(TVLSE, Okla.) This July and August, Tulsa-area Native youth ages 12 to 19 are invited to join Wakaya and rise up through wellness, leadership and culture. Wakaya, a Choctaw word meaning “to rise up,” is a wellness and leadership program that combines outdoor activities, traditional stories, cultural arts, community
StoryKeepers
By: Jennifer Jalbert (STILLWATER, Okla.) Over the past several months, residents of many Oklahoma communities have made it clear where they stand on data centers coming to their areas. Lawsuits and litigation over data centers, both current and proposed, are in full swing across Oklahoma and the nation. Residents and
StoryKeepers
By: Cher Lyons (TULSA, Okla.) Native Americans are at a higher risk of diabetes, but they can lower that risk by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Indian Health Care Resource Center in Tulsa makes it easy with its Running Strong program, a free running and walking club for Native youth
Crosswinds Special Edition Newsletter
Hello Crosswinds Community, As we close out the first half of 2026, we're grateful for your continued support. June was one of our busiest months yet! Bringing people together, amplifying Native voices, preserving important stories, and reporting on the issues that matter most to Native communities across Oklahoma
By MATTHEW BROWN and JACK DURA Associated Press LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT, Mont. (AP) — The quiet, wind-swept hills of the Battle of Greasy Grass, known to many as the Battle of Little Bighorn, are the setting for Native Americans commemorating the battle's 150th anniversary with horse
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Swiftly marching toward westward expansion, the United States in the 1800s brought with it a tidal wave of displacement and cultural suppression for Native Americans. A century of broken treaties already had spawned distrust of the federal government, and
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court acted in a Voting Rights Act case brought by Native American tribes this month, saying a closely watched ruling needs to be reconsidered after a high court ruling that weakened the Civil Rights-era law. The justices ordered lower courts
Carrying stories from the heart of Indian Country
The final stop of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition's Oral History Project kicked off Monday with an opening ceremony in Tulsa. This week marks the culmination of two and a half years of work documenting the experiences of Native American boarding school survivors across the
By Whitney A. Pingleton (CATOOSA, Okla.) Fentanyl overdoses remain one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) were involved in 72,776 overdose deaths nationwide in 2023. The CDC also
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Swiftly marching toward westward expansion, the United States in the 1800s brought with it a tidal wave of displacement and cultural suppression for Native Americans. A century of broken treaties already had spawned distrust of the federal government, and
(TULSA, Okla.) After two and a half years spent conducting more than 300 interviews across 19 states, the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) will hold the final stop of its Oral History Project in Tulsa next week. Charlee Brissette (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) is
(TULSA, Okla.) Native American youth in Tulsa are more than four times as likely to experience homelessness as White youth, according to the city's newly released 2025 Equality Indicators Report. The report identified youth homelessness as one of Tulsa's most severe disparities and one that has
(TVLSE, Okla.) The drum is the heartbeat of Native ceremonies, celebrations, gatherings and community. For centuries, the sound of the drum has brought people together, guiding songs, prayers and stories. While every tribe has unique teachings around the drum and its creation, it is one of the most respected and
(TULSA, Okla.) Tulsa is celebrating the 100th year of Route 66 and city leaders want local artists to be part of the celebration. The Route 66 corridor runs through 28 miles of Tulsa. Now through July 1, the city is inviting local artists to submit up to four original designs
(TULSA, Okla.) It is widely known that Tulsa sits atop the reservations of three of Oklahoma’s largest Native American tribes: the Cherokee Nation, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and the Osage Nation. What is less known is just how tribally diverse the city truly is. As Native populations continue to
Happy May, Crosswinds Community, May brought growth, gathering, remembrance and celebration across Indian Country, and Crosswinds was grateful to be there for many of those moments. This month, our team continued to bloom through storytelling, podcasting, community events and training through our StoryKeepers program. We kicked off May at the
(TULSA, Okla.) The Indian Health Care Resource Center, which has played a vital role in providing physical and mental health care services to Native communities across northeast Oklahoma, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. IHCRC CEO Carmelita Skeeter says the non-profit currently works with about 14,000 patients
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court acted in a Voting Rights Act case brought by Native American tribes this month, saying a closely watched ruling needs to be reconsidered after a high court ruling that weakened the Civil Rights-era law. The justices ordered lower courts
WARNING: This story contains discussion of sexual assault, trafficking, abuse and violence. (TULSA, Okla.) May is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Month. Behind many cases of violence impacting Native women and girls are deeper cycles of abuse, trauma, sexual assault and exploitation that often begin in childhood. Ronna