Mark Cruz to lead Indian Health Service amid staffing and infrastructure challenges

By SAVANNAH PETERS Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Senate voted Friday to confirm Mark Cruz, a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, to lead the federal agency that provides healthcare for some 2.8 million Native American and Alaska Native patients. Cruz was confirmed to serve a

Native community centers helped preserve culture and connection during urban relocation

(TULSA, Okla.) While many Americans picture tribal members living on rural reservation land, more than 70% of Native people now live in urban areas. That demographic shift accelerated in the 1950s, when federal relocation policies uprooted Native families, disrupted communities and, in many cases, contributed to the development of Native

ALBUM: 74th Annual Tulsa Powwow 2026

The 74th Annual Tulsa Powwow 2026 Album is now available on Flickr! July 25-26, 2026 Head Singer: George Valliere Emcees: Warren Queton, Marshal Williamson Arena Directors: Daniel Roberts, Chuck Bread Host Northern Drum: Host Southern Drum: Head Man: AJ Leading Fox Head Woman: Chalene Toehay-Tartsah Head Gourd: Hinglu

Turtle Island Travels: July at Crosswinds

Happy July, Crosswinds Community! We hope your summer has included time with family and friends and perhaps a few of the many gatherings happening across northeast Oklahoma. July carried the Crosswinds team from Tulsa to Massachusetts, Mi’kma’ki and Portland. Along the way, we continued reporting on issues affecting

Exploring Turtle Island Through the Centuries-Long Connections of Indigenous Nations

Written By Rachael Schuit and Troy Littledeer (TURTLE ISLAND) The United States recently marked the 250th anniversary of its founding. But long before the United States or Canada existed, Indigenous Nations across North America, known by many Indigenous people as Turtle Island, maintained their own governments, trade networks, cultures and

Tulsa’s Native community shapes plans for intertribal center

(TULSA, Okla.) Native American community members in Tulsa are another step closer to seeing an intertribal community center become a reality after years of conversations. In late June, Crosswinds News, in partnership with representatives from the Tulsa Indian Club, the City of Tulsa Office of Tribal Policy and Partnerships and

What to expect at a powwow: A first-time visitor’s guide

(TVLSE, Okla.) For someone who has never attended a powwow, the experience may feel overwhelming at first.  The steady, loud beat of a drum echoes across the arena. Dancers wearing brightly colored regalia move in rhythm as attendees greet and visit with one another. For a first-time visitor, it

Multilingual bookstore celebrating Hispanic and Indigenous cultures opens in Tulsa

(TULSA, Okla.) Tulsa is now home to a new multilingual bookstore. Palomino Books and Music celebrated its grand opening in the Kendall Whittier neighborhood on July 1. Paloma Lopez, the Mexican American author of the illustrated children’s book Popo the Xolo, designed the space with her husband Agalisiga Mackey,

Trump Shrinks Bears Ears National Monument, Rolling Back Protections for Sacred Tribal Lands

By MATTHEW BROWN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Revisiting actions from his first term that were reversed, President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will scale back the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah. The Republican’s actions undo proclamations from his

Experiencing homelessness as a Native youth

(TULSA, Okla.) Recent data from Tulsa’s 2025 Equality Indicators Report showed that Native youth in Tulsa are more than four times as likely to experience homelessness as white youth. For every 1,000 Native Tulsans between the ages of 13 and 24, 38.5 were homeless in 2025. Among white youth...

Rising up together: Wakaya building healthier futures for Native youth

(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

Data centers and their environmental impacts

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