Twenty years inside UN negotiating rooms taught me five lies that keep Indigenous advocacy stuck in place. This episode names all five, explains why they're lies, and lays out the one move that could rewire Indigenous rights at the highest level of international law in our lifetime.

What's covered:

• The difference between access and influence at the UN.
• Why delivering the same intervention every year isn't building power.
• The four questions I use to actually affect outcomes inside negotiating rooms.
• What the Pacific Island states pulled off with the ICJ climate advisory opinion, and how Indigenous Peoples can do the same.
• Why a new convention on Indigenous rights is the wrong move right now.
• What an ICJ advisory opinion on Indigenous rights would actually do.
• The case for acting before the UNDRIP 20th anniversary in 2027.

My panel remarks at the 23rd UNPFII where I talk about carbon markets being sold as climate justice, that nature based solutions are not neutral, and Indigenous Peoples are doing damage control in a system that never expected us to still be here. Enjoy!

On today's episode, a panel presentation during the 5th UN Forum on Rule of Law on what is broken in climate governance. I shared two moments that reveal everything. And five things the international community can change. Enjoy!

Weekly UN work debrief, stitched from daily end-of-day recordings. Week ending March 6, 2026.

You'll hear:

• How I prioritize when three resolution informals run at the same time
• A new resolution on persons in street situations and why it matters for Indigenous Peoples
• The UN80 Initiative is a sunset machine, and why a line-by-line review is a waste of time and what to do instead
• The UNCCD caucus problem: Why a COP decision to "facilitate" an Indigenous caucus sets a dangerous precedent

• FPIC was built for bulldozers, not for 3am data scraping. What that means for AI and neurotechnology
• Bridging proposals: How to listen to a room and help the pen holders find a way out

Weekly UN work debrief, stitched from daily end-of-day audio notes. Week ending February 28, 2026. Longer than usual. The stakes required it.

You'll hear:

• The delegates lounge at HRC 61: diplomatic musical chairs up close
• Why I almost skipped the Durban Declaration panel and what it means for UNDRIP 2027
• The UN80 Rev1: five options for every mandate, including retirement
• Why three mechanisms stopped being a flex and became a target
• The questionnaire problem: who reads the answers, and what table they end up on
• Neglected rights, FPIC in the age of AI, and the right of continuity

Weekly UN work debrief, stitched from daily end-of-day audio notes. Week ending February 21, 2026.

You'll hear:

• Why the Advisory Committee felt different from every other UN panel I've sat through
• A presentation hack: front-load your takeaways for whoever is taking notes
• Indigenous Peoples taking the floor as Indigenous Peoples at the Advisory Committee. No press release. No trumpets. Subtle but significant
• How I map 30+ resolutions before a session starts

Today's episode is about the Pact of the Future, its to advance the SDGs which claims to "leave no one behind," but guess who's missing? Indigenous Peoples. Join us as we unpack the hypocrisy, demand answers, and push for real inclusion in shaping our shared future. Hear what I did to hold the UN accountable and ensure Indigenous voices are not just heard, but honored. Enjoy!

Explore the top challenges Indigenous advocates face at the UN and how to overcome them. This episode offers insights into effective participation, from mastering UN rules to sustaining advocacy. Enjoy, and sorry for the sketchy audio quality.