Native Circles
This podcast features Native American and Indigenous voices, stories, and experiences for everyone to learn, not only in North America but also throughout the world. The founders of Native Circles are Dr. Farina King (Diné) and Sarah Newcomb (Tsimshian), who were inspired to start this podcast to educate wider publics about the interconnections and significance of Native American, Alaska Native, and Indigenous experiences and matters. The primary co-hosts of the podcast are Dr. King, Dr. Davina Two Bears, and Eva Bighorse. Dr. King is the Horizon Chair of Native American Ecology and Culture and an associate professor of Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Newcomb works as a freelance editor, writer, and blogger with degrees in English and a focus in Non-Fiction Creative Writing. Dr. Two Bears (Diné) is a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in the School for Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University. Bighorse (Cayuga and Diné) is an Indigenous human development advocate with expertise in tribal healthcare relations. Learn more about the podcast and episodes on the official website of "Native Circles" at https://nativecirclespodcast.com/.
Native Circles
Kaitlin Reed and "Settler Cannabis"
In this episode, Dr. Davina Two Bears and Dr. Farina King are joined by Dr. Kaitlin Reed (Yurok/Hupa/Oneida) to discuss her groundbreaking first book, Settler Cannabis: From Gold Rush to Green Rush in Indigenous Northern California, published in 2023 by the University of Washington Press.
Dr. Reed is an Associate Professor of Native American Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, where she serves as the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Faculty Fellow and Co-Director of the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab & Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute. They talk with Dr. Reed about the histories of resource extraction and settler colonialism in California and examine the far-reaching impacts of the cannabis industry on Native Nations in northern California.
In addition to unpacking the themes of Settler Cannabis, this episode offers an introduction to Dr. Reed’s academic journey and her work in advancing food sovereignty and Indigenous ecological knowledge. This discussion features the intersections of environmental justice, sovereignty, and colonial legacies.
Recommended Resources:
Dr. Kaitlin Reed, Native American Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt webpage
Order Settler Cannabis: From Gold Rush to Green Rush in Indigenous Northern California (University of Washington Press, 2023)
Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute website
Dr. Kaitlin Reed presents on "From Gold Rush to Green Rush: Settler Colonialism & Natural Resources in Northern California" video recording (posted November 2023)
"Cal Poly Humboldt faculty member Kaitlin Reed wins 2024 award," the Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award
