“For a lot of Indigenous cultures, movement is essential to our survival…whether it’s food or ceremony. I feel that is one of the roots of how running is carried on in my life. I can see it in my culture.”

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Leroy “Buster” Silva (Pueblo of Laguna) is a movement and wellness advocate, community coordinator for the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation, and former teacher/coach and student-athlete. He’s also the founder of Family+Indigenize+Thrive, an organization he created that takes an intergenerational approach to address challenges Native communities face when it comes to achieving wellness. He notes the importance of family in this conversation, as a parent, husband, brother, and Laguna community member. This means he spends lots of time reimagining ways to incorporate traditional lifeways and Indigenous wellness practices into his family’s routine. We also hear about his experiences as a Native student-athlete at Haskell Indian Nations University, a tribal university in Lawrence, Kansas, and his time as a wellness instructor at the Native American Community Academy (NACA) in Albuquerque, NM.

In this Episode:

• Family+Indigenize+Thrive
• Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation
• Native American Community Academy (NACA)
• Haskell Indian Nations University
• “To Get Calcium, Navajos Burn Juniper Branches to Eat The Ash”, byLaurel Morales, NPR, August 21, 2017
• Duke City Marathon – Albuquerque, NM
• La Luz Trail Run – Sandia Foothills, Albuquerque, NM
• Kona Coffee

Follow Leroy Silva:

• Instagram: @leroybustersilva

Follow Grounded Pod:

• Instagram: @groundedpod
• Twitter: @groundedpod
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/groundedpodwithdinee

Music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM).

This podcast was made possible through the Tracksmith Fellowship Program.