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr., who passed away unexpectedly on September 26, 2025. As a member of the Indian Gaming Association’s board of directors, Governor Lewis reflects on Chairman Stevens’ profound legacy and leadership. Over nearly 25 years, Stevens guided the Indian gaming industry’s growth from $11 billion to more than $43 billion in annual revenue..
Lewis also shares insights into the landmark project of solar-covered irrigation canals and river restoration efforts that blend traditional O’odham stewardship with cutting-edge sustainability practices on the Gila River Indian Reservation, the first initiative of its kind on any Native American reservation in the United States.
First elected in 2014, Lewis is now serving his fourth term as governor at Gila River. A member of the Akimel O’odham and Pee-Posh tribes, was educated at Arizona State University and Harvard’s Kennedy School, Lewis continues his father Rodney Lewis’s legacy of defending tribal sovereignty and advancing Native self-determination.
👉 Join us for this must-see conversation on Native Bidaské
Date: Friday, October 10th, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. CT / 10:00 a.m. MT / 9:00 a.m. PT
Streaming on: Facebook, YouTube, and the Native News Online website
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At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
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The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
