Industrial hemp is illegal in the United States due to its relationship to marijuana; it's also one of the few profitable plants which can grow in South Dakota's inhospitable soil. In 2000, Alex White Plume and his Lakota family came up with a plan to farm hemp on their home of Pine Ridge Reservation, relieving the … Continue reading 40 Years, 40 Films, 40 Weeks: Standing Silent Nation

This week's award-winning Vision Maker Media film looks at the conflicts that surround America's sacred spaces. The Colorado Plateau in the Southwest, Mount Shasta in California, and Devil's Tower in Wyoming are all holy sites to tribal nations -- but they're also rich in natural resources, not to mention beloved by recreational users such as … Continue reading 40 Years, 40 Films, 40 Weeks: In the Light of Reverence

With lead in the water and towering piles of waste covering 25,000 acres of land, the EPA calls the mining town of Picher, Oklahoma the most toxic place in America. Still, the town's inhabitants, including the local Quapaw Tribe, call it home. "The Creek Runs Red," this week's featured Vision Maker Media film, goes into a … Continue reading Forty Years, Forty Films, Forty Weeks: The Creek Runs Red

This week, Vision Maker Media takes a culinary journey with Loretta Barrett Oden, a renowned Native American chef, food historian and lecturer, and proud woman of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. "Seasoned with Spirit: Food Upon the Water" combines Native American history and culture with delicious, healthy recipes inspired by indigenous foods. Much more than simply … Continue reading Forty Years, Forty Films, Forty Weeks – Seasoned With Spirit: Food Upon the Water