Black Feathers

In this episode, host Dr. Crystal Hernandez dives into the vital topic of transition services for Native American adults with disabilities. Joined by Stephanie Ninke and Dawn Newrider from the Gateways Foundation, this conversation explores the challenges, opportunities, and resources available to support these individuals on their path to independence. Tune in for an honest, important dialogue that sheds light on the intersection of culture, community, and disability services.

In this episode, host Crystal Hernandez sits down with three esteemed disability child care experts from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, Carrie F. Whitlow, Mary Davenport, LMSW u/s, and Megan Hart. They share their invaluable experiences and insights on fostering inclusive environments for children with disabilities. Join us as we explore culturally responsive strategies, community support systems, and the vital role of advocacy in helping familes with quality and affordable child care services. Tune in to discover how these experts are paving the way for empowerment and resilience in their communities!

This month host Crystal is joined by Dana Miller, a Seminole and Ojibwe citizen, who serves as Ward 1 Councilperson for the City of Seminole. In her professional career, Dana has proposed and implemented innovative strategies that have led to effective policy and best practices. Highlights of her career in Medicaid include implementing a policy that allowed for coverage of Native children residing in boarding schools. Dana has been recognized nationally for efforts to address healthcare disparities in tribal communities. After a long tenure with state government, she now owns Dana Miller Consulting (DMC) where she provides expert guidance and advocacy for tribal health care programs. They discuss the importance of strengthening Native people: Gathering resources and knowledge about system navigation and bringing it back for the greater good.

In Episode 11, Crystal talks with Dr. Shea Tanis, from the University of Kansas, about her project the State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities project was initiated in 1982 to investigate the determinants of public spending for intellectual and developmental disabilities services in the United States. The project has developed a 40-year record of revenue, spending, and programmatic trends in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States as a whole.

Crystal talks with three individuals who serve on the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) Larry Curley, Navajo Nation, executive director of NICOA, Desiree Lapahie, Navajo Nation, data analyst of the NICOA and Rebecca Owl Morgan, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, project coordinator at the NICOA. They discuss updates to the Toolkit "Understanding Disabilities in American Indian & Alaska Native Communities".

In Episode 9, hosts Crystal and Shauna are joined by special guest Kodey Toney. Kodey is the director of the Pervasive Parenting Resource Center C.P.R.C., but most importantly he is a father and husband. He and his wife Jennifer have two sons, Konner and Kruz. Konner’s diagnosis of autism at the age of three has sparked him to create a resource center to help families in eastern Oklahoma cope with disabilities. In 2015, Toney received the TARC Parent Advocate of the Year award for the state of Oklahoma. He was also named the 2019 Oklahoma Advocate of the Year for Partners in Policymaking, and the 2019 Community Health Champion for the state of Oklahoma. He sits on more than 20 boards and committees and serves as a voice for fathers and rural communities. You can check out Pervasive Parenting’s website by clicking here: Pervasive Parenting Website For a full list of resources please visit: The Black Feathers Podcast

Crystal and Shauna are joined by special guest Joshua Drywater. Joshua is the Program Manager for Native Initiatives at the University of Arizona’s Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities. He and his team support people overcoming barriers to employment through initiatives such as the Finds Their Way Project. The Finds Their Way Project supports Native youth with disabilities in developing knowledge to participate in competitive, integrated employment. For a full list of resources please visit: The Black Feathers Podcast

In episode 7, hosts Crystal and Shauna are joined by Dr. Misty Boyd and Dr. Shannon Dial. Dr. Dial received her PhD in 2014 and shortly after began her work for the Chickasaw Nation. Shannon has been with the tribe for eight years and currently works as the Executive Officer of the Integrated Services Division in the Department of Family Services. Because April is Autism Acceptance Month, they hope this episode will help raise awareness about the need for early childhood autism screening services, the importance of community and family voices, and they discuss the hurdles in setting up autism amenities in rural Tribal areas. For a full list of resources please visit: The Black Feathers Podcast

Crystal and Shauna investigate the partnerships across the U.S. between state Councils on Developmental Disabilities and Tribal Nations. They were joined by joined by Sarah Young Bear-Brown a member of the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa - the Meskwaki Nation, Dr. Cheryl Funmaker and Kody Funmaker from the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin. Darold H. Joseph, Ph.D. of Paa-Is-wung-wa (Water Coyote Clan) from the Hopi Village of Lower Moenkopi.

Crystal and Shauna are joined by special guest Jim Warne. Jim wears many hats, including those of educator, advocate, motivational speaker, and an Emmy-nominatedfilmmaker. He’s created continuing Education programs at SDSU Interwork Institute from 1993-2015, has written over 50 million in grants and contracts for universities and Tribal Nations and is currently the Community Engagement Director at University of South Dakota Center for Disabilities, Oyáte Circle Sanford School of Medicine. During this episode, Jim draws on his own personal experience of growing up with a father living with MS to discuss several topics including using correct terminology when referring to individuals living with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of staying connected to his Lakota heritage, and the barriers that Tribal Nations still face when trying to obtain legislative support. To learn more about the Oglala Sioux Tribe, you can checkout their website here: Oglala Lakota Nation To view Jim’s Emmy-nominated short film “Oyáte un Itówapi” you can do so by clicking here: Oyáte un Itówapi and to view his other short film “Remember the Children” you can do so by clicking here: Remember the Children For a full list of resources and to listen to our previous episodes, please visit: The Black Feathers Podcast

In this episode, hosts Crystal, Shauna, and this week’s guest Krista Fincher, speak to us regarding her personal journey with her children and their experience in navigating learning disabilities and anxiety. Krista is a Choctaw tribal member, a wife, mother of two and works as the Director for Chi Hullo Li, a residential treatment center for women. All three women hope this episode and the materials discussed help provide more insight into the early signs of learning disabilities, the challenges of getting specialized education services through school, and the self-esteem and anxiety issues that arise from having learning disabilities. To learn more about Chi Hullo Li, please visit: chihulloli.com For the full list of resources, please visit: blackfeathers.org

In episode three, Black Feathers hosts Crystal and Shauna, along with guest Miranda Carman, a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation and a clinical social worker who’s also a passionate advocate for children with autism and their families, will discuss Miranda’s own personal experience caring for her son with autism and the challenges they faced as a family with trying to get a clear diagnosis from physicians within the Tribal community. All three women hope this episode and the resources provided, help shed light on the early signs of autism, emphasize the importance of parental advocacy for children with autism, and the importance of culturally rooted services and treatment. For the full list of resources, please visit: blackfeathers.org

Black Feathers’ hosts Crystal and Shauna discuss the importance of mental health with Johnna James, citizen of Chickasaw Nation, who will talk about her family’s journey with disability, mental health and suicide. If you are having a mental health crisis please visit 988 Crisis Lifeline or call 988. For additional resources visit blackfeathers.org

In this episode, co-hosts Crystal Hernandez, Psy.D., MBA, and Shauna Humphries, MS, LPC, will welcome listeners to Black Feathers Podcast. In this podcast we will discuss disability-related topics of interest to Tribal communities through data, storytelling, and innovative content. Crystal and Shauna will share their own families stories with disability and how that motivated them to improve family access to resources and remove barriers for all. Thank you for joining us and remember together, we are stronger and it is the roots that bind us and that none of us walk alone.