We meet Deb Foster (Ojibwe), the Executive Director of Ain Dah Yung, and Mike Laverdure (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota), a partner with DSGW Architects. Deb Foster and Mike Laverdure both played leading roles in the creation of Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung, a beautiful new apartment building in St. Paul, where formerly homeless Native young adults can live, reconnect to culture, and get job skills. Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung opened in November of 2019.
Reporter/Producer Laurie Stern joins Leah and Cole in-studio for this program, which originally aired in Season Two Episode Four of Native Lights podcast. https://minnesotanativenews.org/two-visionaries-one-project/
Meaning “Our Home” in Ojibwe, Ain Dah Yung Center provides a healing place within the community for American Indian youth and families to thrive in safety and wholeness. http://adycenter.org/
Check out the American Indian Science and Engineering Society here: https://www.aises.org/about/board/michael-laverdure
Mike Laverdure is Principal, Director of First American Design at DSGW: https://dsgw.com/category/projects/native-american/
This episode originally comes from Season 2 of Native Lights
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. Online at https://minnesotanativenews.org/
Subscribe to Native Lights wherever you get your podcasts
More from Native Lights
- Beyond the Headlines: David Cournoyer on Authentic StorytellingIn this enlightening episode, we sit down with David Cournoyer, a seasoned journalist and communications expert with over three decades of experience. We delve into David’s remarkable career, starting from his early days as a local and TV journalist to his impactful work and nonprofit communications. David shares his inspiring journey from journalism to philanthropy, …
- Reflection and Roots: Leah & Cole’s Journey with Native LightsThis episode is a celebration of community, resilience, and the power of storytelling whether you’re a long time, listener or new to the series, tune in to get to know the voices behind native lights and be inspired by their dedication to making a difference. In this special episode, siblings and co-hosts Leah and Cole …
- Karen Diver: Championing Indigenous ExcellenceKaren Diver is currently serving as the inaugural Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs at the University of Minnesota. In addition to previous roles in higher education, Karen was also an appointee of President Obama as the Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs. As part of the Domestic Policy Council from …