Today we are revisiting our conversation with Dalton Walker (Red Lake Anishinaabe) who is Deputy Managing Editor for Indian Country Today. Dalton Walker shares how he followed his teenage dreams of expanding on the kind of coverage he would see in newspapers about Native people. Dalton also has contributed to Minnesota Native News’ pandemic coverage
By becoming a journalist he’s providing a more complete picture of the issues and opportunities affecting Native people, communities, and all our lives.
Check out his pandemic coverage with Minnesota Native News
- Navigating Community Health Beyond COVID-19
Welcome back to Community Health Conversations! Hosts Leah Lemm (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) and Dr. Antony Stately Ph.D. (Ojibwe/Oneida) lead insightful discussions about the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare in Indian Country. They discuss the valuable lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore how Native communities are responding and adapting beyond COVID-19. On today’s … - Minnesota Launches COVID19 Telehealth Program
This week on the Health Report, the Minnesota Department of Health has announced a new telehealth program to help people receive treatment for COVID19. And Bivalent COVID19 vaccines are now available for the youngest age group - New Round of Free At-Home COVID Tests Available
This week on the Health Report, a new round of Covid tests are available through the state of Minnesota and we’ll hear about the Covid-19 treatment, Paxlovid, and how to find out if you’re eligible for the treatment.
Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
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More from Native Lights
- Michael Kurtz: Tales of a Wildlife Photographer
Our guest today is a photographer who takes some stunning photos of wildlife. We’re very excited to speak with Michael Kurtz (Tasunka Opi). He’s Sicangu Lakota, enrolled in the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. He runs Lakota Photography, blending wildlife photography, tracking, and cultural education. He’s also a naturalist and has volunteered with groups like the National Park Service and Project Coyote. He has spent countless hours across the Dakotas, Minnesota, and beyond, capturing wildlife in its natural habitat. Currently, he’s supervisor of programming and interpretation with Hoċokata Ṫi Cultural Center at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community. - Kent Estey: The Art of Survival
On this episode, we speak with contemporary artist and White Earth Nation citizen Kent Estey. Kent paints at his home studio in Naytahwaush, in the heart of the White Earth Reservation. He’s known for really bold abstract landscapes, acrylic, oil, ink, and metal. He’s also an author. In 2025, he released the children’s book Picking Sweetgrass. His latest exhibit, “Mino-Bimaadiziwin: The Good Life” runs through Labor Day weekend in Detroit Lakes. - Rafael Gonzalez, aka, Tufawon: How a Minneapolis Rap Artist Learned How to Sing and Make a Difference
We are very excited to speak with Rafael Gonzalez, aka, Tufawon. He is a Mdewakanton Dakota and Boricua (Puerto Rican). He’s a rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer who calls South Minneapolis home. In addition to his music making, he’s an educator. He teaches youth music production, songwriting, and recording through his music production program “.WAVWARRIOR”.


Taking a Stand: Water and Sculpture