On this episode of the special series featuring Native Language Protectors and Carriers, we reflect on the legacy of the Native American Languages Act of 1990 through the stories of Michael Elizondo, Jr. and Chaz Meadows. They are two citizens of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes who are reclaiming their languages, one word and one conversation at a time. From learning with elders and attending ceremonies to immersive master-apprentice programs and digital classes, they share how language connects to culture, humor, and identity—and why its survival is essential for future generations.

Dr. Farina King narrates this episode, and special thanks to Brian D. King for editing the Language Protectors and Carriers series.

A Native of Oklahoma, Michael Elizondo, Jr. received his BFA from Oklahoma Baptist University (2008) and his MFA at the University of Oklahoma (2011). Elizondo has participated in numerous solo and group exhibits regionally and nationally. He has been a professor of fine art and art history at colleges and universities statewide, recently serving as the Director of the School of Art at Bacone College and Executive Director of Language and Culture with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Elizondo is currently focusing on his studio practices full-time.

Jonathan (Chaz) Meadows is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and a dedicated advocate for Indigenous cultural and linguistic revitalization. He earned dual bachelor's degrees in Native American & Indigenous Studies and Sociology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, graduating with Cum Laude and Dean’s List honors. Jonathan is currently a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma, pursuing a master’s degree in Native American Studies. A former president of the Pujuta Tipi Society RSO, his academic and community work is deeply rooted in cultural preservation, language revitalization, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. He is an alumnus of the Wells Fargo, Indigenous Land & Language, American Indian Service, and Cheyenne & Arapaho Higher Education scholarship programs, and a former apprentice in the Cheyenne Language Master Apprenticeship Program. His work is grounded in a lifelong commitment to sustaining Indigenous lifeways for future generations.

Learn more about the efforts to protect and support the study of Native American languages (and all languages) at the University of Oklahoma through the following petitions:

Oppose the Removal of Foreign Language Gen Ed requirements at the University of Oklahoma

Keep Indigenous Languages Alive at OU

For more information about the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair, see the hyperlink.

Learn more about Native American Languages at the University of Oklahoma.

We honor Cheyenne and Arapaho speakers of all generations of the past, present, and future such as Joyce Twins (1943-2020) who taught Cheyenne language for over 20 years, including for some time at the University of Oklahoma.

"Language Is the Key": A Conversation with Cheyenne Language Protectors Michael Elizondo, Jr. and Chaz Meadows