Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.
Today, we’re speaking with Rebekah Fineday, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen and Air Force veteran who serves as Sanford Health’s Native American community advocate in Bemidji, Minnesota. She is also a Registered Nurse and has worked at Indian Health Service (IHS) in Cass Lake and Red Lake for more than a decade. Through her work, she’s been advocating to improve health care in Native American communities which include community-minded patient relations, building relationships with other tribal health groups, and in-person patient advocacy.
She shares a little about her time in the Air Force, working in Indian Health Services, and the importance of community and culture in the health care system. Miigwech to Rebekah for sharing about what has led her along the path of advocating for Native Americans in Healthcare systems!
Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine. Native Lights is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
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- Bryce Premo: Exploring Social Work FrontiersBryce Premo is a Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe citizen and brother of Native Lights hosts Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Bryce on the cusp of an exciting transition in his career. With a bachelor’s degree in social work almost under his belt and poised to pursue a master’s degree in the same field, Bryce …