Play it Forward, March 2020, Missoula Project Beacon, Cry Baby, Red Clover

Missoula Project Beacon

Cry Baby

Red Clover

Play It Forward poster image with Ash Nataanii on the left sitting in snow and Elijah Jalil on the right playing guitar.

KBGA College Radio and the Zootown Arts Community Center (ZACC) have teamed up to bring you 'Play It Forward', a livestream music series and podcast program curated to unite and uplift community artists and organizations in Missoula, sponsored by Rockin Rudy’s. Every last Friday of the month we will partner with a different organization and host a local music livestream (from the ZACC Show Room), with 70% of proceeds going to that month's organization. In conjunction with the livestream each month, KBGA will run a podcast program on-air featuring interviews with the folks behind the organizations and the artists themselves. Holding dialogue amongst community organizers and creatives, artists and activists on what community means to them, how they engage in their community and what they would like to see in the community.

March’s Play It Forward features Cry Baby, with clever and whimsical indie rock and Red Clover bringing soft and queer pop that will light your heart. Dylan Running Crane ( of Cry Baby) and Chloe Runs Behind (of Red Clover) will be playing in support of Missoula Project Beacon, a grant funded program under All Nations Health Center), which provides services to Indigenous survivors of human trafficking through culturally relevant care, case management, peer support, technical assistance, and community outreach. The podcast, airing March 19th at 1 P.M.and again the 26th at 1 P.M, features a panel discussion lead by LaNada Peppers with Lauren Small Rodriguez, program director of Missoula Project Beacon, Chloe Runs Behind (Red Clover) and Stella Nall and Dylan. Running Crane (Cry Baby), discussing their art and advocacy within the community. Then for the livestream music event March 26th at 7:30 P.M. you can tune in on air or go to the Zootown Arts Community Center’s Facebook page, YouTube, or MCAT l9cal live, to watch the magic:

Friday // March 26 // 7:30 PM // Free, but please consider donating as 70% of funds received go to support Missoula Project Beacon // Donation link: https://givebutter.com/3sO8FG

VIEWING LINKS
ZACC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thezacc/
Zootown Arts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnxho9v75OZvCJKk0mX_pQ
MCAT Local Live: https://www.mcat.org/watch-now/local-live/

Thanks for tuning in and playing it forward.

FULL EPISODE:

Intro:

KBGA’s March play it forward features Missoula Project Beacon, a grant-funded program under All Nations Health Center, providing services to Indigenous survivors of human trafficking in cultural relevant care, case management, peer support, technical assistance, and community outreach. Their services are provided for survivors in Missoula, Montana, cities in Montana, and Montana reservation communities. On March 26th, at 7:30 P.M, we will livestream music from the ZACC, featuring the soft and queer folk pop magic of Red Clover, and the clever and whimsical indie rock of Cry Baby. Tune in at 1 P.M today March 19th and 26th to hear a podcast pannel discussion hosted by Lenny Peppers featuring Lauren Small Rodriguez, program director of Missoula Project Beacon, Stella Nall and Dylan Running Crane of Cry Baby and Chloe Runs Behind of Red Clover discussing their art and advocacy in our community.

The song you are about to hear is something bad by redclover

<something bad by redclover plays>

Good evening everyone. Welcome to KBGA’s Play it Forward series in partnership with the Zootown Arts Community Center, and sponsored by Rockin Rudy's I’m super excited to be here tonight. My name is LaNada Peppers, I will be the host-slash-moderator. And tonight we'll be featuring Missoula Project Beacon, a grant funded program under All Nations Health Center providing services to Indigenous survivors of human trafficking and cultural relevant care, case management, peer support, technical assistance and community outreach. And we will also be talking with members of the bands from Red Clover and Crybaby. Why don't we all go around and introduce ourselves?

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> Perfect, I can start. My name is Lauren Small Rodriguez and I am the Program Director at All Nations Health Center, and I oversee and manage one of the one of the grants from office of victims of crime, and that is called the Missoula Project Beacon. And the project has started back in 2018. So, I'm also an enrolled member of Northern Cheyenne. And I am Mexican Indigenous as well.

<Stella Nall> I could go. I'm Stella Nall, I'm a visual artist and a writer based out of Missoula. I'm part of the band Cry Baby. And I'm Indigenous from a few different Plains tribes. And my mom's enrolled in the Crow tribe. So that's the one I mostly identify with.

< Dylan Running Crane> I can go, my name is Dylan Running Crane. I do vocals and guitar in the band Crybaby. I am an enrolled member of the Blackfeet tribe. And I am a filmmaker

out of Missoula.

Yeah, so Hi, everybody.

My name is Chloe Runs Behind. I am in the band Red Clover and I do work with black and pink, advocating for queer incarcerated people. And I am Filipino and Northern Arapaho.

<LaNada Peppers> Yeah, so thank you guys all so much for coming. I'm super stoked to interview you guys tonight. And the first thing I want to know is for Stella, Dylan and Chloe, I definitely want to talk about the type of music that you create. All of you like to talk a little bit about your music. I have a Stella Dylan and Chloe in that order on my screen, so maybe we could go in that order.

<Stella Nall>Sure, um, Cry Baby is kind of a mix of different genres. We describe ourselves as having soft sounds. But sometimes it's a little bit more upbeat. We formed about a year ago, and play music mostly out of my basement in Missoula. We met each other because um Katie, the drummer and I, are next door neighbors with Tommy, who plays bass, and he's cousin to a Dylan. So that's how we all met each other. And since then, we started playing for fun, and then found out that we all work really well together and how to just like, have a great time building off of one another's song ideas until we kind of come up with something cohesive. Dylan writes a lot of songs independently, and she'll kind of bring like lyrics and like a bass line of guitar a lot of the time to the group, and then we'll all kind of like jump in and collaborate on top of that. And, yeah, I guess I'm not totally sure how to describe us, but do you want to try and give a whack at it?

< Dylan Running Crane>

Yeah, totally. Um, yeah, it's been difficult because, well, our two the two other band members in our band aren't here with us right now. Which is just everybody is so life during COVID seems to be weirdly busy for everybody. Yeah, so who plays the instruments? Me and Stella kind of do sort of like combination vocals will try to harmonize in some parts and other parts will just take the lead. Me and Stella do vocals and Stella both do guitar and Stella does some miscellaneous little experimental sounds. Tommy plays the bass. And Katie is our drummer. Yeah, we haven't been able to meet up and practice and really, like continue growing for a really long time because of COVID. But we the music that we've been writing, I think is very It tends towards more maybe saccharin is too harsh of a word, but more human emotions than any sort of like political. There is, there is sort of like a social political undertone to a few of them, just being the majority of three fourths of our band being indigenous. And being from Indigenous to Montana, and living in Missoula, and what that's like.

<LaNada Peppers> Yeah, I definitely think that that's a great like description of the sound I personally, really loved. Like the sun Missoula. I actually sent it to like a ton of my friend and was like, you get to listen to this band is really good. I enjoyed it a lot. Can you tell us a little bit more? I'm sorry. We have Chloe too. After you talk about your band a little bit. I would love to hear maybe a little bit about your guys's songwriting processes.

Hi, yeah,

I really don't know how to describe what my band is. Other than that. It's just me right now. And just like, whatever, like cathartic release things of like a 20 year old singer songwriter who's like finally taking themselves seriously as a musician. So whatever you imagine that to be, like, you know, I don't know. It's just like,

Yeah, again, that's like, an awesome description of it. Like, that's exactly what I got is like, like, yeah, it's so cool.

<Chloe Runs Behind> Yeah

<LaNada Peppers> tell us about your songwriting processes.

< Dylan Running Crane> Yeah, that's a tough one. Um, a good hat. So Cry Baby’s current, sort of, like discography feels pretty limited right now, because we are such a new band.

A lot, a good handful of those songs I wrote in high school. And they were kind of just figuring out what kind of sound I wanted to be producing, which came from a lot of artists that my brother listened to, he was a big musician, in Missoula, still is still doing a lot of music in Missoula. So the songwriting process is usually just what is happening to me at that time. And then trying to coherently trying to, like, articulate those feelings in a way that feels more universal. And I think that just so happens that like more recently when I was in high school, a lot of those feelings were about like growing up, moving away from home, or just like certain interpersonal relationship issues at that time. And then, as I move into the real adult world, sometimes the like, bigger, broader, like social implications of being an indigenous person in Missoula start to be much more apparent in my in my writing. And so, with the upcoming live stream, it's just gonna be me because of like, all of the scheduling conflicts. And I'm really hoping to sort of debut some of those more politically sounds wrong, socially charged songs, I guess, but still has still as a songwriter, too. So.

<Stella Nall> Yeah, I guess our process is kind of, we kind of go about it a few different ways. Like Dylan said, a lot of the times, we will like, take kind of a pre existing song and then add to it and Dylan's kind of like our powerhouse in that regard. Like she'll bring a lot of like really interesting, lyrical things, and then we oftentimes halfway Good discussions about current issues that we're all experiencing. And then we'll like, just kind of have like a jam session an add on to it. And I think it's it's like a really awesome group to play music with. Because even like Dylan and Tommy had a fair bit more experience writing songs going into the band than Katie and I did. But I'm, like, further into the experience of being a band. We both tried out writing songs, too. And everyone's like, super encouraging and fun all the time. And we do write some more socially driven, I guess, like, I'm not like critiques, maybe in some of our songs. But then we also have some silly things like, one of the songs that I wrote is called seasonal allergies. And it's about also an experience that's maybe not universal to Montana, but a lot of people might relate to it. Just about having being deeply allergic to the world when spring comes in. This one was about like, trying to find love when you're just like a snot Goblin.

Which

Yeah, um, yeah, I kind of lost my train of thought, but

all good fun.

<LaNada Peppers>I love that. I also like to be one about the skinny. What is it? The skinny boy that?

<Stella Nall> Oh, dirty, skinny white boy?

<LaNada Peppers> Yeah, yeah, that's

The one

<Stella Nall> Um,that one is one that Dylan brought to us. Like, it was one of the first songs we all built on together. And it's, um, I guess, maybe doing what you want to talk more about, like, the meaning of that one, or?

< Dylan Running Crane> Yeah, that was one that I think I started writing. Once I had already established my place in Missoula. And it is sort of, yeah, critique does sound kind of rough. It's just, it's more sort of acknowledging that so much of my musical influences are like folk, punk, white kids from like, Portland. And, I mean, particularly growing up not so much anymore. But um, and just having that knowing that being the music scene that I was brought up in, when I was younger, and just being sort of frustrated at that, but there's also that song in particular is one of our softest songs. It's the one that makes people cry if anybody is to cry. Yeah, I just think there's a there's a tenderness there, that it's not angry, just sort of frustrated,

<Stella Nall> That is one of the lines that really spoke to me when I first heard that song, and I was like, yeah, “we're gonna be a band” is like, Dylan says, How am I supposed to learn to scream with his voice when all of my heroes are dirty, skinny white boys? And that really spoke to me just being a visual artist and like, feeling like there's kind of not as much representation of indigenous people that like, I didn't grow up with it being a huge influence in my like, pop culture with music or art. And now I feel like I've been able to find connections to more Indigenous people that I really look up to and an expired by but like, as a kid, it felt definitely like a lot of the media that I was consuming was just dirty skinny white boys.

<LaNada Peppers> I totally get that. What about you Chloe.

<Chloe Runs Behind> Yeah, I guess like, I don't know. I feel like I've been thinking about like my songwriting process, or like, why I write music, like more in depth these days. Because before I was just like, oh, like, I have big feelings, I need to do something with them. Because it's hard for me to communicate things in the moment. And if I can, like repeat these words again, and again, then like, I don't know, like, it like helps me process what I'm experiencing. And I feel like a lot of the things that I write these days are kind of trying to bring like, the feelings that I like have that are in conflict with each other like together, like feelings of like anger and like rage, but like also wanting to like continue to be hopeful about just like, my like immediate conditions, but also like larger, just like, you know, what feels like an impending apocalypse. I feel like that's a lot of the music that I'm writing these days and the music that I've been recording a bit. Yeah, just kind of helping myself process, all these things that we're seeing, like all the signs that we're seeing of You know, chaos on the horizon or whatnot.

So yeah,

<LaNada Peppers> Yeah, totally. And also, I'm super jealous that you were outside right now. I had to, I've missed the last couple days tomorrow, I'm going to get out. So one thing that I think that we all have in common here is like, working to do social justice in Montana communities, and specifically, like the community of Missoula, Montana. And I know that I do podcasts about decolonizing sex work and sexuality and gender. And I work as a comic, as a way of, like, decolonizing, not to come on. He's like, I work in comedy as a way of using humor as a way of resilience and resistance. And I know that Lauren is also doing some really cool stuff, Laura, and tell us more about your, like, work here in the community of Missoula, and throughout, you know, the world.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> Yes, of course, Lenny. So I guess it started when I moved here in Missoula, 2012. And so I just got out of the military, served six years active duty, Coast Guard, US Coast Guard, I did a search and rescue, and before that, I was raised most of my life on the reservation. And so and so I feel a lot of those, I guess, issues, especially with indigenous rights, and, and, in particular, with gender violence, with, against the digitus woman have always been really in the forefront, because it's, it's been a parent, really, my whole life, and existence of our people, you know, as indigenous woman. And so, as I transitioned out of the military and into more professional development, I really had my colleagues because while you're in the military, it's discouraged to, to really voice your own personal opinions or anything against, you know, Government Relations really. And so that really, I guess, developed in me, as, you know, being an Indigenous woman pursuing college, and still seeing a lot of these prevalent health crisis and concerns within our tribal communities, both on reservation and off. And it was very prevalent with me, seeing a lot of a lot of sexual violence, in particular, in Missoula, and having that be a little bit addressed above the surface, but not really having the right people when officials accounted for it. And I think it's still an ongoing concern. And so, myself, I've been, you know, doing active work since 2012. In Missoula, particularly. But I also do, you know, community organizing and mentorship on my reservation in in Lame Deer, Montana. And I have noticed that it's, it's so beneficial every time I come back home and work with women and girls in our community, it's it's healing on both parts, it really is to kind of do that type of outreach and also hear the needs and hear and really value each person. And so and so that kind of really created a pathway into the work that we have. So why Missoula Project Beacon is so important. It's because we are one of five in the entire nation. United States that are granted this, this OBC funded, funded project. And we are the only program in Montana, but not only within our state, but within our region. So the nearest project beacon is in San Francisco. And so we have a lot of, I guess, area of responsibility. And so we work not just in Missoula, but Tribal Nations in In Montana, primarily, with, with direct support, with cross training, with working with, with victim advocacy programs, and also working, we're establishing relationships within colleges. So we're now working with with victim advocacy and different type of advisory positions at the University of Montana, which is very important, especially for Indigenous people. And so our hope is to establish the foundation, that we can be a safe place, we are a trusting place, where if any person who is indigenous that has experienced a type of sexual violence or trauma, we are here to help create that kind of hope holistic pathway. And the pathway that we use is, is cultural, you know, its cultural base. So it's our roots. And that's really a powerful way to heal, especially with trauma. And so we're really using in,I guess, integrated health ways, but really going back to our cultural roots. And we have seen that being very beneficial with our survivors.

<LaNada Peppers> So this next question actually, is perfect. To add on to what you were just saying. And I kind of want to open it up to everyone. What is what have you found is the most important aspect of your work?

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> Um, I think for myself, it's it's giving a voice, and it's uplifting one's own experiences, and helping provide, especially like a Native sister. Backup, kind of, like we are we have your back we are with you. Whether that's going to a court hearing, whether that's going into to testify or to, to go into a hospital for for further investigation of of, of sexual assault crime, you're not alone. So many of our survivors are alone, or they felt alone. Or they don't speak up, because it's, it's scary or shameful. And so I think the work that I do is, it's powerful, it's really empowerment based. And it's I feel that giving back and helping people in need, it also helps heal me with my own trauma, and with my own ways of healing and ways for me to really better my community and better our future generation, you know, we are our future ancestors of our of our community, you know, we are raising the future resilient indigenous girls and a woman. And so that's, I feel making, making an impact to those individuals and those future leaders. That's what really helps me. That's, that's, that's that, that power behind the work I do.

Anyone else? What is the most important aspect of your work that you're doing in the community?

<Chloe Runs Behind> I can say a thing.

Um, I,I guess like, I feel like it's very similar to what Lauren is saying about. I don't know, just like being there to like support people. And specifically, um, I feel like a lot of like, the work that I do specifically with like black and pink and with other organizing work in Missoula is just sharing, like, alternative narratives about like, the way we can live and like the way we can care for

each other.

Like sharing like through music sharing, like whatI don't know, Okay,

I'm gonna I'm gonna stop there.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez>Yeah, I guess just really that's really good. Chloe. Yeah, like that's, that's really an outlet to have like therapy is and also community outreach is through avenues of music of art. A lot of our project for Project beacan his art base art therapy. We noticed that like, as soon as we're working with our hands and working with each other, our boundary, it comes down. And we're able to work and just kind of engage.

<Chloe Runs Behind> And yeah,yeah, and I feel like a lot of like the boundaries that you're talking about, like the ways the ways that we are like limited by past experience or trauma or just like the world, as it has shaped us a lot of that is kind of just like a fundamental, like, limiting of like our imagination, like ways that we can, like heal each other, like be there for each other. So yeah, I don't know, I think a lot with with like the Black and Pink stuff, especially spreading more knowledge about like disproportionate statistics of incarceration when it comes to queer folks like People of Color. And the fact that so many of these institutions just perpetuate harm in our communities, and don't actually do a lot to heal people who have suffered from trauma. And a lot of the people who are in these institutions are have been affected by so many different kinds of trauma. And I think, spreading the narrative that, you know, people who are incarcerated like that doesn't make you a bad person, it just means that like we are trapped, like we've been, you know, forced into a system that was essentially made to eliminate, you know, bipoc people like systematically, and it's like still so present in our lives today,

because because the roots not been addressed, like the roots have not been given enough attention,

<LaNada Peppers> I think.

Absolutely. I fully agree with both of you. I read a book A while back called Inventing the Savage by Dr. Luana Ross, that is really, really good to get information about incarceration, specifically with Indigenous women and in Montana and around the country.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> Yeah, it's so I agree, it is and Luana She's amazing. And she worked with with incarcerated women. And it's still that way, there's still a high proportion of Native women who are in, you know, in jail and in prison. And you're right. It's like, how can we get out of that system? You know, we're so intertwined in it. So I agree.

Stell and Dylan, same question.

< Dylan Running Crane>

All right. Yeah.

Yeah, that's a tricky one, I feel like a pretty consistent through line with the things that I find myself passionate about when it comes to my indigeneity. And just the experience of being indigenous has been

I want to say representation, but I feel like representation sometimes can be linked to sort of like more. Like, I don't know, like capitalist ideas of like, just putting an ending in a movie to satisfy a quota. I think that more often, I tried to make the spaces that I'm working in feel extremely Indin, so that they feel accessible. Even now, I'm not I can't do film work so easily anymore. And it's just really difficult to get to people and was like every single COVID safety measure, I might as well just have them film themselves on their phone. But right now, I'm working in visitor engagement at the Missoula Art Museum. And a huge part of my work there that I've been advocating for is to make space for the Indigenous people that live in Missoula right now. A place where they feel not only welcome but that they're also not expected to be educators or like be expected to think about their oppression when they're just trying to create art when they're just trying to be a human. And so, even at the music and even with the film making, there is sort of a desire to represent indigenous people in the most like tangibly human way possible. Before they are like a you even that you Like, there are so many beautiful ways that you can represent an indigenous person, through media or through anything that is like from like, their resiliency to their oppression. And finding sort of like a through line of humanity. And all of that, I think is what has been the most important thing to me. pragmatically, I haven't had, I don't think that I've had the opportunity to really step my toes into any sort of like, tangible social justice work, though I'd really like to, it's mostly been through art.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> That alone is powerful, though, I feel I feel creating spaces, that is really the the definition of our advocacy work. And they feel you are creating that. So I noticed with activism and advocacy, there's different realms, and sometimes it's the public viewing as black or white, you're either doing this theater at a rally, or they're organizing this or at the Capitol, you know, working with through legislation, or you're doing, you know, different forms of that. But really just showing up, just showing up being present to being available to create welcoming spaces, that alone is very, very powerful.

<Stella Nall> Yeah,I guess, In a similar vein, to Dylan with my personal work, and also the work that we do together through our music, I think a lot about representation as an Indigenous person, but also, I think, back, maybe I should start over,I got all nervous.

Like, I think about a lot of different things in my work, like, um, but the overarching kind of through line is connection. And I like to use my word to provide ways for people who are not necessarily otherwise involved in art to, like participate through interactive media projects, like I recently did a mural where I invited people to, like, share whatever information that they wanted to about themselves, and then depicted them in this big alley mural project. And I've done a few different kind of interactive exhibitions in that line of thought with the goal of providing community connection. And just like highlighting the ways that people are all human, because I think that during COVID, and also just like during life, in general, there can be a lot of different things about various identities that feel kind of divisive. And it's nice to highlight, like, the ways that we're all connected. And so I focus a lot on that with community. But then the other part of my work is really focused on my personal experiences with indigeneity. And being mixed race, like my dad is non native, and my mom is from a lot of like, his lineage from a lot of different tribes. So as a result, my brother and I are the first ones in our family to be disenrolled from the tribe. So I'm doing a lot of work, trying to kind of highlight issues that I believe are problematic with enrollment policy for particularly the Crow Tribe, but also, like, the same policy applies to a lot of the different plains tribes, and then even tribes extending into Canada and other parts of the United States. So I think that the issues that I'm talking about there are things that I felt like pretty afraid of addressing when I was growing up, because I'm not there's like a lot of different cultural barriers and things for being a mixed race indigenous person. So I think just like by speaking about my experiences with those things, and hoping to make space for other people to like, realize that there is not like a certain way that you have to represent yourself as an indigenous person. It was kind of a tangent, but connection is what is most important to me.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> To say amen to that. It wasn't a tangent.

<Stella Nall> Like blacked out nervous, public speaking.

<LaNada Peppers> Not only that, but like speaking of community and individual connection, why do you think communities like ours need to listen or learn more about this?About, um,about like, listening and learninf about the issues that we experience here in Missoula, I think people can be really sometimes, like can disassociate with the fact that the reason why we all do this work in this community is because it's affecting our community. And so I kind of wanted to hear about why you think that our community needs to listen and learn more about it.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> I think that's really a really important question, I think to address, and many of our urban, you know, Native community members, many of them have been either relocated, through education, or through, through traumatic experiences. So so I really feel that these issues that we're talking about, and these, I guess, these pathways in, which brings us to the work that we do, I think it's because we, we hear those, we hear those, those concerns, we hear those, you know, those issues, and they're important to us, because because, you know, for myself, I consider myself very much a part of this community as well. I consider myself being a part of, you know, community of, you know, my, my people, even though they're not Cheyenne, you know, they're from different tribes. And also, I really appreciated when you spoke about that, Stella, with you being the first generation to not qualify for enrollment, because of the high enrollment percentage that crow has. Those issues affect all of us, they affect everyone, especially for our future generations, they affect the ways that if this will continue, who are children should date? What type of race they should date, you know, it puts a lot of pressure that is that is it really shouldn't be made through the federal system of who want who is quantified Indian, you know, and I feel that is a very strong recollect recollection that you that you bring up of like, This affects my you know, my, my, my identity, this, this, this will affect, you know, my future generations. And so I just think that's so powerful. It's so true, all of us, all of us here, all of us feel it.

< Dylan Running Crane> Yeah, there was a, there's always this like, slight hesitancy when whenever I'm asked to sort of, like introduce myself with saying, like, I'm a member of the Blackfeet. tribe, because it feels more natural to just say that I'm Blackfeet. And like, how much of that is ingrained in sort of the way that we function inside of like, non native societies to be like, the sort of have to, like, quantify yourself as this. Like, you're somehow different than that, like, you're not just like a person with a cultural background and livelihood that it is quantified in this really weird and uncomfortable way. I just appreciate this talk. I think that like Missoula. One of the most important reasons to me that Missoula, Missoula community needs to hear about this kind of stuff is that Missoula, in a lot of ways still functions as a border town, even in our most like liberal spaces. And I just feel like if there's absolutely no way for those people to know it, they're just gonna come off ignorant. And it's not necessarily their fault, but it is just like, I wish there were more people talking about this so you could learn. I just run into a lot of frustrations with sort of like tone deaf, non-Natives or people who just don't understand. So I think talking about it from the people who know it here. about it from the people who know it. It's just important.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> Yeah, I agree with that.

That's so true. Because even in Missoula, like, we are a more progressive border town, as you mentioned, we are a border town, we're a border town from the Salish and Kootenai Confederated Tribes.. You know, that border, both aspects from the Bitterroot Salish down to Hamilton were their original homelands, we're up to our early Polson area, you know, they're right. Missoula is right in the middle between those. And so even with advocacy, with non native advocacy, especially with white women, you know, advocacy work, there's still a lot of growth that needs to be done in addressing work with Indigenous people.I do notice that is that, you know, non native activism, they want to help. But there comes a point where

wanting to help with,with strengthening equity between minority people, such as First Nations Indigenous people, and there's a difference between putting out or doing a handout of saying, we're going to help you guys. And you guys are going to come and do some drumming for us, are you going to come and talk about how Indin you guys are? Or, you know, what you guys do for your culture, and almost make us as, like a costume, you know, make our, our, our, you know, there's a lot of work that needs to be done still, even in Missoula. A lot of growth and a lot of I think,education. And I think having these conversations like this with each of you and continuing this, this dialogue will create that it is.

<Stella Nall> Yeah, I definitely agree with that wholeheartedly as well. Like, I think that even with good intention. A lot of people, that are non-Native there, a lot of their,like, perceptions and understanding of what an Indigenous person is directed by ideas that are imposed through colonialism. And then like Furthermore, reinforced by, like, stereotypical renderings of what Indigenous people are, like. Even just living in Missoula, people will wear like mascots and stuff of current sports teams that are still using our people as mascots for their teams. And

I think that it's really important to just be an artist and a musician and also Indigenous to kind of like,challenge people's preconceived notions about what our work needs to look like and what we need to sound like. Like, I think that people even when they have, they want to be an ally or be supportive, they'll come to a music or art scene with like,yeah, I guess just like really kind of

stereotyped ideas of what they're going to find. They're like, people will think my work is going to be like a landscape with a teepee, or like that we will only have, like, powwow music and stuff. So it's nice to, I think,find that like more holistic views that were just people as well and we're hearing Now experiencing the same things and media that they are.

And being Indigenous is like a big part of my identity. But it's like not the only thing that makes me a person,

<LaNada Peppers> I guess. Yeah, I think like, one of the things that I found in my

Master's and PhD research is that Native Americans have been involved in the music scene, specifically, like opera. We were there at the foundations of blues and jazz, with Mildred Bailey. And we have been within this pop culture music scene from the very beginning, not only like being a part of it, but helping build it, like from the ground up and have been erased from it. And so I think that your guys's work with the, with your bands and your music kind of helps, like, bring that history to the surface. And it's so important.

Chloe, what do you think?

<Chloe Runs Behind> Yeah, I just, I just love hearing everybody talk, I don't know, I feel like

I always have this this wonderful, sort of, like energy, like, infused into me when I'm kind of in a space that's not just like white people, like trying to, like we're saying, like, extract something out of me, like extract, like a story that they think that they've heard before or, you know,

extract like, my personhood from my art in order toI don't know, view it in a light that is.

But like, they've already seen it. And that's like, been enforced, like we're saying by, like, the structures of capitalism and colonialism. And I think that Yeah, making art is such a powerful such a strong way of asserting, like our autonomy over who we are beyond this, like we're saying, like, the inherently political identity that has been forced onto us

for so long. And I think that in like every situation, it's important for people to like feel a sense of like, owning their own bodies, obviously. So

Yeah.

100%

So what would all of you say is like the most important like, as like the most rewarding aspect of your work in music?Question for everyone. Sorry, if I wasn't clear about that.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> I like music darnit we don't have that. I think for us is

is having a person feel comfortable having them feel safe and having them feel like we're almost like an extended like, part of like sistership or a sister. And so that's what's most rewarding is having especially an Indigenous woman come to myself for my case or case manager and and just kind of being thankful and just being like, “Hey, I feel good that I'm going to tell you you know, things that happened and for you to help me and that I can trust” you know, so having I guess someone give their trust and give their heart and give their their, I guess their

kind of their trauma and saying can you help me with what with what I have?

That's really, that's really helpful. That's really rewarding, I guess for me is saying yeah, you know, we're here and so that's reallythat's really the gist of the work that I do.

<Chloe Runs Behind> That's lovely Lauren, and I feel like it's so interesting to me because what you're saying seems to me to be like kind of like reversed very much in music where it's like I'm giving you like this piece of me like the story of me and I'm trusting like the audience with this but like also like sending that like story out is like creating like these rebels you know like in and the people who are taking it in that like it's okay to like be vulnerable it's okay to like rely on other people to help you like process what has happened to you or like help you

like tell new stories for your body to hear that like feel better like in it you know? Yes like he'll it Yeah, like music is exactly that exactly. If there's a like a music or a song. That is

that the musician is vulnerable to or talks about a similar time in their life, and how they're going through it, or not even how they're going through it. But like, what happened, what is going on and saying, like, and just addressing it.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> I think that's so important. There's, there's so much

kind of,like, “Don't Don't talk about anything that you're going through or, or people might think, you know, you, you have all these different other issues going on.” But I feel through music and hearing music just like you all with the work that you all doit, it does humanize that, hey, it's okay, that I'm having this kind of day or it's okay, that you know, that I'm feeling this, you know, this way or, you know, I think it's reciprocal, with the type of work I think in what, what we do.

Absolutely, like, not only reciprocal, but also like comforting to know that somebody has felt this on, you know, the same level. And we got through it and wrote a song about it. And so like, being able to see that artwork is also in the sense of the artwork is healing

<LaNada Peppers> Dylan, what are the most rewarding parts of this for you?

< Dylan Running Crane>

I feel, this might be a little bit too sappy.

But I'm just gonna say it anyway, I feel like the most rewarding

thing that I've noticed since creating things, especially once I moved away from home, is making my family proud. And I think that, just recently, I shared a new song that I wrote, I posted it on Facebook. And just like the overwhelming support that I got from my community back home, and browning made me realize like how much like, how much of the things that I do are inextricably linked to growing up and browning in ways that like, I wouldn't really recognize until they manifest in some way. I'm just like, seeing friends from back home that I went to high school with be like,just share it and say like, this is so cool, you know, felt really great. It felt, I feel like there is sort of like when I gain their support, or they just they see me and we can acknowledge each other in that way. It just feels a lot more fulfilling than any sort of not any sort of, but most of the recognition that I get in Missoula, you know, which isn't a lot. I don't want to not stroking my own ego here. But yeah, I do think that that's probably the most

rewarding part. For me at least. Yeah, I think mine's pretty similar to that just

what's most rewarding to me is Yeah, being able to connect with my family members, and also just friends and people who I don't know, but have reached out and, like vocalize that my word both speak to a shared experience that they've had. And

that feels really powerful, I think just liketo feel like a lot of the experiences that I thought were really isolating at the time and, like individual to me were actually more universal to a lot of people.

<Stella Nall> Yes, yes. I think like Lauren said earlier like that we're right now going to be the ancestors of the future.It feels really important to me to try to take steps to make like the community

and just like the world feel more inclusive for the future generations. So that like, the little people of the future won't have to feel like isolated for being however they are.

<LaNada Peppers> Absolutely. I agree with that. Um,what exciting things to do.

You guys will have coming up. Do you have any events coming up with Project beacon and do you have any shows coming up that you guys want to plug in?

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> We have something. So the month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. And so our program Project Beacon is teaming up with Inclusive Excellence Program who is run by an Apsáalooke woman, her name is Selena Hill. And, and she is awesome. And so she works in a program that builds diversity. And she is also working with Indigenous students. And so we're working with inclusive excellence, as well as the SARCC program and the YWCA. And we're going to be holding a, a virtual campaign to raise awareness about the sexual violence against Indigenous women. And so please stay tuned for that. And, and all of you are more than welcome to be a part of that, that campaign with us, where we reached out to a lot of community members in Missoula, and so it's gonna be a really good empowerment and kind of sistership, virtual commercial campaign that we are here we stand with our sisters who are survivors, and no longer will we, you know, continue this, this the cycle, you know, to be heard, to be respected, to be treated as human, and not exotified. So, so it's going to be a really special thing. So that's going to be coming up in the month of, I believe, mid April. So stay tuned with that. And all, I'll send all of you as well email for Yeah, engagement.

<LaNada Peppers> And how about the rest of you? What do you guys have coming up?

That's exciting that you want to plug for Cry Baby

<Stella Nall> We're gonna start practicing again, pretty soon, which maybe seems like a little thing, but we were all able to get vaccinated. So we're very, very excited about that. And then from my personal work, I have a couple of upcoming shows that I'm really excited about. One of them is in Missoula. For that mural project that I did. At the ZACC, there's going to be like a COVID, safe opening in June. And I recently added like the red handprint to that mural, which is like symbolic of the MMIW movement on. So I'm hoping to maybe speak more about that there.Yeah, and then I'm coming back. I've been living over in Bozeman this winter, but I'm coming back to Missoula to paint another mural at the transfer station, starting April 1. And I'm going to incorporate some, like traditional imagery into that, but I'm pretty excited about also. I can't wait, see, super stoked about all of these things.

<Chloe Runs Behind> Okay, I don't think I have anything to like, anything that I'm doing specifically to plug but if you're in Missoula, and you want some seeds, and you're trying to garden, I work at the Mansfield library, and we just opened up a seed library. So come get you seeds and make some little panties. So yeah, also, I'm recording an album, but I don't know when that's gonna happen.

< Dylan Running Crane> So yeah, I'm mostly just the same things that Stella said. I mean, I'm none of her art stuff. Not that cool. But um, in terms of Cry Baby, I'm really excited to start practicing again. And I think we might have some shows that we were contemplating, which might happen, but I don't know if we're too confident plugging them quite yet.

But yeah, this was nice. I liked talking to you all. Yes, so keep your eyes out for some possible upcoming shows. And definitely look for that artwork and all of these other upcoming events. Remember that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and that

project Deacon has some really cool stuff going on. And thank you guys all so much for joining us tonight for this special KBGA recording. I can't wait to like meet you guys all in person someday. And this has been a blast.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez> Thank you for hosting us. Thank you so much. And I'm just very honored and thankful for meeting everyone here as well. This has been a really good panel.

<Chloe Runs Behind> Yeah, I'm feel super grateful to have gotten to talk to all of you.

And yeah, like I feel like I know of you all peripherally, because it's Missoula, but

it's nice to get to talk. So yeah, and thank you, Lenny, for hosting.

Okay.

You're also inspiring and cool. I'm just like, glad right now.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez>Very good.

Thank you, this has been really great. And we look forward to continuing to work with you too. And same as you, Lenny. You know, you're doing such amazing stuff. And I'm very, very happy to collaborate with you. So anytime. We're always we're always available. You let us know.

You know, we're here.

<LaNada Peppers> Everyone's doing so much. It's so exciting.

<Noelle Huser (producer)> Lenny, do you want to plug anything?

<LaNada Peppers> No. Well, I mean, just my podcasts, Hourgasm and Social Justice Weirdos. Horgasm is one where we break down colonial attitudes and language around sexuality and gender and Social Justice Weirdos is where we talk about social justice from like the weirdest point of view that we could think of. So like, at one point, I talked about howBigfoot is being blamed for murdered and missing Indigenous women in Alaska. I talked about how Ancient Alien Theory is racist and just a bunch of other cool stuff like that.

<Chloe Runs Behind> So I listened to your Ancient Aliens podcast, love the analysis. Good stuff.

It's so funny.

But like, after listening to it, I'm like, huh?

That level.

<LaNada Peppers> It’s sneaky. That's the whole point. My co-host, Charlie Macorn is like another amazing Missoula artists. We just did a photo shoot together this last weekend. And yeah, she's hilarious and also finds interesting ways to sneak up on people's like thought processes.Okay, well, I'm going to have to sneak out of here. I have one more thing tonight. But thanks again for allowing me to host this and meeting some great people and I'll definitely be in contact with some other projects and research with all of you.

<Lauren Small Rodriguez>Sounds good.

<Chloe Runs Behind> Thank you.

<Stella Nall> Have a good night.

<Noelle Huser (producer)>Thanks for being here. Thanks for your time.

Thanks for tuning in. This has been KBGA College Radio 89.9 Missoula on February 26. At 7:30 pm you can catch these artists playing their wonderful music, tuning in on air or at the zoo town arts community centers Facebook page, live stream or YouTube channel. Brought to you by the Missoula community access television. You can donate a cover fee with 30%. Going back to the Newton arts community center for overhead cost keeps paid opportunities for local musicians to live stream and 70% will go directly to Missoula project beacon. This donation link can be found at our website on the Play it Forward page or on the Facebook event page. This next tune you're going to hear is called Dirty Skinny White Boys by Crybaby

<Dirty Skinny White Boys by Cry Baby plays>

produced by Noelle Huser KBGA College Radio

KBGA MissoulaMarch 19, 2021