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 Toya Stewart Downey (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) who is the Executive Director of Strategic Communication, Equity and Inclusion for Robbinsdale Area Schools.
Toya earned her master’s degree in Health Journalism from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and worked as a journalist for leading newspapers around the country, and for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s Inaajimowin news, closer to home. Toya also worked in crisis communications for St. Paul Schools, and in public relations, for the Ordway.
In addition to her work leading diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the Robbinsdale schools, Toya Stewart Downey serves on the board of several organizations, bringing her perspective and insights to both MinnPost, the online news service, and Theater Latte Da.
We loved hearing how Toya’s path began with her love of news and writing, and her willingness to try new things. Toya’s enthusiasm for encouraging and mentoring students is admirable and inspiring. Miigwech Toya!
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
- Alexandera Houchin: Life on Two Wheels
Today, we’re very excited to Welcome Alexandera Houchin to the Native Lights podcast. Alexandera is a citizen of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe). She resides in her reservation community in northern Minnesota. She’s an ultra racer, bike packer, mountain biker, outdoor adventurer, storyteller, and writer. And she is currently working on her memoir for Penguin Random House and is the subject of a documentary. - 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.
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