This is the John Fuglesang podcast.

What would you, if you're a Democrat, like to see your party's mascot become?

Because I have a couple people coming in right now who are bona fide experts at the wrong kind of mascots.

You should adopt.

Simon Moyes Smith is an Oglala Lakota and Chicano journalist.

He's a contributing writer at NBC News and The Nation.com.

He's the author of the forthcoming book, Your Spirit Animal is a jackass and an adjunct professor of

Indigenous studies at the University of Colorado, Denver.

Simon, it's so good to have you back.

Oh, thank you, man. How are you? I'm really glad you're here. I'm refusing to be discouraged by all of these incompetent fascists.

They're just, they're going to lose. Woody Guthrie told us. How are you?

Okay. I'm doing well, man. I'm doing a little under the weather, but I'm doing well.

Like health-wise? Health-wise, you mean? Or? Spir-Based. It's okay. It's just that time of year, and it usually happens like this, but I'm muscling through it. I want to be here with you guys.

Well, good. I will try to avoid getting you too inflamed and enraged. I want you to be relaxed and have a good night's sleep when this is done.

And to that end, let me bring in the smoothest energy in the broadcast world. Miss Julie Franchella is a mental health professional with over 30 years of experience in handling complex trauma with indigenous youth and families.

Julie's an enrolled member of the Ojibway of Batchewana First Nation Reserve.

She teaches indigenous studies at Durham College, focusing on the impacts of colonization on First Nations people.

Julie, welcome back. It's so good to see you.

So good to be here.

And may I just say that I think the mascot for America should be the bison.

But for the Democratic Party, the Republicans seem very happy with their elephant.

I guess because the president's son likes to kill those things for entertainment. I guess that's why.

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