Last December, she became the first Native American to receive an electoral vote for president in the Electoral College. He helped secure the adoption of the Tribal and First Nations Great Lakes Water Accord in 2004, an agreement among indigenous tribes to protect the Great Lakes basin from exploitation. “One person cannot save only their part of the world.

Brett and his business partner Doug Yazzie gained national attention last year when they hauled a small array of solar panels and a battery pack atop a 20-foot trailer across six states to Standing Rock, North Dakota, where indigenous people where protesting the construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline. “Our Elders are sharing that we must speak up and protect what is left. We all have to work together. Demientieff is the executive director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee, which was formed in 1988 in response to proposed oil drilling on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an area known to the Gwich’in as the Sacred Place Where Life Begins. You must include the byline at the top of the story and the tag line at the bottom, and link to the original article. You may edit for tense, timeliness or length, or make other adjustments so that the article conforms to your in-house style guide. Goldtooth is a member of the Dakota and Dine tribes of North Dakota and is the Keep It in the Ground organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network. She was the coordinating lead author for a National Climate Assessment report on the impact of climate change on indigenous tribes in the southwestern United States. The solar panels powered the camp’s kitchen, which fed thousands of “water protectors.” More recently, Isaac and Yazzie helped members of the Secwepemc Nation of British Columbia, Canada to install solar panels on a tiny house built directly in the path of a planned oil pipeline.

Perhaps more notably, Goldtooth is a cofounder of the Native American sketch comedy group. the 1491s, which depicts contemporary Native American … She also served as a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2014 report. The Indigenous Environmental Network is an alliance of grassroots Indigenous Peoples whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth from contamination and exploitation by strengthening, maintaining, and respecting traditional teachings and natural laws. “We have allowed industry in our tribal schools here who tell our children that their way is the safest way, never telling them that the contamination comes from oil and gas extraction… This oil and gas hit us so fast that it is like an arrow shot up in the air and we are running around trying not to get hit.”, Research Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey. Chrystos is a two-spirit poet and activist. This is the tracking pixel. In my interview last week with Bill Moyers, we discussed the growing activism on economic, social, and environmental justice issues that is sweeping the country. Ettawageshik leads the United Tribes of Michigan and and also serves as treasurer for the Association of American Indian Affairs. Isaac is the CEO of community-owned Shonto Energy, providing affordable off-grid solar power systems for members of the Navajo community living without electricity.

Every November, the United States pays tribute to the rich history and culture of Native Americans. When she was 12, her father told her that it was her duty to do something about environmental racism — a charge she has taken very seriously ever since. Here are eight indigenous leaders fighting for climate justice.

The idea that we can all pull together to do this is really important.” As quoted in GOOD Magazine.

Goldtooth is a member of the Dakota and Dine tribes of North Dakota and is the Keep It in the Ground organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network. DeVille believes her community needs to protect itself through education, so she began asking for more monitoring, research and analysis. In 2015, he attended the negotiations for the Paris Climate Agreement, where he delivered the closing remarks, representing the National Congress of American Indians on behalf of indigenous peoples around the world.

“Impacts to indigenous communities are anticipated to be both early and severe due to their location in marginal environments. Photos are either in the public domain or their authors have made them available for syndication for free. “Our acts of resistance to the Keystone XL pipeline are a perfect example of us wising up to the ongoing modern colonialist game, and a proactive step toward protecting future generations from the worst impacts of climate change.” Op-ed in The Guardian. Partner outlets are welcome to republish our work at no cost. We can build our own solutions to issues of electrification and economic development through the use of solar.”, Founding Grandmother, Brave Heart Society. Get the latest articles from our independent, syndicated newswire dedicated to climate change. Drawing on local knowledge, she has documented the impact of climate change on indigenous people in the Southwest and Great Plains. He has used comedy in protesting the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. For the next 19 months, the group occupied the island, hoping to reclaim the rock “in the name of all American Indians.” In their proclamation, activists stated that Alcatraz was “more than suitable for an Indian reservation, as determined by the white man’s own standards” in that: 1. Founding member, Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition. If you prefer to copy the tracking pixel separately, here it is: Fort Berthold Protectors of Water and Earth Rights. As a child, she was forced to relocate after the U.S. government dammed the Missouri River, flooding native lands. Shravya Jain writes for Nexus Media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, politics, art and culture. When you paste this story into your backend, you will find a snippet of javascript at the bottom that looks like the code below. She previously worked as a journalist in India and also briefly interned with SELCO Solar, a pioneering off-grid solar company, where she got a chance to visit villages in South India and see the transformational power of solar energy. Dr. Redsteer, who is a member of the Crow Nation, studies the ways that climate change is fueling dust storms. In response, many Native Americans are working to protect their homes and inspire the next generation of climate activists. Saving the earth and environmental justice are crucial parts of Indigenous activism.

“I would hope the animals, plants and spirit recognize our prayers — and they have been listening — to save the sacred places of our ancestors. 2. Indigenous peoples are among the communities most threatened by industrial pollution and climate change, whether it be an oil pipeline on sacred lands, forced relocation in the face of coastal flooding, or a drought that forces tribes to change their their religious practices. Demientieff and Princess Daazhraii Johnson were subjects of a recent documentary, The Refuge, commissioned by Patagonia. Spotted Eagle has led resistance efforts against tar sands development as well as the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. Dallas believes comedy can be used to achieve reconciliation and healing. the 1491s, which depicts contemporary Native American life.

During this year’s UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany, he introduced a resolution from his tribe supporting a coalition of 2,500 U.S. cities, states, businesses and universities committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, despite President Trump’s intentions to withdraw from the accord. Her concern has grown after witnessing drastic changes to her community over the years and she is now fighting to safeguard the future of her children and grand children. If you are unable to use the tracking pixel, please email us at. President, Fort Berthold Protectors of Water and Earth Rights. Videos and infographics are available to be embedded. It is a commonly used tool that will allow us to measure the reach of our work. Shravya Jain-Conti is a senior manager at Climate Nexus, where she works on communications and press strategies related to climate science, environmental justice and international policy. For more than 30 years, Johnson, a member of the Gwich’in tribe of Alaska, has been fighting to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil development that threatens the porcupine caribou, on which her tribe depends for survival. On Nov. 20, 1969, a fleet of wooden sailboats holding 90 Native Americans landed on Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay. You can follow her @Shravya_Jain. “My biggest accomplishment would be the empowerment of Navajo people by showcasing how we can build solar units in an area thought to be absent of development or growth. We either save the whole world or we don’t save it. Spotted Eagle is a member of the Yankton Sioux Nation in South Dakota and head of the Brave Heart Society, which works to preserve native culture.

Alaska is thawing three times faster than the rest of the world…This government that has the future of my people in their hands show absolutely no concern whatsoever, so I am the voice for my people and for our future generations.”, Executive Director, United Tribes of Michigan. It’s our identity, we’ve been erased so much that it can’t happen any more.”. Her interest in geology stems from her concern about water quality on native lands. Spotted Eagle also counsels veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Chrystos (Menominee) Poet and Activist. Please include our tracking pixel, which helps us gauge the impact of our stories.

Native American Activists Victorious After Judge Orders Pipeline Shut Down NPR's David Greene talks to Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today, … 22-year-old climate activist, writer, and global peace ambassador John Paul Jose provides a commentary on our environmental crisis through an Indian lens. “What motivated me to work on climate action was the frustration associated with inaction and a lack of political will to change the status quo in Alaska. In 2015, Johnson was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Art of the American Indian by former President Barack Obama. This year, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) became one of the first Native American women to be sworn into Congress, alongside Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.). Perhaps more notably, Goldtooth is a cofounder of the Native American sketch comedy group. In her free time, Dr. Redsteer mentors Native American youth who are interested in science. DeVille is a member of the Three Affiliated Tribes on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, and serves as president of Fort Berthold Protectors of Water and Earth Rights, a grassroots organization fighting pollution.

DeVille also serves on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Many people say that Alaska is an oil state, and we are trying to change that narrative so people see that our greatest resources are our fisheries, our caribou, the myriad of wildlife, and all the ecosystems that support the cycles of life.”, Executive Director, Gwich’in Steering Committee. Her call to action came when she saw pollution from a gas flare had turned the snow around a neighbor’s home yellow. Their fight continues in the face of a recent Senate proposal to expand oil production. However, our state of knowledge about how climate change is affecting these areas has been limited due to the lack of research occurring on tribal lands in the U.S.”. He was also an emcee at this year’s People’s Climate March. Haaland has made big strides on Capitol Hill.