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’ll chat with State Representative and Entrepreneur Jamie Becker-Finn (Leech Lake). Recently she celebrated the opening of her coffee shop – Makwa Coffee. We talk with Jamie about the first few weeks of Makwa Coffee, how she got the idea amidst the pandemic and how the community has supported Makwa so far. In addition to Makwa Coffee and her work in the legislature, Jamie is also a teacher and supports initiatives encouraging kids to get outside and into nature.
You can find out more about Makwa Coffee online at https://www.makwacoffee.com/ and Jamie Becker-Finn in the House of Representatives at https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15457
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/
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More from Native Lights
- 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. - Nikki Love (Pieratos): Keeping Relatives and Neighbors Safe in Uncertain Times
Today, we are honored to welcome Nikki Love (Pieratos) to the Native Lights podcast. An enrolled citizen of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Nikki is the executive director of the Tiwahe Foundation, which is a community organization serving Native people around Minnesota. She’s also a part of the Metro Urban Indian Directors. Nikki shares her insight on what keeps her grounded and how keeping a prayerful attitude and a focus on the present helps keeps her from dwelling in fear and negativity.


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