Native Learning Center offers podcasts, webinars online Community News by Beverly Bidney - March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 HOLLYWOOD — For those sheltering at home and practicing social distancing, there is only so much internet browsing and television watching one can do before cabin fever really sets in. Luckily, the Native Learning Center (NLC) is ready to step in to expand minds through podcasts and webinars on a multitude of subjects. In addition to the free training and technical assistance NLC offers to Native Americans and those working in Indian Country, it has a library of webinars and podcasts available for anyone to access on its website. Since the focus of NLC comes from the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996, all content on the site has to do with housing. All the Hoporenkv podcasts (Hoporenkv is the Creek word for wisdom) can be accessed anytime online. The latest podcast is about how the Navajo Tribe created a community garden project to provide healthy food for the community. Other podcasts include Indigenous women in leadership, why it takes so long for Congress to appropriate funds to Indian Country, human trafficking in Indian Country and the use of drones on reservations for law enforcement, infrastructure maintenance and agriculture management. “The podcasts are short little bites, about 10 to 20 minutes long,” said Louis Porter, NLC marketing coordinator. “Some podcasts are very approachable. We try to find topics that are interesting and different but also relate to NAHASDA. We try to do it in a fun way to engage the listener and keep it fresh, interesting, new and informative.” The Kerretv webinars run about 45 minutes and are more detailed than the more informal podcasts. There are four years of webinars to choose from with subjects such as spending behaviors that impact your budget, planning for retirement and respecting differences and remaining sensitive within tribal communities. Anyone may access podcasts and webinars on the NLC website. There are about 30 podcasts and more than 100 webinars available. Podcasts are usually posted once a week, but during these times of social distancing, NLC is posting three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m. Many are done in-house at the NLC studio in Hollywood, but interviews can be done remotely by telephone or internet. “The best thing is we are updating on a regular basis, there is always something new,” Porter said. “We want to make it enjoyable for people to come and listen.” There is also something new for kids to do; NLC announced its first Tribal housing poster contest for elementary, middle and high school students. The theme is “What Home Means to Me” and submissions will be accepted from April 1- June 30. For more information go to nativelearningcenter.com or contact Wilma Noah at Wilmanoah@semtribe.com or Krystal Cedeno at Krystalcedeno@semtribe.com. Share on Facebook Share Share on TwitterTweet Share on Pinterest Share Share on LinkedIn Share Share on Digg Share