Rez Life Weekly

Rez Life Weekly Staff Denver is poised to become the site of the United States’ first-ever American Indian Cultural Embassy, a groundbreaking initiative that aims to honor Indigenous history and welcome Native people back to Colorado, land many tribes once called home. According to CBS-Colorado, the project received a major boost after Denver voters approved funding as part of the recent Vibrant Denver bond measure in November. At the heart of the project’s vision is a space

By Jenna Mayzouni Medill Reports Northwestern University   The sound of the Huehuetl drum thuds gently against the ground as Sergio places it down on the cement playground in Harrison Park, in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago.    His wife, Ana, places offerings in front of the drums and begins preparing the copal incense for the practice of the day. They are usually the first to arrive.    Children run through the park, zooming around the drums. Ana and Sergio sit on the si

The Greatest Rez Stories Ever Told A new podcast rooted in real conversation, real people, and real stories from Indian Country is launching this March on Rez Life Weekly . Privacy, Please Podcast , hosted by Joe Morey, is a no-filter conversation series built around the stories that shape life on the reservation and beyond. It is a place for honest dialogue, uncomfortable truths, laughter, healing, and the kind of storytelling that usually happens only when the room feels sa

By Joe Morey Rez Life News Editor CHICAGO — Gestational diabetes has risen steadily in the United States for nearly a decade, increasing every single year from 2016 through 2024, according to a new national analysis from Northwestern Medicine. The study, which examined more than 12 million U.S. births, found that rates climbed across every racial and ethnic group. However, the burden has fallen disproportionately on American Indian and Alaska Native women, who continue to exp

Rez Life Weekly Staff A 42-year-old Lac du Flambeau man remains in the Vilas County Jail on a $300,000 cash bond after authorities say he brutally assaulted a woman with a hammer in what prosecutors have charged as attempted first-degree intentional homicide. According to court records, Brett D. La Barge was taken into custody on Saturday, Dec. 13, after multiple 911 calls were received just before 1 p.m. reporting an active assault at a residence in the Town of Lac du Flambe

By Henry Redman Wisconsin Examiner December 17, 2025 The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, challenging the corps’ decision to grant a permit allowing the oil company Enbridge to reroute its Line 5 pipeline around the tribe’s reservation in northern Wisconsin. The lawsuit, filed in the Washington D.C. federal circuit court, is another step in the long legal history of the Enbridge pipeline and the comp

By Joe Morey Rez Life Weekly Editor Kip Ritchie has spent more than two decades helping shape economic growth in Indian Country, and in 2023 he reached a historic milestone when he was named chief executive officer of Potawatomi Ventures, becoming the first enrolled tribal member to lead the business development arm of the Forest County Potawatomi Community. Based in Milwaukee, Ritchie now oversees a diversified enterprise valued at roughly $450 million, with a mission center

By Joe Morey Rez Life Weekly Editor The evolving state of American Indian education in Minnesota was the focus of extensive discussion during an American Indian Education Field Hearing held Monday at the Cedar Lakes Casino Hotel in Cass Lake, an event reported by the Bemidji Pioneer and hosted by the Minnesota Department of Education. Educators, parents and students participated both in person and remotely as they listened to updates and shared concerns directly with MDE Comm

LDF Tribal Police Press Release In the early afternoon of Saturday, December 13, 2025, law enforcement officers of the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department and Vilas County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a possible homicide in the Town of Lac du Flambeau. Upon their arrival at the scene, the officers apprehended a suspect and found an unconscious victim suffering from a severe head trauma. Officers immediately rendered aid to the victim and summoned an ambu

By Joe Morey Rez Life Weekly Editor The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Kansas is moving to cancel a nearly $30 million federal contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following intense backlash from Native communities across the country, according to a December 15 Newsweek  article that first brought widespread attention to the deal. The contract, signed in October by KPB Services LLC, a newly formed tribal entity, was awarded by ICE to develop early design

By Joe Morey Rez Life Weekly Editor For the first time in its history, the Crow Tribe is seeing its enrolled population shrink, according to a recent report by MTN News. Tribal leaders say that in the past year, the number of deaths among enrolled Crow citizens exceeded the number of new enrollees, raising alarms about the long-term future of the tribe. In response, the Crow Tribal Executive Branch has moved quickly, drafting legislation aimed at increasing enrollment and sta

By Sean Whyte Rez Life Ink Slinger Native American actors and actresses have made significant strides in recent years, breaking through...

By Sean Whyte Rez Life Ink Slinger Lily Gladstone: A Rising Star in Cinema and Television Lily Gladstone is a name that may not be immediately recognizable to many, but within the world of film and television, she is a rising star known for her talent, versatility, and dedication to her craft. With a background rooted in theater and a string of impressive roles in both independent and mainstream productions, Lily Gladstone has carved out a niche for herself in the entertainme

By Joe Moreno Rez Life Ink Slinger Potawatomi. The name may conjure up thoughts of a Tribe, their Casino, or perhaps even a State Park,...

University of Wisconsin Health Department Article Dr. Mariah Star Cooper (enrolled tribal member at Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake...

Statewide one-read program kicks off at Minnesota History Center MN History Center Press Release ST. PAUL, Minn (October 30, 2023) – A...

GLITC Press Release Architectural drawing of the proposed adolescent recovery and wellness center Editor's Note: More detailed...

From the US Dept. of Homeland Security Office of Partnership and Engagement The Presidential Proclamation: During National Native...

WDVA Press Release Secretary Bond visits Oneida Nation. Pictured left to right: Kirby Metoxin (Council Member), Melissa Doud (WDVA Tribal...

By Sean Whyte Rez Life Ink Slinger As the brisk winds of autumn usher in the month of October, many people around the United States and beyond begin to prepare for Halloween, a holiday filled with costumes, candy, and spooky decorations. However, as the month transitions into November, another significant cultural celebration takes center stage: Native American Heritage Month. These two events may seem unrelated, but there is a profound connection between them that often goes