This 4th Tuesday of the month on Hemispheres, we bring listeners into a rare and expansive conversation with Reverend Atekpatzin Young, a Genízaro Apache curandero, scholar, and long-time Boulder organizer whose work spans the Chicano movement, Indigenous sovereignty struggles, spiritual liberation practices, and decades of resistance in this region.
In this episode, Reverend Atekpatzin offers a grounded and uncompromising analysis of gringismo — a term he developed in the early 1990s to describe the intertwined systems of white supremacy, capitalism, and Christian domination. He situates gringismo not as an abstract ideology, but as a lived structure shaping the history of Boulder, Colorado—from the slave-trade routes in the Southwest, to the repression of Chicano and Indigenous activists, to today’s political climate.
We talk about lateral violence, de-tribalization, the spiritual dimensions of sovereignty, and the deep work required for communities to reclaim their own wholeness in the face of ongoing colonial violence. Throughout the conversation, Reverend Atekpatzin makes clear that liberation begins with consciousness, dignity, and the refusal to submit to systems that deny our humanity.
Following that conversation, we turn to the case of Laura Gonzalez, a local indigenous activist now facing criminal charges for demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling attention to genocide. Her attorney, Cameron Bedard, offers grounding on the legal stakes of the case and reminds us that under both U.S. and Colorado constitutions, political speech — even loud, harsh, or uncomfortable speech — is strongly protected. He raises a critical question:
What does it mean for democracy if Boulder criminalizes dissent?
This episode asks our community to confront Boulder’s histories, its contradictions, and the urgent need to defend both Indigenous sovereignty and political speech in a moment of global crisis.
Sources & Further Reading from Reverend Atekpatzin
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Oral History Interview — Maria Rogers Oral History Program
Boulder Public Library Carnegie Branch Archive
https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org -
Books by Reverend Atekpatzin: Mexicayotl & A Magic Feather
Support Laura Gonzalez’s Legal Defense
- Laura is facing felony and misdemeanor charges for her political activism and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. You can support her legal defense fund here: tinyurl.com/lauralegal
