Dear Readers!
First and foremost, thank you for joining me here on Buffalo’s Fire for news about life in Native America. It’s been exactly one year — on May 10 — since I’ve away from the daily newspaper grind. It’s been a great, refreshing, exiting and new venture. It’s also been almost one year since I started the Buffalo’s Fire blog, a news site that has been transforming month by month. All for the better. This is the second blog I’ve created. If you have my old blog linked (it has a similar name) change it to Buffalo’s Fire.
Looking at the calendar, it’s amazing to realize how fast time flies. I’ve been busy, busy, busy since I made the choice to pursue some personal goals, mainly to work on a book and get a master’s degree. That said, I did not leave the news business. I’m simply working in another format. I am now the host of Tribal Scene Radio, a news feature program at KBGA, 89.9 FM in Missoula. The show first aired in March. I’m proud to say the program is rapidly generating an ever-growing audience.
Visit this post again soon. I plan to provide an more indepth update of the past year since I left the newspaper. I have included a link here for a feature story about me in Native Legacy magazine. It was written by Abena Songbird.
Meanwhile, I’ve been busy, busy, busy, like most people I know. For the past year, I’ve also been raising my niece, who is now 2. She’s a doll, my little girl. In addition, I’m doing some organizational work for the Indian Land Tenure Foundation at the University of Montana. Finally, I’m also helping organize a wonderful event with the Women Donors Network to shed some light on environmental issues effecting tribe’s in Montana. Did I mention that as full-time graduate student that I am focusing on environmental studies. I am proud to be a Sloan Scholar, which means I’ve been doing a lot of fascinating work regarding climate change. I’ll be narrowing my research this fall to examine hydraulic fracturing impacts on air and groundwater supplies on tribal lands.
We have a great line up of speakers and activities. The WDN is inviting the public to attend two of these events. First, there will be a free concert by the Indigo Girls and Jack Gladstone in Browning, Mont., on Friday, June 4. The performance will be followed by a community panel on June 5 in Pablo, Mont., on the Salish Kootenai College campus. Winona LaDuke will moderate the conversation. Panelist include Gail Small, Rich Janssen and Francis Auld. We will also have a speaker from Canada address the tar sands.
Well, it’s Saturday and I must get back to work. I’ll be sharing more after I finish my final papers of the academic school year. I turn them in on Monday, May 10. Then, my road partner and I will get in my car and drive to Northern Cheyenne. I’ve been honored with the invitation to give the graduation speech at Dull Knife College Monday evening. I’m thrilled to join them on the very special occasion.
I appreciate all the readers for making this blog a success. If you haven’t changed your bookmarks from my old blog, please do so!
Jodi Rave
