Inspiring Others with the Power of Words
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Harlem Junior/Senior High School has started her own podcast. The first episode of Rez Check released on February 10 with an introduction of the team. Longknife hopes to continue to drop new episodes of Rez Check every two weeks.
A podcast is an audio program similar to Talk Radio, but listeners subscribe to it on their computers or mobile devices and listen whenever they like. The digital audio files made accessible on the Internet for downloading are typically available as a series. Subscribers automatically receive notification of any new installments.
Longknife was inspired to start her own podcast after watching GET REAL, an audio/visual podcast associated with Dive Studios. Hosted by Ashley Choi, Peniel, and Big Matthew, GET REAL is described by Spotify as "a place for these close friends to open up about all the ups and downs of work, love, and adulthood from their perspective."
"I was thinking that that podcast seemed really fun, and I liked the part of it that involved people just sitting to talk, like the authentic conversations that connect people," Longknife said. "So, one day I was a little bored and I thought to myself, 'Starting a podcast would be pretty cool, hey?' Besides, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and try something different."
Rez Check, which currently has three episodes available on Spotify, typically focuses on conversation about Native American culture, lifestyle, and awareness. Longknife invites guests to share the air with her. "We talk about opinions, experiences we've had, and also find time to throw in a few jokes. I was excited to invite two guests on the second episode that came out around Valentine's Day," Longknife explained.
In that episode, the group discusses "Valentine's Day, Rez snags, and the true meaning of a holiday devoted to love." As the podcast gains momentum and a following, the team is hoping for audience engagement and feedback so that they can address questions asked in comments or received via email.
When asked what motivated her to share her ideas in the podcast format, Longknife responded: "Rez Check offers advice, I think. And it's meant to make people laugh. If someone is having a bad day, it can just make them feel better while also inspiring them. It's about being Native American and about Northern Montana, where certain lifestyles are more common than others, but there is still diversity. But mostly it's about expressing yourself, letting the world know your experiences."
In describing her mission and goals for the podcast, Longknife stated: "To be honest, I don't know what my goals are for this podcast project, but I'm only a junior in high school who is still figuring things out. My mission is to inspire younger generations with the power of words and self-expression. Especially now, people should be talking about what makes them happy, because it seems like they never do. The podcast is a way for people to speak, to claim their voice. They can get more out of life and do things that are meaningful to them. But also Rez Check is about relatability and empathy."
Not only available on Spotify, Rez Check can also be found on Anchor, another podcast app/website. "We're hoping to be available on Apple Podcasts soon as well," Longknife reported. "We try to drop new episodes every two weeks, which you can find by searching 'Rez Check.' Rez Check is monetized, so we can accept support to fund this podcast and do some advertising in the community. Our hope for 2022 is to use any funding as a service-donation to mental health awareness in the Fort Belknap community. The details are still being worked out, but we want to give something back."
The current Rez Check team includes Longknife and Matthew Hodgson-an English teacher with the Harlem School District. Longknife calls Hodgson her manager since he is helping to familiarize her with the technology, guide her on the content, and support her with the show's fluency or flow. "I'm really more of a safety net or training wheels until such time as she can make this go on her own," Hodgson said.
Until then, this high energy, ebullient Nakoda enrolled girl is not about fame but about helping people and giving them a voice. "I feel like I was called to this path, inspiring others to celebrate language and leading them to express their values, ways, thoughts, and teachings-because those are the things that define culture," Longknife concluded.
