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Module 2: Culture, Advocacy & Environmental Justice

The second installment of our three-part Advocacy & Water Protection in Native California training and certificate program will focus on water rights advocacy as it relates to culture, environmental justice, and community. The concept, “Water is Life” is a fundamental tenet of water rights advocacy and traditional ecological knowledge; this theme carries throughout the module. The panels in this series will explore grassroots movements, indigenous environmental justice, art, food sovereignty, culture, and community resilience as they relate to water justice in different watersheds. 

July 3rd, Grassroots Advocacy & Indigenous Environmental Justice 

Moderator: Brittani Orona - UC Davis Native American Studies

 

Speakers:

  1. Tia Oros Peters (Zuni) - Seventh Generation Fund

  2. Morning Star Gali (Pit River) - Save California California​

This core course explores the history of Indigenous environmental justice in California and beyond. Indigenous people are the most impacted by environmental degradation through a legacy of genocide, violence, and removal. Despite this, Indigenous people are the leaders of grassroots campaigns and have contributed to major water victories to protect their homelands.  Panelists in this core course will discuss the effects of environmental destruction on tribal lands, the rise of the Indigenous environmental justice movement, and ongoing struggles to protect indigenous environments through grassroots advocacy. 

Course Documents:

Tribal Water Organizer for Save CA Salmon , Morning Star Gali (Pit River) 

Environmental injustice, Art, and Activism on the Klamath River Basin Brittani Orona

July 10th, Arts as Activism: Protecting Land, Water & Life

Moderator: Brittani Orona - UC Davis Native American Studies

Speakers:

  1. Julian Lang, (Karuk/Shasta/Wiyot)

  2. Lyn Risling, (Hupa/Yurok/Karuk)

  3. Kateri Masten (Hupa/Yurok/Karuk/Shasta/Abanaki)

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Art has always played a significant role in grassroots movements to protect land, water, and life, This panel will focus on Indigenous artists and activists who are currently working to highlight issues surrounding health and well-being on the Klamath River Basin. The featured artists/activists use different artistic mediums to promote visual sovereignty, advocacy, and water justice on the Klamath River. Panelists will discuss their art in relation to culture and water as well as ways for artists to effectively engage in environmental justice discourse. 

Course Documents:

Art Examples, Julian Lang, (Karuk/Shasta/Wiyot)

Art as Activism, Lyn Risling, (Hupa/Yurok/Karuk)

Art Examples, Kateri Masten (Hupa/Yurok/Karuk/Shasta/Abanaki)

July 17th, Cultural Revitalization on the Water: Canoe Traditions in the Pacific Northwest

Moderator:  Dr. Kaitlin Reed - HSU Native American Studies

Speakers:

  1. Chris Peters - Seventh Generation Fund, Yurok 

  2. Josh Norris - Yurok Economic Development Corporation, Yurok

  3. Julian Matthews - Nimipuu Protecting the Environment, Nez Perce ​

Art has always played a significant role in grassroots movements to protect land, water, and life, This panel will focus on Indigenous artists and activists who are currently working to highlight issues surrounding health and well-being on the Klamath River Basin. The featured artists/activists use different artistic mediums to promote visual sovereignty, advocacy, and water justice on the Klamath River. Panelists will discuss their art in relation to culture and water as well as ways for artists to effectively engage in environmental justice discourse. 

Course Documents:

Ohl-we’-yoch, Josh Norris - Yurok Economic Development Corporation, Yurok

Canoe Project Origin, Julian Matthews - Nimipuu Protecting the Environment, Nez Perce  

July 24th, The River Feeds Us: Food Sovereignty & Community Resilience

Moderator: Dr. Kaitlin Reed - HSU Native American Studies

 

Speakers:

  1. Hillary Renick - First Nations Development Institute, member Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians 

  2. Meagan Baldy - Klamath Trinity Resource Conservation District, Hoopa Valley Tribal member

  3. Cody Henrikson - HSU Food Sovereignty Lab/Save California Salmon, Ninilchik Village tribal member​

This panel will examine the centrality of Indigenous relationships to food systems and the importance of food sovereignty for tribal nations. Additionally, this panel will reflect on ways in which Native peoples are working towards food sovereignty in their respective areas and how these goals are critically interconnected with water policy in California.

Course Documents:

The River Feeds Us - Hillary Renick - First Nations Development Institute

Food as Medicine - Megan Baldy - Klamath Trinity Resource

Imagining an Indigenized Campus - Cody Henrikson - HSU Food Sovereignty Lab

The River Feeds Us: Food Sovereignty & Community Resilience

Moderator: Dr.  Cutcha Risling Baldy  - HSU Native American Studies

 

Speakers:

  1. Dr. Kari Norgaard - University of Oregon

  2. Ryan Reed - University of Oregon, Karuk Tribal member 

This panel will feature a discussion with the author of Salmon & Acorns Feed Our People, Kari Norgaard and her student/collaborator Ryan Reed (Karuk). The book examines Karuk experiences on the Klamath River to illustrate how the ecological dynamics of settler colonialism are essential for theorizing the relationships between health and environmental justice. 

Course Documents:

Salmon and Acorns Feed Our People - Dr. Kari Norgaard

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Don't forget to fill out the evaluation form for module 2 so you can receive credit in the certificate program!

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