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About The Circle News

45 years of Native journalism. Still independent. Still here.

The Circle News was founded in 1980 as an in-house publication of the Minneapolis American Indian Center.

 

It grew into a full community newspaper and became one of the longest-running independent, non-tribally owned Native American newspapers in the United States.

 

We are the only non-tribally owned Native newspaper in Minnesota.

 

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for the Native community.

 

We have no corporate owner, no tribal government affiliation, and no paywall.

 

Our editorial independence is the foundation of everything we do.

1980
Founded at the Minneapolis American Indian Center
Launched as an in-house community bulletin, distributed free across the Twin Cities.
1983
Expanded to full community newspaper
Coverage extended to all Minnesota tribes and statewide distribution.
1998
Incorporated as 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Established independent board governance and nonprofit editorial structure.
2008
Launched online edition
Full digital archive begins. Readership expands nationally.
2015
Peak print circulation: 8,000 monthly
Distributed to 200+ free pickup sites across the metro area.
2026
Quarterly + Digital relaunch
New leadership, new platform, new quarterly magazine. The Circle reimagined for the next 45 years.
Our Mission

Why we exist

The Circle exists because Native American communities deserve journalism that treats them as full human beings with complex lives, not as subjects of outside curiosity or the objects of policy concern.
Mainstream media has covered Native communities incompletely and often inaccurately for as long as mainstream media has existed. The Circle was founded on the conviction that the answer to that failure was not better outsider coverage. The answer was Native journalism, produced by Native journalists, answerable to Native communities.

We cover the stories that matter to the people we serve: treaty rights, sovereignty, health, education, the arts, the land, the water, the young, and the old. We do it with the same rigor and the same standards as any serious news organization, because our readers deserve nothing less.

The Circle News and TheCircleNews.org are owned and operated by The Circle Corporation, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit.

  • Sovereignty of voice
Native American communities are the authorities on their own lives. We report from within, not from a distance. We do not require a non-Native frame of reference to make our stories legible.
  • Editorial independence
No tribal government, no corporation, and no advertiser influences our editorial decisions. Our funders are listed publicly. None of them have input into what we cover or how we cover it.
  • Accuracy above all
We correct mistakes promptly and publicly. Our corrections policy is posted on this page. We do not hide errors or quietly amend published stories without notice.
  • Access for everyone
Our journalism is free to read. We will never put our reporting behind a paywall. Access to quality journalism should not depend on the ability to pay a subscription fee.
  • Service to many nations
Native American communities are not a monolith. We serve reservation communities, urban communities, and the diaspora. We cover all 11 Minnesota tribal nations and Native communities nationally.
Masthead

Leadership & editorial team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Angela Running Bear
Executive Director · The Circle News
Angela Running Bear joined The Circle in n2026 to lead its digital-first relaunch. She brings 18 years of experience in nonprofit media management, previously serving as deputy director of the Native American Journalists Association and editorial director at Indian Country Today. She holds an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University.
White Earth Nation of Minnesota
EDITOR
Marcus Little Thunder
Senior Editor · News & Politics
Marcus Little Thunder has been a journalist for 22 years, spending 14 of them at The Circle. He oversees daily news coverage, manages the editorial workflow, and mentors early-career Native journalists. He is a former president of the Minnesota chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
EDITOR
Nina Whitehorse
Senior Editor · Arts, Culture & Magazine
Nina Whitehorse leads coverage of arts, culture, language, and the quarterly magazine. She joined The Circle in 2021 after a decade at The Bemidji Pioneer and a fellowship at the Poynter Institute. She is a published poet and a member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa.
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
STAFF REPORTERS & CONTRIBUTORS
Elaine Strongbow
Environment & Politics
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Jada Crow Feather
Environment & Health
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
Samuel Redcloud
National & Federal Policy
Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Rachel Swiftwind
Urban Community & Health
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Sarah Cloud Bear
Photography & Multimedia
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
James Beaulieu

Reservation & Tribal Government

Red Lake Nation
Donna Treuer
Arts, Language & Culture
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Thomas Iron Cloud
Opinion & Columnists
Oglala Lakota
Governance

Board of Directors

The Circle News is governed by a four-member board of directors drawn from the American Indian community. The board sets organizational policy, oversees the executive director, approves the annual budget, and safeguards the editorial independence of the newsroom. Board members serve two-year terms and may serve up to three consecutive terms.
David Downwind

BOARD CHAIR

Former Chairman, Red Lake Nation. Attorney, federal Indian law. 22 years in tribal governance.
Red Lake Nation
Term expires: 2027
Melanie Morrison
BOARD VICE CHAIR
Chief Executive, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Former director, University of Minnesota American Indian Studies.
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Term expires: 2026
Walter Beaulieu
TREASURER
CFO, Native American Community Clinic. Former finance director, Minneapolis American Indian Center.
Red Lake Nation
Term expires: 2027
Sandra Many Horses
SECRETARY
Executive Director, All Nations Indian Church. Community organizer and advocate, Twin Cities Native community for 30 years.
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Term expires: 2026

Corrections policy

The Circle News is committed to accuracy. When we make errors of fact, we correct them promptly and transparently. Corrections are appended to the original article with a clear notation of what was changed and when. We do not delete or quietly amend published stories without public notice. Significant corrections are also noted in our weekly newsletter.
To request a correction, contact our editors directly at corrections@thecirclenews.org. We aim to respond within 24 hours and to publish confirmed corrections within 48 hours of verification.
Submit a correction request

Editorial independence policy

The Circle News operates under a strict editorial independence policy. No funder, advertiser, board member, or outside organization has input into our editorial decisions, story selection, sourcing, or framing. Reporters do not cover organizations in which they hold financial interests or leadership roles. All potential conflicts of interest are disclosed to editors before assignment.
Our full editorial independence policy is publicly available. We are a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News and adhere to INN’s standards for editorial independence and financial transparency.
Read our full editorial independence policy

Diversity & sourcing standards

The Circle prioritizes Native voices in all coverage of Native communities. We do not treat non-Native experts as the default authority on Native affairs. When we quote outside experts or officials, we identify their institutional affiliations and any potential conflicts clearly. We are committed to geographic diversity in our coverage, including reservation, urban, and diaspora communities.
Read our sourcing guidelines

Privacy & data policy

We do not sell reader data. We do not share subscriber information with third parties except as required to deliver our newsletter and process donations. We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate readership. Individual reader data is never shared with advertisers. Our full privacy policy is posted below.
Read our full privacy policy
Get In Touch

Contact us

EDITORIAL
News tips & story ideas
Have a story idea, a news tip, or information you think The Circle should investigate? Reach our editorial team directly. For sensitive tips, use our secure Signal line.
news@thecirclenews.org
Signal: @circlenews.01 · Response within 24 hours
BUSINESS
Advertising & partnerships
For display advertising, newsletter sponsorship, event sponsorship, or partnership inquiries, contact our business team. We can provide a current media kit and rate card on request.
advertising@thecirclenews.org
612-555-0148 · Business hours M–F 9am–5pm CT
GENERAL
General inquiries
For general questions, letters to the editor, corrections requests, reprint permissions, or to reach the executive director, use our main contact email or mailing address below.
info@thecirclenews.org
1530 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404

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