One time when I was home for the summer, it was my birthday and I wasn’t expecting anything, as we didn’t have much money.  We barely had enough for food, much less any birthday stuff, so I didn’t say anything about my birthday.  I think at one point all we had to eat was tortillas, some cheese, a bag of beans and a can of that commodity chicken in a can.  I remember my uncle opened up the can, put it on a plate and said it was time to eat… ahhhh what you do for a hungry belly.

So, here it was my birthday, I think it was my 19th and he pulls out a cake for me.  A store made cake and I couldn’t believe it.  I started to get teary eyed, wondering how much it cost and my uncle holding that cake saying “happy birthday”.  I know he loved me, he wanted to make sure that I had a good birthday, I will never ever forget that one.

My uncle was a cross-country and track runner in high school, he always talked about running, so when I started to run, he always ask about how I was doing and give me advice. He had all my pictures of me in my uniform, both high school and college and he still asked how I would do at my local races.  But, he was a diabetic now and he was now bigger than when he ran.  He had to inject insulin daily and I know it was taking a toll on him.  When I started my project on looking at American Indian diabetes stories in the mainstream media, I would talk to him about the stuff I was finding out.  I know he was listening, he was reading a book on diabetes, he had started logging exercise he was doing.

My kids loved their Grandpa Wil, I couldn’t wait for my son to spend time with him so he could learn all the Acoma songs they sing at our ceremonies.  That is what is gone now, an elder to pass that information down to the next generation who has left us far too soon.

I feel there is a ticking time bomb silently going on within our tribal communities, that we can stop, we have to stop.  I don’t want our people to lose our elders, people we love, too soon.  We have to support one another to do this.  Recently the Lawrence Journal World newspaper (Lawrence, Kansas) ran a story about the research Dr. Teresa Lamsam and I did this past summer at the Native American Journalists Association conference.  That article written by reporter Aaron Couch has made Dr. Lamsam and myself think about our next phase of our research.  We are planning on launching a site with our information we are finding out from the research we have conducted and will be conducting.  The amount of contacts we are getting from the story is amazing and shows what journalism can do by engaging the audience.   We will keep you all updated on our project and if anyone again, wants to be involved with writing a first hand account of what you are doing to combat diabetes in your community please email us.

I know my uncle is proud of me, I know he is always with me, but, there are days when I wish he was here to tell me one more story, sing one more song, I miss that the most.

So, after all the press these young people have received from their project, all the blogs, Facebook tags, likes, tweets, I thought maybe this year, our mainstream counterparts might understand why these costumes are offensive.  This morning, I was let down.

I was watching NBC’s “Today Show” as they were doing their annual costume contest and they were all in good taste: a Lego man, a perfume bottle, a man dressed up as a new york sub map, so I was thinking alright, no cultural type costumes!  But alas, the show hadn’t ended.  They had a costume contest for pets (about 2:21 is where the offensive piece is at) and that was where it got ridiculous.

Now, I think dressing up dogs in costumes is not fun for a small dog, and here is a woman coming out holding her dog in a headdress,choker, and other gear, while she is also dressed up as a Native American Indian.  Everyone cheered, even Al Roker made his usual jokes “Very cute, and How”.  I just wanted to gag.

I thought how come the producers didn’t think anyone might be offended? What do we have to do to get it across to them that this is detrimental to our children?  I am so glad my kids had already left for school before seeing this.

I would just like to request, please mainstream producers, before you start to mock a culture think about how those people feel.  It is not funny, it is not cute, we are real people.  STARS needs to send some of their posters to “The Today Show” NOW!

All the litigation, press conferences, meetings and explanations that Elouise Cobell went through I wondered how this woman did all that without wearing down.  She had strong medicine that I believe.

There are many Native Leaders in history that have done much to help their people.  Elouise was a modern-day warrior doing the same.  Upon hearing of her death, I was sad for all those around her that gave her up to all of us as she fought for this case.  They didn’t get to spend the time they should have with her, but, I do know that they as well as her tribe are extremely proud of her and what she did for many.    I want to say my condolences to the family, to the Blackfeet Nation, thank you for giving us Elouise so she could take on this task. I know more are inspired by her and will continue the fight for Native rights.  Her work will not be forgotten.

First, people might ask why? What is the importance? I think what we found out was that many of our own people are tired of hearing about diabetes and they get “diabetes fatigue”. (yes there is a name for it)  For others,  many of them figure they are going to get it anyway, why bother.  I found myself in this later category as many of my own family have diabetes, and sad as it sounds, I figured it was only a matter of time before I was a diabetic.  But, as journalists, we felt we needed to get some information out on how these stories are being presented and how we as Native journalists can take it into our own hands to do something about our future generations.

In our study, we looked at how the stories were framed either: Episodic or Thematic. Episodic (most news stories): attribute responsibility to individuals or thematic (public health): increasing societal attribution.  And relating background on: societal structure; economic & political context, and the responsibility of government.

This was important because we were looking at who was being blamed for getting diabetes, was it the individual or is it the environment that American Indians live in and should the government help to combat?

The first honoree is Tim Giago, Oglala Lakota, who retired earlier this year as Editor/Publisher of the Native Sun News.  Giago launched three leading Native newspapers, produced a weekly television show, published five books and was the recipient of many journalism awards.

In 1983 he co-founded the Native American Press Association (NAPA), which later became known as the Native American Journalists Association.  In 1984 when NAPA/NAJA first met, Giago was elected the first President.

NAJA will honor Mr. Giago with the Lifetime Achievement Award for all he has done not only for Native American Journalism, but also, journalism as a whole.

The second honoree, the recipient of the Milestone Award is Dr. Bill Dulaney.  Dulaney help raise funds for the first initial meeting of the Native American Press Association later known as the Native American Journalists Association.  Without the help of Dr. Dulaney NAJA would not exist.

To the Hoopa Valley Tribal Council,
The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) is disappointed about the news that your tribal newspaper “The Two Rivers Tribune” has been shut down because of financial situations and story sensitivity issues.  We at NAJA encourage freedom of the press for all reporters/editors, especially for your tribal paper.

According to your own bylaws:  The Hoopa Valley Tribe, in exercising its powers of self-government, shall not:

a. Make or enforce any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition for a redress of grievances;

The tribal council is illegally violating their rights by shutting down the paper.  All journalists have a right to hold their own opinion without interference from the government.

Tribal newspapers are the main conduit for the flow of information from tribal officials to tribal members.  There are none more dedicated to their own tribal interests than those newspaper staff people. Shutting down your tribal newspaper impacts the whole tribe and those cities around your tribe. Tribal members will not get the valuable tribal information from local or regional newspapers as they would from their own newspaper.
Now your tribal officials and tribal members will receive news from journalists who probably do not understand sovereignty, culture or history.  We ask that you take another look at the importance of your tribal newspaper and let your journalists do their jobs.

Sincerely,

Rhonda LeValdo
President, Native American Journalists Association
OU Gaylord College
395 W Lindsey
Norman, Oklahoma 73019-4201
405 325-9008

The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) is saddened by the news of the loss of 700 positions within the Gannett newspaper division.

Diversity is a problem at mainstream newsrooms and layoffs compound the problem in coverage of communities of color.  NAJA stands alongside its UNITY alliance partners to help those journalists affected by the layoffs.

We are forwarding job positions to the Asian American Journalists Association’s (AAJA) president Doris Truong where the information will be shared via Facebook, Twitter, and AAJA’s website.  We will post that information for our NAJA members that are affected as well.

In the spirit of UNITY, we are here for all our fellow journalists.

Rhonda LeValdo, President, Native American Journalists Association

OU Gaylord College
395 W Lindsey
Norman, Oklahoma 73019-4201
405 325-9008

http://www.naja.com

The information distributed to multiple-media sources across the nation, on the U.S. government’s behalf, has proved to the Native Nations across the board, that the American people in addition to the U.S. government still don’t understand that we, the Native People of this land, are not here for constant public humiliation.

In the New York Time’s article, “Clues Gradually Led to the Location of Osama Bin Laden, Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A. director, narrated “We have a visual on Geronimo,” he said.  A few minutes later: “Geronimo EKIA.”   Enemy Killed In Action.

Since this information hit the news stands through out the nation, NAJA has received numerous call of complaints from our fellow colleagues and tribal members who were upset to find out that again, our Native People are being equated to a terrorist/murderer/enemy number one.  We ask the Federal Government could there not have been another name used in reference to this attack?  Could we not have used another infamous enemy in reference to Bin Laden perhaps, Custer or Columbus? Our Native people have served in this country’s military in the highest numbers per capita of any racial group and this is the way they are repaid for their service given to the U.S.?

Native American soldiers helped the U.S. in World War 2 with their language used as codes.   George Red Elk, Comanche Indian Veterans Association Commander said he was, too, “very upset of the code name that was chosen for the operation of killing Osama Bin Laden.  The Comanche Nation, as well as all Native American Nations, have served this country honorably and many have paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure we can still have the freedoms that are in our U.S. Constitution.”

Since 2001, 61 American Indians and Alaskan Natives have died defending our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 400 have been wounded. Native Nations also lost Lori Piestewa, the Hopi woman, believed to be the first Native American woman ever to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military.   All our Native service men and women have served honorably and continue to serve.

This is not a matter of being sensitive, it’s a matter of respect. It’s time the U.S. respect the original people of this land and the Native people who step up to defend our freedoms.

It is unacceptable for the U.S. to equate Geronimo with Osama bin Laden.  Geronimo stood up for his people, their traditions, and the land they lived upon.  Geronimo was no terrorist.  He was a member of North America’s homeland security, and Native North Americans will never forget that.

We ask the federal government to apologize for the use of Geronimo’s name with this operation as many of our Native Nations have been offended.   As every culture, we too have our own concepts of how American history played out and we believe that we can all agree to disagree.

Regardless, the U.S government has a responsibility to the people of this country, Native people are very much a part of and for that reason, utilizing the name Geronimo was an unacceptable choice of words.

Rhonda LeValdo, President

Native American Journalists Association

Rhondalevaldo@gmail.com

I encourage all students to submit an application, they can be found on our NAJA website.  The deadline is May 1st.

The early bird conference registration is May 1st as well, if you plan on attending the NAJA conference, the tentative schedule is also up, with sessions with: Google, Society of Professional Journalist, Health reporting, The Reynolds School of Business on “Business Reporting”, Investigative Reporting: The Murder of Anna Mae Pictou Aquash by AIM and much more to announce.   Save $100 on registration and get registered by May 1st!

NAJA Members and Friends,

The Native American Journalists Association was alerted Sunday April 10th of the decision by the National Association of Black Journalists to pull out of the UNITY Journalists of Color alliance.  NAJA is disappointed but respectful of NABJ’s determination which they called a “business decision.”   NAJA still encourages members of NABJ to participate in the UNITY 2012 conference in Las Vegas next August.  This invitation is also extended to any person who is interested in attending UNITY 2012 and supporting our mission to promote and achieve diversity in the newsroom and in media coverage.  NAJA proudly welcomes anyone who is interested in learning about Journalists of Color and the important responsibility they uphold in today’s society.

The American Society of News Editors recently issued the results from its newsroom census and it showed that the overall number of Journalists of Color in the nation’s newsrooms fell to 12.79%.  The number of Native Americans in these same newsrooms again remains at less than 1%.  NAJA is disheartened by these statistics, especially when the 2010 census count shows an 18.4% increase in the Native American population in the U.S since the 2000 census.  This is unacceptable to NAJA and we will continue to advocate and support our members and their efforts to become more visible and prominent in newsrooms and media coverage across the country.

Rhonda LeValdo, President, Native American Journalists Association

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