A problematic symbol of the West gets a reboot.
Perspective
Posted inDecember 9, 2019: Crossing to Safety
Not all Indigenous cinema needs to be serious
‘The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw’ is an entertaining tale about a millennial Indigenous woman returning home.
Posted inDecember 9, 2019: Party Favors
The U.S. has spent more money erasing Native languages than saving them
As tribes fight to save their languages from extinction, has the government done enough?
Posted inNovember 25, 2019: Forever Mines
BLM chief’s wild horse fixation distracts from the real threats to public land
Species extinction, near-constant wildfire and widespread drought are a few dangers William Perry Pendley might consider instead.
Posted inArticles
Allowing off-highway vehicles in Utah’s national parks is a mistake
More mechanized traffic in already crowded parks is another Trump administration gift to industry and Utah politicians.
Posted inOctober 28, 2019: Where Hunting Still Has Meaning
‘Smoke Signals’ was needed, but it doesn’t hold up
The seminal film, while important for finally having Native representation, relied on stereotypes.
Posted inArticles
What about the rails?
A recent Amtrak journey conjures visions of functional rail transportation in the U.S.
Posted inSeptember 2, 2019: In Bad Faith
The legacy of colonialism on public lands created the Mauna Kea conflict
Public lands are often the only places where Indigenous sacred landscapes still exist.
Posted inSeptember 2, 2019: In Bad Faith
Letters from Miguel: ‘I felt I had no option but to leave’
How my correspondence with an immigrant detainee has given me hope.
Posted inAugust 5, 2019: From Prison to Fireline
How partisan politics can make ballot measures undemocratic
A fight over wolf management in Alaska shows how lawmakers can undermine citizen-led initiatives.
Posted inArticles
How to Indigenize the Green New Deal and environmental justice
Native nations and activists must have a seat at the table.
Posted inArticles
National parks provide an unsettling view of patriotism
Our nation’s darker past and bright ideas can both be found in the parks.
Posted inJuly 21, 2019: A Radical Return
Lawmakers can address the MMIW crisis. Will they?
Canada is taking major steps to stop the murder of Indigenous women and girls. The U.S. needs to do the same.
Posted inArticles
Farmers turn to prisons to fill labor needs
With immigration numbers low, the agriculture industry looks to another form of disenfranchised workers.
Posted inJune 24, 2019: Losing Lake Coeur d'Alene
Mining laws have long been used for recreation
In Idaho, a law meant to boost mining actually allows for its end as recreation transforms the West’s economy.
Posted inJune 10, 2019: 'None of this happened the way you think it did'
Survey finds few tribal governments allow press freedom
83% of respondents said stories about tribal government affairs often go unreported due to censorship.
Posted inMay 27, 2019: Public Pushback
Will the Trump administration boost uranium?
Energy industry lobbying could lead to more mining from Bears Ears to Wyoming.
Posted inArticles
Western forests have a ‘fire debt’ problem
Planned burns can reduce wildfire risks, but expanding use of ‘good fire’ isn’t easy.
Posted inMay 27, 2019: Public Pushback
The case for carbon farming in California
Can farmers and ranchers use plants to capture greenhouse gases?
Posted inMay 27, 2019: Public Pushback
Why the queer Mormon policy reversal is not enough
Mormon suicide has deeper roots — and demands more change — than the church’s reversal of its exclusion policy.