Teaching kids Indigenous language and culture

Mike Eagle Tail marches alongside children.
Mike Eagle Tail marches alongside children from the Anishinabe Academy during an Indigenous People's Day parade in St. Paul. Eagle Tail has three children who attend the school.
Evan Frost | MPR News 2018

Editor’s note (Oct. 16, 2020): This conversation, originally scheduled for Oct. 12, was postponed until Oct. 19 because of live coverage of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

School is where we go to learn writing, math and social studies. But for some students in our state, it's also a place to learn about their culture.

Some Minnesota school districts are home to Native American education programs, where Native kids can learn Indigenous languages, art forms and history. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two educators who lead these programs about why they’re so important to have in public schools.

She also talks with an activist with Rock the Vote Native Style about voter registration and turnout, and what motivates Native voters.

And MPR senior economics contributor Chris Farrell shares an update on the particulars of our struggling national economy.

Guests:

  • Gerald White is the Anishinaabe education coordinator and an Ojibwe instructor for Deer River Schools in Itasca County.

  • John Bobolink is the director of American Indian education for Saint Paul Public Schools.

  • Christian Taylor-Johnson is an organizer with Rock the Vote Native Style.

  • Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR.

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