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, Leah and Cole chat with Adrienne Zimiga-January, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation who has been creating and performing in the Twin Cities theater community for over a decade.
This fall, she’s making her Guthrie debut on stage in “For The People.” It’s billed as a “world premiere comedy by Native voices” with a story set in the Minneapolis Native community.
In addition to her insights on the play, Adrienne talks about her passion for theater, bringing more Native stories to the stage, and making theater a place that’s welcoming for all.
Adrienne is also a member of the Guthrie Theater’s Native Advisory Council, which works to help decolonize spaces and open doors for Indigenous performers and creators. Plus, she’s the designer of “You Are On Native Land” artwork, available in the Guthrie’s Store.
“For the People” runs from Oct. 7 through Nov. 12. You can find ticket information here.
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.
Subscribe to Native Lights wherever you get your podcasts
More from Native Lights
- Dr. Antony Stately: Building Health Equity in Indigenous Communities
Today, we’re excited to welcome Dr. Antony Stately to Native Lights. Antony Stately is a transformative leader dedicated to health equity in Indigenous communities. He’s enrolled with the Oneida Nation, and he’s a descendant of both the Red Lake and White Earth nations here in Minnesota, and he has two sons. He’s currently the Executive Officer and President for the Native American Community Clinic in South Minneapolis, providing primary care, dental care and behavioral health services to the Native American community in the Twin Cities. - Gary Farmer: Living Life on Screen for 50 Years
Today, we’re excited to be joined by one of the most recognizable faces in Indigenous film. Gary Farmer is from the Cayuga Nation and has a long career in movies and TV, and he’s a musician, performing with his group Gary Farmer & The Troublemakers. - David Amitrano: Witnessing
Today, Leah speaks with David Amitrano, the owner of Midwest All-Star Wrestling, a Minnesota-based, Native-owned independent wrestling organization in Woodbury.
Migizi’s New Home