The newsroom desk assigned to Frank Vaisvilas is probably not the first place someone should look for him.
Granted, he’s there off-and-on through the week, and it’s recognizable as his by a few knick-knacks, including some Bears and White Sox memorabilia that make his editor wince.
But Vaisvilas is at his best on the road, among the people he covers across Wisconsin. One day he’ll be in Lac du Flambeau reporting on a long-running dispute over access to non-tribal homes on reservation land. Another day he’ll be talking to tribes about the cultural traditions beaten out of their ancestors — literally — in places like Tomah, Hayward, Oneida and Keshena. Yet another day he’ll be on the Menominee Reservation, where the famed tribal foresters work.
A native of Illinois and graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Vaisvilas started covering Indigenous Affairs — his first specialized news beat — in June 2020 with the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
The position was sponsored by Report for America, which sends journalists to cover underrepresented communities and issues on a partially grant-funded basis. It was the first beat of its kind in Wisconsin, and some editors were unsure if he would be able to find enough stories. He never had a problem.
In 2023, Vaisvilas transferred from Green Bay to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Both news organizations are owned by Gannett and part of the USA Today Network-Wisconsin.
Vaisvilas has won journalism awards for his work in Green Bay and Milwaukee.
Did you grow up in a family that emphasized its Indigenous roots?
My roots are Irish and Lithuanian on my father’s side and Indigenous and Mexican on my mother’s side. My mother’s family emphasized we were Mexican American. I learned later this was rooted in societal prejudices in Mexico and the United States, where many believed it was better to say you are Mexican than Indigenous.
However, Mexico is rooted in Indigenous culture in everything from its food to its customs to its history. Even the flag includes a symbol — an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus eating a snake — that is derived from the Aztec founding of its capital, Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City.
So even though the emphasis was Mexican, there were always references to our Indigenous roots.
For example, we had a molcajete, a traditional mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock that Indigenous people have been using for thousands of years to make salsa and guacamole. Ours has been in the family for generations, and it was recently passed down to me.
I also grew up hearing about my great-grandfather, Francisco Trevino, who was a blend of Yaqui and other Indigenous tribes in northern Mexico. He fled the Mexican Revolution to the U.S. in the early 20th century.
Although Pancho Villa was considered by many Mexicans a hero of that revolution, my great-grandfather regarded him as a tyrant who forced Indigenous people into battle, treating them as little more than cannon fodder. For years, he feared Villa or his allies would send assassins to find him as revenge for fleeing.
My great-grandfather wrote a journal about his life in Mexico, but my family still has a hard time interpreting it because it’s written in a mixture of Spanish and Indigenous languages.
What fascinates you most about the beat?
I enjoy learning about the history, customs and cultures of the 12 organized tribal nations within Wisconsin, and helping to educate readers about what I’ve learned.
What I’ve found most fascinating, though, is that many Indigenous people here are on a journey of rediscovering and reclaiming their culture after the larger colonizer society tried to take it away, such as through forced assimilation at boarding schools for children well into the 20th century.
It’s the same journey of rediscovery and reclaiming that many of my family members are on as we learn about my great-grandfather and our Indigenous history.
Discuss sovereignty and why it’s central to your work?
In my five years of reporting this beat I’ve concluded sovereignty is the most important issue for many tribal nations.
This includes reclaiming culture and heritage, such as through Indigenous language revitalization programs.
But it also includes sovereignty over land and other tribal affairs as tribal nations strive for true independence — the kind they had before colonization.
Frank Vaisvilas conducts an interview.
You have extremely loyal readers. Can you talk about that relationship?
My readers include Native folks, academics, researchers and anyone with a general interest in the tribal nations within Wisconsin. I hear some of my articles are practically required reading in some First Nations classes in the state.
I think some of it stems from my desire to give a voice to the voiceless, which is one of the core principles of journalism as laid out by the Society of Professional Journalists. Indigenous communities have long lacked a real voice in established media. I think that’s slowly changing.
I’ve also grown a regional and national following through my First Nations Wisconsin newsletter, in which I discuss some of the Indigenous news of the week.
Outside of journalism what interests you?
I like to read history books or classic novels. I’m growing a library of signed leatherbound classics from Easton Press, which produces keepsake editions, and Franklin Library, the publishing arm of the Franklin Mint, as well as several first editions from the 1800s. It’s my favorite room in the home.
My wife and I also like to hike nature trails, visit family and friends across the country, and put together puzzles and models.
Reach Frank at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Get to know Frank Vaisvilas, Wisconsin Indigenous Affairs reporter
