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.
On today’s show, we talk with Allison Waukau (Menominee/Navajo) a community builder who works in library programs, raising Native representation on the shelves and behind the scenes, making libraries more welcoming to Native community members.
Allison Waukau started as a liaison at the Hennepin County Library, where her role quickly expanded into creating a Native Employee Resource Group for library and county employees, aimed at recruiting, supporting, and retaining Native colleagues. Allison is a member-at-large with the American Indian Library Association and one of Library Journal’s 2021 Movers & Shakers.
We enjoyed talking with Allison about her many professional interests, including exploring library land acknowledgment practices, developing community-led library programs, and elevating the voices and perspectives of the Native community near and far.
Allison’s book recommendations can all be found at https://birchbarkbooks.com/
Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend by Dawn Quigley
Voices from Pejuhutazizi: Dakota Stories and Storytellers by Teresa Peterson & Walter Labatte Jr.
The Seed Keeper by Diane WilsonMoon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
Allison also wants to note a new Minnesota publishing company focusing on Dakota/Lakota authors and voices, launched by Spirit Lake Dakota artist Marlena Myles: http://wiyounkihipi.com/
Hennepin County Library events page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/v2/events
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library: https://thefriends.org/calendar-of-events/
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
- Bradley Harrington: The United States 250th Anniversary from an Anishinaabe Perspective
On this episode Leah and Cole speak with Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe citizen Bradley Harrington who recently penned an article in the Mille Lacs Band newspaper, Ojibwe Inaajimowin, about 250 years of US occupation as the country marks the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. - Dr. Samantha Majhor: The Story Collector
Today, we’re excited to welcome Dr. Samantha Majhor to Native Lights. Samantha is a direct descendant of Fort Peck. She’s Dakota and Assiniboine and is an assistant professor in American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. She focuses on Native American literature, particularly literature by Dakota and Ojibwe writers around the Great Lakes region. - Aleyna Morales: Baking and Believing in Herself
Today, we’re speaking with Aleyna Morales. Aleyna grew up in the Twin Cities and Somerset, Wisconsin. Aleyna’s heritage includes Ojibwe from the Fond du Lac Band community and Mexican. She is the creator and baker behind Baked to Bliss by Laney. You can catch her selling baked goods at the Carlton County Farmers Market.
Bradley Harrington’s Gift for Transforming through Cultural Connection