Reducing stigma in mental health treatment

Dr. Julio Rojas, psychologist and licensed alcohol and drug counselor at CPN Behavioral Health, discusses factors contributing to stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction, and advocates for comprehensive and compassionate care.

Potawatomi tradition influences Montana artist

Tribal member and artist Riley Wolery will host his second art show in Billings, Montana in May 2022. Wolery works in a number of styles, and draws inspiration from Potawatomi tradition, other artists, nature and music.

Language Update: April 2022

The April language update recaps the Winter Storytelling Event held in March, and tells about maple syruping, a process traditionally undertaken in April.

Mnokme (spring) months named for bountiful changes

Potawatomi recognize mnokme, or spring, as the beginning of our new year when the snow began to melt after the harsh winter around the Great Lakes. After sub-freezing temperatures forced communities into smaller groups to survive, they returned to communal life. Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Cultural Heritage Center Director Dr. Kelli Mosteller believes spring showed hope after difficult cold months.

Tribal member’s dedication to Indian Country honored by AARP

Each year, AARP awards Native American elders for their contributions to the improvement of their tribes and communities. Citizen Potawatomi Nation member and Emergency Management Department Director Tim Zientek was chosen in 2021 as one of 47 elders recognized for his “achievements, community service and impact,” according to the organization.

Photographer shows Indigenous subjects through new lens

After moving to New York City in 2017, professional photographer and artist Bo Apitz achieved a milestone. A shop in Manhattan displayed his work in October 2021, a first for Apitz. He used several photos of Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal members he took while he was a CPN employee between 2014 and 2017. The series featured lenticular prints, which use two photos to create an illusion of depth and flip between pictures as the viewer’s angle changes. Apitz’s subjects seem to dance or blink.

High schooler wins four titles at 2021 Oklahoma State Fair

Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal member and National FFA Organization member Helen Spears showed two cattle at the 2021 Oklahoma State Fair. Throughout the weeklong competition, the Lamirand family descendant won four titles with two heifers.

Hownikan 2022

2022 editions of Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Hownikan newspaper.

Father, son climb Mount Whitney

Tribal members Koby and Steve Lawson took on the challenge of hiking the highest point in the contiguous United States — Mount Whitney in California. Descendants of the Laframboise family, the father and son enjoy all outdoor activities.