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Season 1

Season 8, Episode 1: Together We’re More, with Sara Seals

“To the Choctaw proud, ours is the sovereign nation offering opportunities for growth and prosperity.” This is the stated mission of my tribe, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. 

For the Choctaw, creating opportunities isn’t just about supporting our own people—it’s about uplifting the surrounding communities as well.

Sara Seals, Director of Marketing at Choctaw Nation, shares the tribe’s mission to capture and share the stories of our tribal members and the impactful work of the ongoing campaign, “Together We’re More.”

I was honored to be featured in this campaign, sharing my passion for preserving Native American stories. One of the key inspirations behind my work is the life and legacy of my great-grandmother, Ella.

In this episode, we dive deeper into the meaning behind “Together We’re More”—a message that extends beyond the Choctaw Nation. It reflects the power of collaboration between Choctaws and non-Natives alike. This vision comes to life every day through our tribe’s commitment to strengthening communities—investing in infrastructure, roads, education, clean water, and more.

No matter your background—Choctaw, Native, or neither—we can all embrace the idea that together, we’re stronger. Together, we’re more.

Yakoke, Sara!

See and hear the stories of my fellow Choctaws at https://togetherweremore.com/ 

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast 

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

 

S9, E3, Pt 3: From Boarding School to Recovery: LaNora Parker, Comanche

PART 3

Join me in this 3-part series as LaNora Parker, great-granddaughter of legendary Comanche leader Quanah Parker, shares her story of leadership, survival, and healing.

LaNora was one of the first women to serve as Vice Chairman and Interim Chairwoman of the Comanche Nation. She reflects on her family’s powerful legacy—her father, Simmons Parker, was a Comanche Code Talker and WWII hero—and how that shaped her path.

She opens up about the painful realities of Native boarding schools, the loneliness, and cultural erasure she experienced, and how Comanche language and hymns remained a source of strength.

Now, as a voice for Native recovery, LaNora shares her personal healing journey and her mission to support sobriety through culture and purpose! Along with her niece, she co-founded Warchief Collection, a non-alcoholic beverage line rooted in Native wellness and resilience. Learn more at warchiefcollection.com

Her words of encouragement for all who are in recovery? “Pray about it. Cry about it. Read about it. Write about it. Talk about it. Be about it.”

 

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast 

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

S9, E3, Pt 2: From Boarding School to Recovery: LaNora Parker, Comanche

PART 2

Join me in this 3-part series as LaNora Parker, great-granddaughter of legendary Comanche leader Quanah Parker, shares her story of leadership, survival, and healing.

LaNora was one of the first women to serve as Vice Chairman and Interim Chairwoman of the Comanche Nation. She reflects on her family’s powerful legacy—her father, Simmons Parker, was a Comanche Code Talker and WWII hero—and how that shaped her path.

She opens up about the painful realities of Native boarding schools, the loneliness, and cultural erasure she experienced, and how Comanche language and hymns remained a source of strength.

Now, as a voice for Native recovery, LaNora shares her personal healing journey and her mission to support sobriety through culture and purpose! Along with her niece, she co-founded Warchief Collection, a non-alcoholic beverage line rooted in Native wellness and resilience. Learn more at warchiefcollection.com

Her words of encouragement for all who are in recovery? “Pray about it. Cry about it. Read about it. Write about it. Talk about it. Be about it.”

 

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast 

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

S9, E3, Pt 1: From Boarding School to Recovery: LaNora Parker, Comanche

PART 1

Join me in this 3-part series as LaNora Parker, great-granddaughter of legendary Comanche leader Quanah Parker, shares her story of leadership, survival, and healing.

LaNora was one of the first women to serve as Vice Chairman and Interim Chairwoman of the Comanche Nation. She reflects on her family’s powerful legacy—her father, Simmons Parker, was a Comanche Code Talker and WWII hero—and how that shaped her path.

She opens up about the painful realities of Native boarding schools, the loneliness, and cultural erasure she experienced, and how Comanche language and hymns remained a source of strength.

Now, as a voice for Native recovery, LaNora shares her personal healing journey and her mission to support sobriety through culture and purpose! Along with her niece, she co-founded Warchief Collection, a non-alcoholic beverage line rooted in Native wellness and resilience. Learn more at warchiefcollection.com

Her words of encouragement for all who are in recovery? “Pray about it. Cry about it. Read about it. Write about it. Talk about it. Be about it.”

 

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast 

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

S9, E2, Pt 3: Ghost Dances & Court Battles: Native Religion & the Law: Professor, Richard W. Garnett, Choctaw

PART 3

In this powerful 3-part episode, we dive into the tragic legacy of the Wounded Knee Massacre and its connection to the ongoing fight for Native American religious freedom. 

My guest, law Professor, Richard Garnett - a Choctaw citizen and expert in religious freedom at Notre Dame - helps unpack what the law *actually* says about Native religious rights, sacred land use, and the balance between tribal sovereignty and U.S. legal systems. 

From the Ghost Dance to peyote use in the Native American Church, and from religious Acts and the Constitution, we explore how Native faith practices have been criminalized, protected, and misunderstood throughout U.S. history.

We also discuss the painful irony that Native communities often need specific legislation just to practice their traditions, unlike many other faiths in America. Professor Garnett shares why religious freedom isn't just about individual rights - it's also about land, language, and the deep communal connection to sacred spaces.

 If you’ve ever wondered how law students and Professors at places like Notre Dame are shaping the future or how land rights like those at Oak Flat and beyond are tied to religious liberty, this episode is for you.

Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast 

All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

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Native ChocTalk is an informative and educational podcast and resource center.

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