(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
Crosswinds Special Edition Newsletter
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
Turtle Island Affairs
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, 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
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
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
Carrying stories from the heart of Indian Country
(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...
(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
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
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
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
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
(NOVA SCOTIA) The Mi’kmawey Dewbert Cultural Centre (MDCC) will open its doors in 2028. It’s a project that has been decades in the making with a goal of connecting past, present, and future generations. Once opened, it will also include Mi’kmaq artifacts that are more than 100
By: Alexie Lofstrom-Dewes (PONCA CITY, Okla.) Do you remember your most embarrassing moment in middle or high school? The one that replays in your mind on nights when you can’t fall asleep? The odds are good that you remember it vividly, including exactly how you felt in the
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