The Fight for Our Existence

Returning Fire to Yosemite: Indigenous Stewardship at the Grizzly Giant

In this episode of Fight For Our Existence Podcast, I sit down in Yosemite at the Grizzly Giant with Anthony Lerma, Tara Fauchmoore, and Irene Foskas of the Southern Sierra Miwok Nation. We talk about Indigenous stewardship, cultural burning, forest health, language revitalization, and what it means to care for land your ancestors have known since time immemorial. From black oaks and bedrock mortars to fire, food, medicine, and the responsibility of being in relationship with the land, this conversation shows why Native people must be part of caring for these places. This is not just about protecting trees or reducing fuels. It is about restoring Indigenous knowledge, honoring the relatives around us, and making sure the next generations can still walk these lands, speak their language, and carry the work forward. Special thanks to Yosemite Conservancy for their support of this podcast episode. Thank you to Tisina Parker of the Southern Sierra Miwok Nation for recommending my podcast for this event. I appreciate you trusting me with this space and helping make this episode happen. Guests: Irene Foskas — Southern Sierra Miwok/Mono Lake Paiute, Cultural Ecologist Tara Fauchmoore — Southern Sierra Miwok, Director of Landscape Stewardship Aanthony Lerma — Southern Sierra Miwok, Landscape Stewardship Coordinator/Firekeeper

Fighting for Ceremony at Oak Flat

In this episode, I sat down with my sister Sinetta and my niece Lozen to speak about their connection to Oak Flat and their involvement in the legal fight against Resolution Copper. Lozen had her Coming Of Age ceremony at Oak Flat, joining other young Apache women in their family whose ceremonies took place there. Together they reflect on ceremony, family gatherings, the flooding rainstorm during Lozen’s dance, the emotional weight of the court case, and what it felt like to put their names on legal papers to help protect the land. This conversation goes beyond headlines and court rulings, sharing the personal side of what Oak Flat means to families who pray there, gather there, and continue fighting for future generations.

Her Spirit Lives: Bernadette Smith on Justice for Nicole Smith

Nicole Smith was a mother, sister, and traditional dancer whose life was taken on November 17, 2017, on the Manchester Reservation in Mendocino County, California. Years later, her family is still waiting for justice. In this episode, Bernadette Smith speaks about her sister Nicole, the night their family’s lives changed, and the unanswered questions that remain. She shares how Nicole’s children and family have carried this loss, and how ceremony, prayer, therapy, and community have helped her continue forward. Bernadette also talks about the larger MMIP crisis, lateral violence, the need for accountability, and why culture is an important part of healing and prevention in Native communities. This episode was recorded at the May 5th MMIP gathering at the State Capitol in Sacramento, California. A live recording of Bernadette singing a traditional song from the event is included at the end of the episode. Thank you to Indigenous Justice for bringing me out to Sacramento to help record these stories and for the work they continue to do for MMIP families throughout California. Justice for Nicole Smith Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575519814315 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575519814315] Indigenous Justice: https://indigenousjustice.org [https://indigenousjustice.org] Please keep Nicole Smith, Bernadette, Nicole’s children, and their family in your thoughts and prayers.

I’ll Never Quit Talking: Ronnie Hostler’s Fight for Khadijah Britton

In this episode of the Fight for Our Existence Podcast, I share a conversation with Ronnie Hostler, an elder from Round Valley, California, about his granddaughter Khadijah Britton, who went missing and has never been found. Ronnie speaks about the early days of Khadijah’s disappearance, the lack of urgency he felt from law enforcement, and the years his family has spent searching for answers. He also talks about domestic violence, accountability, and why he continues to show up and speak for families affected by MMIP. This episode was recorded outside on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento, California during the May 5th MMIP gathering. Thank you to Indigenous Justice for bringing me out to help record these stories and for the work they continue to do for MMIP families throughout California. Please keep Ronnie, his wife Lydia, Khadijah, and their family in your thoughts and prayers. Watch Ronnie Hostler’s PBS feature here: https://www.pbs.org/video/midnight-on-the-reservation-vcvfwh/ [https://www.pbs.org/video/midnight-on-the-reservation-vcvfwh/] Indigenous Justice: https://indigenousjustice.org [https://indigenousjustice.org]

Not All Apaches Got on the Train: A Conversation with Ruben Leyva

In this episode of Fight For Our Existence, I sit down with Ruben Leyva from Las Cruces, New Mexico, an Apache historian from the Chihéne Ndé, also known as the Gila Apache, a band of the Chiricahua Apache. We met at Apache Gold Casino while he was attending a conference for San Carlos Apache College, and what started as a simple conversation turned into something much deeper. This episode is not a lecture or presentation, but a real discussion about history, identity, and the stories that continue to live through our people. Ruben shares how he began researching his family history and the work he’s doing to preserve the stories of his people. We talk about the commonly told narrative of the Chiricahua Apache and how not all Apaches were sent east in 1886, as well as the role of Apache scouts and the misunderstandings surrounding them. The conversation also explores the difference between oral history and written records, and how documents have often been used to misidentify or erase Indigenous identity. Throughout the episode, we reflect on what it truly means to be Apache, the importance of connection to community, and the responsibility of carrying these stories forward for future generations. This is a real and honest conversation between two Apache men, connecting history, family, and lived experience.