Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations

Allison Waukau’s Gift for Raising Native Representation in Libraries

Native Lights

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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