Lori Edmo
Shoshone-Bannock
Meet Lori Edmo whose impact on NAJA has been a tremendous one. She joined NAJA almost 35 years ago so she could apply for student scholarships and ended up being the first NAJA scholarship recipient.
Edmo is a lifetime member and was on the NAJA Board of Directors for 10 years, where she served as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.
“As a Native person, storytelling is part of our culture and traditions so it is natural for me to be a storyteller and NAJA has nurtured me through the good and bad in my career” she said.
Her career includes her current position as editor for Sho-Ban News. Sho-Ban News covers a little bit of everything for the Shoshone-Bannock tribe, ranging from sports to Indian Country news to obituaries.
In addition to its regular schedule, the Sho-Ban News publishes a color magazine during the tribe’s annual Shoshone-Bannock Festival. The festival includes a powwow, Indian rodeo, softball tournaments, Indian Relay Horse races as well as other events.
Despite Edmo living in a small community and having many media outlets around her, she says there are many stories to tell about the tribe’s citizens.
“It is a lot of hard work and dedication, but I have much love and respect for our tribal people to tell their stories,” she said.
For the past 10 years, she has been committed to learning the Bannock language and her tribal history. She noted she participates in cultural events throughout the year.
“Stories are told so our young people will know the importance of our culture and traditions,” she said.
One of NAJA’s first scholarship recipients, Edmo, plans to pursue a master’s degree in education administration.
“I decided once I finished my education I would give back to NAJA and that is why I became a board member and helped raise funds for scholarships,” she said. “NAJA can make a real difference in one’s life and it has enriched mine greatly.”
The Native American Journalists Association strives to empower journalists and voices in Indian Country. Contact us to learn more about our members, access to our expert directory, and/or how to support student fellows. If you have interest in applying to be a student fellow or a student fellow mentor, updated information is included on NAJA.com.
