Afton Thomas

Afton Thomas is the Associate Director for Programs at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. Afton talks about Oxford as the progressive south, and the importance of continuing to share stories of the past so we can live better today and in the future. At the time of this interview, Afton’s involvement and voice in the community … Continue reading Afton Thomas

Mitchell Atencio

Mitchell Atencio is the associate news editor at Sojourners. Born in Atlanta, he now works out of the Sojourners D.C. offices on Capitol Hill.  I interviewed Mitchell three days before the Supreme Court released its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. We spoke about his work in media, his ongoing process of challenging his own assumptions, and his decision to be discalced out … Continue reading Mitchell Atencio

Noemi Aidee Tungui Aguilar

Noemi Aidee Tungui Aguilar comes from the Purépecha people of Michoacán, Mexico.  She is an activist and an educator, on a journey to celebrate her culture that was nearly wiped out through colonialism. I met Noemi at a Water Protectors camp near Palisade, Minnesota where she went by the camp name Luna. She traveled there from her home in California to protest the construction of the Line … Continue reading Noemi Aidee Tungui Aguilar

One year in

It’s raining tonight.  It’s a sound that I love, the drops falling on the camper roof, a thin veil between inside and out. The skies have been filled with heavy, autumn clouds all day, and now as daylight edges toward dusk, they are releasing the frequent rains that keep the pacific northwest so green. It’s warm and cozy in the trailer. The fireplace is on. … Continue reading One year in

Bazile Panek

Bazile Panek is majoring in Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University. He is an enrolled tribal member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Red Cliff, Wisconsin. “There’s all sorts of barriers to existing as a native person. Ever since colonization in 1492, things have been hard for native people. It’s hard just to even exist sometimes. So the power and … Continue reading Bazile Panek

Where the water meets the land

This one’s going to be raw and unpolished. What’s new, you might ask. As we pack up to leave southern Louisiana, my mind is full. It’s a complex region full of complex challenges. But like most things, these are not Louisiana’s problems. They belong to all of us. What follows is less journalism than it is reflection. It’s a Cliff Notes version of the science, … Continue reading Where the water meets the land

Sheila Goldtooth

Sheila Goldtooth teaches Navajo culture and philosophy at Dine College in Chinle, Arizona. She also works as a traditional healer for the Navajo Nation. Her interest in healing began at a very young age when she saw her uncle do the work. She apprenticed with him and now performs ceremonies and blessings for people to help bring them back into balance and harmony, particularly for … Continue reading Sheila Goldtooth