The Southern Ute Drum is the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s biweekly community newspaper.
Mission statement
Our job is to provide the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and its membership with services in the administration of the tribal newspaper, tribal events, and projects assigned by the tribal government.
Our Team
Jeremy Wade Shockley | Editor & Media Manager
Jeremy Wade Shockley has worked for The Southern Ute Drum since 2008, leading the newsroom as Editor-in-Chief since 2017. Growing up in the Southwest, Shockley split his time between Northern New Mexico and Colorado, where he earned a bachelors degree from the University of Colorado.
Shockley has photographed the American West and its people for over two decades, turning his lens on the dramatic landscapes and rich stories of this region. Cultural and environmental preservation is central to his work, and many of his recent projects document the changes wrought by drought, wildfire, and urbanization. Shockley documents important issues surrounding Native American sovereignty, self determination, and culture.
As Editor-in-Chief of The Southern Ute Drum newspaper, in 2022 Shockley led his newsroom to win 13 Colorado Press Association awards, 9 Society of Professional Journalists media awards, and 9 National Native Media Awards from the Native American Journalist Association (NAJA), who recognizes outstanding journalism in Indian Country.
Shockley enjoys fly fishing, mountain biking, and immersing himself in new places. Personal projects and vignettes from photo assignments are published on Instagram @jeremywadeshockley
Email: jshockley@southernute-nsn.gov | Phone: (970) 563-2255
Krista Richards | Administrative Assistant
Krista Richards first started working with The Southern Ute Drum in 2008 as a tribal youth employee for the summer. In between 2011-2021 she worked with the newspaper as a freelance journalist/photographer and was hired as the Drum’s Administrative Assistant in 2022.
Richards, a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, grew up in Southwest Colorado majority of her life as well as spent her youth in Oklahoma during the summers with her maternal grandparents. Richards is also Pawnee and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes from Oklahoma.
Richards earned a gold medal in archery in the 2006 North American Indigenous Games held in Denver, Colo. at the age of 13. She also represented the Tribe as Miss Southern Ute Alternate in 2011-2012, traveling to various powwows across the Four Corners area as well as being invited to visit the Seminole Tribe in Florida. She and her 10-year-old son Aeden enjoy hunting, playing video games, competing in archery tournaments, taking photos, traveling, and going to concerts.
Email: krrichards@southernute-nsn.gov | Phone: (970) 563-2251
Divine Windy Boy | Reporter & Photographer
Divine Windy Boy is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, Mont. and is a first descendant of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Windy Boy, originally from Denver, has been a resident of Ignacio, Colo. since 2016 earning her high school diploma from Ignacio High School in 2019. Windy Boy has worked for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe for the past five years, working for the Southern Ute Drum since February 2022 as the newspaper’s Reporter/Photographer.
Windy Boy captures issues and topics important to the Southern Ute tribal membership through multimedia, with a focus on photography, videography, and audio. She is a member of the Indigenous Journalist Association (IJA, formally Native American Journalist Association, NAJA), Colorado Press Association (CPA) and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). In her free time, Windy Boy enjoys portrait photography, traveling to powwows and ceremonies, sewing, beading, music, networking, and spending time with her loved ones.
Email: dwindyboy@southernute-nsn.gov | Phone: (970) 563-2252
Robert L. Ortiz | Graphic Specialist
Robert Ortiz is an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo Indian Tribe and a descendent of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Born in Durango, Colo., Ortiz grew up in Buena Vista, Colo., and graduated from Buena Vista High School as a member of the Honor Arts Society. He earned an associate degree in Computer Graphic Arts and Computer Sciences from the Denver Institute of Technology (DIT) in Denver, Colo., and honored by the Alpha Beta Kappa National Honor Society.
For over 20 years, Ortiz has been a Graphic Specialist for The Southern Ute Drum, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s newspaper. As a journalist, Ortiz is a member of the Native American Journalist Association (NAJA), Colorado Press Association (CPA) and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Ortiz is a volunteer radio DJ and hosts “REZ-olution Radio Hour” for KSUT Tribal Radio. He organizes and promotes the “Native REZ-olution Youth Concert,” which features Native American bands during the annual Southern Ute Tribal Fair.
Ortiz is a grandfather to four grandchildren whom he loves very much and enjoys spending as much time with as possible. He also enjoys cooking, playing guitar and drums, attending concerts and listening to music.
Email: rortiz@southernute-nsn.gov | Phone: (970) 563-2253
Rosaleigh Concepcion | Media Archivist
Rosaleigh Concepcion was hired as the media archivist with the Southern Ute Drum in October of 2023. Concepcion was born in Durango, Colo. and graduated from Ignacio High School in 2019. Before working with The Southern Ute Drum, she was working in the Durango area.
Concepcion organizes, preserves, and digitalize historic newspapers, photographs, film negatives, and other materials. Fulfilling archive materials and photo requests of historical events or of more recent events pertaining to the Southern Ute community. Concepcion enjoys playing video games, weight lifting, going to concerts, traveling, arts and crafts, and spending quality time with her friends and family.
Email: rconcepcion@southernute-nsn.gov | Phone: (970)-563-2274
Services offered to tribal members and tribal government
- Biweekly newspaper – Published every other Friday, the Drum includes articles, photos, letters, notices, ads, job postings, and other content relevant to tribal members. All tribal members are welcome to submit material or request coverage of certain events for the newspaper.
- Tribal calendar – A 14-month calendar distributed to all head-of-households that highlights tribal culture and activities.
- Annual Report – Includes reports and photos from all tribal departments and divisions on their activities each fiscal year.
- Professional photo studio – The studio is open to tribal members for photo shoots. We also do photo shoots on location.
- Photo prints – Professional prints of newspaper photos or other photo projects are available to order.
- Design services – The Drum designs posters, flyers and other promotional materials for various tribal members and departments.
- Editing services – We are available to edit copy for various purposes as requested.
- News archive – The Drum is a reference for tribal members and departments searching for historical information from 1969 onward.
- Public information – We assist TIS in distributing press releases and related materials to the public.
- Community education – Tribal members are welcome to stop by or set up appointments for training in photography, writing or design.