Shared Stories

It's been a big year for evaluation at AKA. If you read our work and know what we do, we are always pushing the boundaries of how to evaluate programs and people and what it all means. We've highlighted some of these efforts in previous blogs, publications, reports, and art. This is the first time we’ve attempted to make sense of evaluation. Like really figure out what it is we are doing, what clients are doing, and what matters. Sensemaking evaluation is not new. In fact, i

We are constantly reflecting on our work at AKA, what we co-create with our clients, and what we learn from our time in and with communities. Our goal is to always be in a place and state of being that matters. Just consider the idea of doing work, writing reports, publications, research, classes, and Zoom calls… that do not matter. This would be called a life not fully lived. And life is too short to do work that does not matter. Our efforts to share and highlight work tha

In this blog, AKA Intern Jay Aguilar remembers his friend, Sean, who was a constant presence in the Nakoda Dakota Oyate (NDO) Youth Council on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. This remembering is important, with dozens of photos of Sean, evidence he was with us and in our work at Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center, in evaluations, and supporting healing, this blog honors his presence in our lives. The N.D.O was created for experiences, geared for the youth that yielded m

Ten years ago, I was known as federal inmate # 16524-046. Today, I am walking across the stage at The University of Montana, graduating with my Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, earning multiple honors, a 4.0 GPA, and being named the Outstanding Social Work Student of the Year. If you had told me a decade ago that this would be my reality, I don’t know if I would have believed you. I grew up on the Fort Peck Reservation, a place that raised me, shaped me, and ultimately becam

People often ask, "Where do all of AKA's visualizations and illustrations come from?" The answer is usually a wandering story about the mind. Yes, the mind. All good things come from a thought that begins in the mind (bad things, too). Our elder Dr. Dolores Subia BigFoot developed Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). TF-CBT reminds us that our thoughts create feelings, feelings create behaviors, and behaviors reinforce thoughts. The saying be careful what y

If you have not tried it before, Dry January is a month dedicated to not drinking. Dry January started in 2013 with the goal of reducing harm caused by alcohol . We invite you to try it and let us know how it goes for you! There is good news! Drinking alcohol in the US is at an all-time low— just 54% of adults. Rich older Republican white men drink the most. And non-white, poor young women drink the least. Why the downward drinking trend in national polls? Awareness that alc

We work behind the scenes to build organizational and community capacity for healing and change. All of our work is a gift.

AKA is all about engaging youth and the community in evaluation. Nothing about us without us comes to mind as a tagline we must remember.

AKA honors Native American Heritage Month by uplifting a story of a community returning to its canoe teachings to guide wellness. GHWIC is a project shaped by generations of Tribal knowledge, carried home with new tools but rooted in culture. Together, communities and partners listen, paddle, and rebuild systems so future generations can define health in their own way and continue the journey with strength.

Spring and Summer 2025: Photos of places, people, and experiences that will transform how we live and work. Spring and Summer have been wild, hectic, and transformative. Words would never capture what we have been up to, who we have met, what we felt, and what we will do now because of it. Photos might. Our work to elevate photography as a research method is not new. In 2022, we collaborated with our brother, Marcus Red Thunder, to explore the role and use of photography as a

This month, we gathered to talk about what we’re taking with us from our Master of Public Health (MPH) journeys, what challenged us, and how we’re continuing to transform.

We continually reflect on our work at AKA, the love we give, and the love we receive.

March 2025 Are you an artist? Do you love to create? No matter what you answer, you must begin to do art, to create, and find love and...

We led a workshop for a behavioral health team, using collaborative poetry to help healers reflect, connect, and find meaning in their work.

This two-day event was a mix of good food, laughter, remembering, and planning for the future.

Throughout January, we shared insights, encouragement, and tips to navigate challenges and celebrate the victories of sobriety.

Rocky Mountain College Indian Country Environmental Health Graduates from Little Big Horn College, Fort Peck Community College, Chief...

As 2024 came to a close, we shared a series of tips and strategies on our social media platforms throughout December to help maintain...

It’s 2025. “Where has time gone and where is my life going?” This is a question that many of us have as we enter a new year and what...

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, let's take a moment to learn, understand, and see how communities heal and thrive.