Episode 22 - Ashleigh Thompson (Red Lake Ojibwe), Archaeologist & Trail Runner

Grounded with Dinée Dorame

“What I’ve learned as I’ve grown older is how interconnected our wellness is…I’m trying to lead a life where wellness is centered– mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. These things make us who we are and impact one another.”

Ashleigh Thompson (she/her/hers) is Red Lake Ojibwe and an archaeologist, climber, and avid trail runner. Ashleigh is based on Tohono Oo’dham and Pascua Yaqui lands (also known as Tucson, AZ) while working towards her Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Arizona. Her dissertation focuses on traditional foodways and food sovereignty of the Red Lake Ojibwe utilizing interviews, ethnography, and material culture. In this conversation we discuss the importance of oral traditions and Indigenous people telling our own stories, including how the both of us use storytelling as a way to learn and share with others. Ashleigh was also a Division III student-athlete, competing in Track & Field and Cross Country at the University of Minnesota-Morris during her college years. We learn about her most influential coaches/mentors and how she works hard to maintain a holistic relationship to running, grounded in her own cultural traditions and focused on longevity, so she can run strong for many years to come. Ashleigh is an outdoor ambassador for Ultimate Direction and La Sportiva.

In This Episode:

• Ashleigh Thompson Bio, University of Arizona, School of Anthropology
• Subscribe to the Fast Women Newsletter
• Citius Mag Trials Talk Podcast (Sponsored by Tracksmith)

Follow Ashleigh Thompson:

• Instagram: @ashanishinaabe
• Twitter: @ashanishinaabe

Follow Grounded Pod:

• Instagram: @groundedpod
• Twitter: @groundedpod
• Facebook: facebook.com/groundedpodwithdinee

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Music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM).

This podcast was made possible through the Tracksmith Fellowship Program.