Meet the Native American radio host uplifting Indigenous voices from his St. Paul home

Robert Pilot, 63, a St. Paul resident and an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, has been hosting a radio show since January 2017. Native Roots Radio (AM 950) started as a way to address media inaccuracies about the Standing Rock pipeline controversy now airs on 30 stations five days a week.

Pilot, who is a former teacher at St. Paul Harding High School, is also a Ho-Chunk legislator who seeks to amplify the good work of Native individuals. In the near future, he plans to start an advertising agency also focused on the needs of Native clients.

Eye On St. Paul visited with Pilot last week to learn more about how he came to lend a native voice to radio.

Q: How long have you been doing the radio show?

A: We’re in our eighth season.

Q: What prompted you to do it?

A: My wife, Wendy, and I had gone to Standing Rock three or four times and saw a lack of media coverage, and then the coverage that I did see was inaccurate. So, there was a coincidence that she was at St. Kate’s sitting right next to [officials with] AM 950 and the rest is history. She said, “My husband’s always wanted to have a radio show, and he’s going to talk to you.” And that’s exactly what I did.

I’d wanted a sports show, but it morphed into Native issues — politicians, allies, musicians, actors, artists. Really, what I’ve been trying to do is educate our allies. Most of the stuff we talk about, Natives already know. We’re on 30 progressive stations across the country.

It started out as an hour show on Saturdays.

Q: What was it about the medium that was appealing to you?

A: From my younger days. I remember WCCO used to have “Hobbs’ House,” and they would do “Theater of the Mind.”

Q: You’re an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, but you said you didn’t always know you were Native. Tell me about that.

A: It’s true. I’ve only been enrolled since 2016. I found my birth mother 12 years ago. I’m going to be writing a book about this, too.

Q: How did you find out?

A: I learned I was adopted, and in the adoption papers, they described my birth mother. It did say in my papers that I was part [Native]. And when I sobered up in 1984, I reached out to the [Bureau of Indian Affairs] and they told me I was not even 1/16th Native. Not until l reached out to the Children’s Home Society and found my birth mother did I know how much Native I was and what tribe. And that was the first thing she wanted me to do was get enrolled.

Q: Do you know your father?

A: Some white dude. I know his name. I got it out of Ancestry.com. It’s funny. I have a half-sister. He’s totally white, but she has a son who’s enrolled in Shakopee [Mdewakanton]. So her husband was Native. It’s really bizarre.

I’m a legislator now for Ho-Chunk Nation and I’ve got about eight months left of a four-year cycle. I’ll probably be opening up my ad agency and doing two hours on AM 950. So, that’s kind of the process I’m going through right now. Transitioning from an elected official to probably being doing [the radio show] more full time.

Q: Tell me about your work at Harding. How long were you a teacher?

A: I was a teacher for 26 years. I retired after winning election as a Ho-Chunk legislator. It’s been three years since I retired. I taught film and video and media, and then also drumline for 10 years. And I had the city’s first all-Native homeroom.

Q: I interviewed Kate Beane [executive director of the Minnesota Museum of American Art] who talked about having to convince people that Natives are still here, still present. Is that true?

A: We are here. And that’s probably the biggest need, to have acknowledgment that we’re still here. My guests are from musicians to artists to politicians to just everyday people doing work. It’s just amplifying what good work Native people are doing.

Q: Is this something that you see yourself continuing?

A: Yeah. I would say I’m always looking for someone young to replace me. But I probably have another five to 10 years.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge doing the show?

A: Well, I do the show out of the house now, so it’s easy. Then I just [post] it online and I do Facebook Live, so I’m able to sound like I’m in the studio, at home. Probably the hardest thing — and it isn’t that hard — is to maintain advertising and support.

Q: What’s the most satisfying part of the show?

A: Frankly, it’s to run into people in the community that listen to the show. Because when you start anything new, you don’t have a name. I had to beg people to come on the show when I first started, just because it wasn’t a known commodity. Now, with people listening, my guests come back and tell me that they ran into somebody who heard them on the show. I got about 200,000 listeners a week.

Q: What is the most interesting issue you’re following now?

A: The presidential election, because we could be having the first Native American governor [Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, if Harris and Walz win].

Q: And you’re looking at starting an ad agency?

A: Yeah. We’re going to be opening up an ad agency, to be able to produce stuff and expand slowly. Because there is a need out there. Some of my advertising comes from BIPOC ad agencies. And there is no Native ad agency out there that people can go directly to. And my wife and I have started this [pop-up] store at Dayton’s [Native Roots Trading Post].