Episode Details

Lamar Fairmint is a young man I'm lucky to know. I finally got a chance to meet him in Costa Rica at the Retreat—no question he had the most interesting background of anyone who attended.

In this episode, we talk about what it was like growing up on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon. Lamar shares stories about his Native roots, family history, and what it means to live with both Native and Black heritage. We also talk about the weight of generational trauma—and how he's learning to carry it with more grace as he gets older.

Before getting to know Lamar over the past few years, I'd never known anyone who grew up on a Reservation. Come to think of it, I'd also never met a salmon fisherman.

But that's what Lamar's does. He's a commercial fisherman. And his business does well enough that he spends half the year traveling the world.

The origins of his fishing career are interesting too. He says fishing gave him purpose after dropping out of San Diego State, and shares what life on the water has taught him about patience, resilience, and doing things "your own way."