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Suzanne Benally is a leader in Indigenous Rights advocacy, and serves as the Executive Director of Cultural Survival. She shares her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities facing Native American communities and Indigenous Peoples in general in the context of the Trump administration. Interview by Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan), Indigenous Rights Radio producer based in South Africa.

Websites:

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is a high-level advisory body to the Economic and Social Council.
The twenty-first session of the Permanent Forum is happening from April 25th to May 6th, 2022, at the UN Headquarters in New York.
This year's special theme is “Indigenous Peoples, business, autonomy and the human rights principles of due diligence including Free, Prior and Informed Consent”

Over the past 25 years, Richard A. Grounds (Yuchi), Ph.D., has worked with Yuchi Elders to create new Yuchi speakers and bring his language back into his community, as well as advocating for Indigenous Peoples' language rights globally. He is currently Chair of the Global Indigenous Languages Caucus and Executive Director of the Yuchi Language Project. An article by Dr. Grounds on Yuchi language revitalization in the face of intellectual colonialism appears in Indigenous Languages and the Promise of Archives, from the University of Nebraska Press.

A proposed lithium mine at Peehee Mu’huh (Thacker Pass), Nevada, has attracted much attention. But those with the deepest ties to the land - descendants of those murdered at the Thacker Pass Massacre - have not been heard. In this podcast, we hear from Gary McKinney (Western Shoshone/ Northern Paiute) about the stuggles to protect sacred lands in the age of a lithium boom due to the transition to the "green" economy.

The Lakota LockUp Project advocates for American Indians affected by the justice system, to support innovative approaches for cultural and historical trauma survival, rebuilding lives, economic justice, traditional family services, substance and alcohol abuse treatment, and equal access to education, thus strengthening communities.
Produced by Shaldon Ferris(Khoisan)
Voices Robert Angelo and Theresa Tracke(Lakota)
Music: "LIBRES Y VIVAS by MARE ADVETENCIA, used with permission.
"Burn your village to the ground", by The Halluci Nation, used with permission.

Demetrius Johnson (Diné) is a #LandBack Organizer at Rapid City, South Dakota-based nonprofit NDN Collective. Originally from Tółaní, Ganado, Arizona, Johnson began community organizing shortly after being elected President of Kiva Club around the disastrous Gold King Mine spill that affected his people in 2015. He is also a long-standing lead organizer for The Red Nation, a coalition of Native and non-Native activists, educators, students, and community organizers based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, advocating Native liberation.

In this radio program we review the latest developments around Indigenous Peoples Day. We also hear what Christopher Columbus wrote about Indigenous Peoples of America in his diary.
Producer: Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Music: "Lights in the Forest",by Yarina, used with permission.
"Burn your village to the ground", by The Halluci Nation, used with permission.

Leya Hale lives in St. Paul. She was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. She is Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota and Navajo. She is a storyteller, a documentary filmmaker, and a producer with Twin Cities PBS (TPT), where she’s been working for the past eight years. Her  film, "Bring Her Home," addresses the epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women in the United States. 

Cultural Survival covers Indigenous Issues worldwide. As part of this work, our team joined the international negotiations of the 12th session of the Intersessional Working Group on Article 8(j) relating traditional knowledge, innovation and practices of Indigenous Peoples under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on November 12-16, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland. We spoke to many Indigenous leaders to communicate their priorities to our wider Indigenous audience.

After the sun, the moon and the stars were placed in the sky, days and nights were made, as well as the four seasons. The weather changed and it was no longer agreeable. It became too warm or too cold. This was hard on the First people since they still lived in brush dwellings or in caves. The people started complaining about the weather but didn’t know what to do.

Voice and script:
- Chad Valdez, Navajo.

Chad Valdez (Diné) is a writer currently residing in Denver, CO, and working as a bookseller. He holds a Master's degree in Fine Arts in Fiction with a minor in Native American studies from New Mexico State University where he was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. He has taught undergraduate courses in English and Creative Writing where he was able to share his love of Indigenous storytelling and understanding of epistemology. His writing has appeared in Windward Review, CBR.com among other outlets. This is Chads audio story called 'Split Decision'.

The world's largest Indigenous gathering, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, kicked off its 23rd session at UN Headquarters in New York. Indigenous delegates will champion self-determination and sovereignty for their communities, with a special focus on amplifying the voices of Indigenous youth. Cultural Survival is also attending the gatherings interviewing indigenous delegates about their self-determined priorities and their readiness to engage in high-level UN discussions.
Cultural Survival attended the UNPFII and spoke to some of the delegates who attended.

The Cultural Survival Bazaars are a series of cultural festivals, organized by Indigenous Peoples’ rights organization Cultural Survival, that provide Indigenous artists and artisans, cooperatives, and their representatives from around the world the chance to sell their work directly to the public.
Each event features traditional and contemporary crafts, artwork, clothing, jewelry, home goods, and accessories from dozens of countries.

Within each body is an archaeological site that holds the details and wisdom of our extraordinary life story, composed of generational, spiritual, and personal experiences. Historical amnesia locks these stories in the body, manifesting as pain, disease, addictions, emotional patterns, and repetitive circumstances. Somatically excavating your personal legend unearths memories of the past that can be reconciled and healed in order to create a new myth-for your body and for your Earth
The above quote describes a book called ‘My Body, my earth, by Dr Ruby Gibson.

Muchos sucesos que involucran a los Pueblos Indígenas están pasando alrededor del mundo. ¿Sabes cuáles son? Como parte del derecho a la información, Cultural Survival presenta este noticiero del mes de junio de 2025 con notas relevantes de Norte, Centro y Sur América, África y Asia, el cual puedes escuchar, descargar y compartir de forma gratuita. Música de introducción: - “Burn Your Village to the Ground” de The Halluci Nation. Derechos de autor, propiedad de The Halluci Nation. Usada bajo su permiso. Redacción: - Rosy Sul González, maya kaqchikel, Cultural Survival, Guatemala.

The Cultural Survival Bazaars are a series of cultural festivals, organized by Indigenous Peoples’ rights organization Cultural Survival, that provide Indigenous artists and artisans, cooperatives, and their representatives from around the world the chance to sell their work directly to the public. Come and Shop Indigenous at our Bazaar in Newburyport Massachusetts, on the 19th and 20th of July 2025, and then again at Tiverton Four Corners, on July 25th, 26th and 27th, 2025. In this podcast we hear from Annawon Weeden, who will be attending the Bazaar this year.

Antonio Gonzales has spent many years working with international forums for the rights of Indigenous Peoples. He has witnessed achievements but draws attention to the fact that indigenous communities across the world are struggling to bring their governments to the table for discussion. He is currently advocating for an International Convention.  

Antonio Gonzales explains how without proper enforcement governments, cooperations, and extractive industries willingly ignore frameworks like FPIC  which are designed to protect the rights of indigneous peoples. 

Entrevista grabada el primer dia del 14 session del Foro Permanente para Cuestiones Indigenas, Abril 2015 en Nueva York por Rosy Gonzales con Yolanda Teran, Kichwa de Ecuador.

Julian Kunnie connects food soverignty to the spiritual and reflects on how disconected we are today from where our food comes from.

Julian Kunnie reflects on how our ways are destroying life for future generations and on the need to honor and protect mother nature instead of turning her into a commodity.

Jovenes Indigengas sufren disproporcionadamente de suicido. Aunque las razones del suicidio juvenil son complejas y difíciles de definir, la interferencia con las estructuras sociales y su destrucción han causado tensiones a lo largo de las subsiguientes generaciones y contribuyen notablemente a provocar actitudes suicidas. Escuchamos de lideres Indigenas contar sobre este problema como el tema oficial del session del Foro Permanente Para Cuestiones Indigenas, en el cede de Las Naciones Unidas, Nueva York, Abril 2015. 

Vicky Tauli-Corpuz talks about the importance of Indigenous Peoples using the range of international instruments and mechanisms in place, to pressure their governments to implement changes. 

Vicky Tauli-Corpuz talks about her visit to Paraguay in her capacity as UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. She discusses the process and the preparation of these visits, highlighting the need for autonomy and security for the people she talks with. 

It is an opportunity to meet with Indigenous communities, civil society organisations, government ministers and the private sector and encourage dialogue across society.  

Dalee Sambo discusses the exchange between the Brazilian government's representative and representatives of Brazil’s Indigenous tribes at the UNPFII 2015. Violations of Land Rights continue in Brazil, including the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples who are trying to defend their rights to land.