In this episode of “Red Hoop Talk,” host Jennifer Robin welcomes Daniel W. Vandever, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, children’s book author, educator, and creator whose work explores language, education, cultural identity, and community responsibility. Daniel shares how his grandfather, Joe Vandever Sr., a Navajo Code Talker, Marine, and medicine man, shaped his understanding of the power of words and ultimately inspired his path toward writing and education.

Daniel reflects on a powerful contradiction within his own family’s history. During World War II, his grandfather used the Navajo language as a Code Talker, while Daniel’s father was later punished in school for speaking that same language. Their experiences open a larger conversation about boarding schools, assimilation, and the lasting effects of educational systems designed to separate Native children from their languages and cultures. Daniel emphasizes that these histories are not distant and continue to affect Native Peoples and families today.

The conversation also explores Daniel’s decade working at Navajo Technical University and how his experiences with students led him to think more deeply about literacy, culturally grounded education, and reaching Native children earlier in life. That path eventually led him to children’s literature, including Fall in Line, Holden, Horizon, and We Weave. Through his books, Daniel creates opportunities for young readers to use their imaginations, see themselves represented, and engage with stories through their own languages, families, and experiences.

Throughout the episode, Daniel and Jennifer discuss Native language revitalization, Indigenous knowledge, representation, technology, parenting, and the importance of balance. Daniel considers how Native Peoples can engage with education, technology, and contemporary life while remaining grounded in language, land, relationships, creativity, and cultural identity.

Learn more about Daniel’s books, speaking engagements, and creative work at SouthofSunriseCreative.com. Each episode of “Red Hoop Talk” creates space for Native voices, experiences, and knowledge. By supporting Association on American Indian Affairs, you help us continue protecting cultural sovereignty and creating opportunities for Native Peoples to tell their own stories.