Rights of Nature, Indigenous and Advocacy Perspectives

The Gonzaga Climate Center is pleased to present "Rights of Nature, Indigenous and Advocacy Perspectives." In this event you will hear from Indigenous leaders Amelia and Joaquin Marchand, whose efforts are amplifying the value of and advocating for the protection of natural systems in the context of First Foods and Indigenous traditions. Both will discuss the connections of culture to First Foods, ecological relationships with place through personal experiences, discuss the impacts of climate change, and ways in which Indigenous sovereignty is tied to relationships with the environment. These discussions provide the values and foundations that underlie any discussion of affording legal rights to living systems.

About the speakers:

As a Spokane Riverkeeper, Jerry directs programs that advocate for healthy river flows and clean water. This includes public education, addressing pollution from runoff, from waste water discharges, protecting shorelines, and administering riverside litter pickups. Jerry continues to partner, litigate, and collaborate in work that involves local watershed issues as well as state-wide issues.

Amelia Marchand, MA, is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, with tribal heritage of the Okanogan, Moses-Columbia, Palus, Lakes, and the Chief Joseph Band of Wal’wama Nez Perce. She founded Indigenous-led conservation nonprofit L.I.G.H.T. Foundation, is a Public Voices Fellow of the OpEd Project, in partnership with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, serves as a volunteer board member with Conservation Northwest and the Center for World Indigenous Studies and is the Interim Senior Tribal Climate Resilience Liaison with the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Joaquin has served on various nonprofit governing boards and in public service roles, including Conservation Northwest, the Center for World Indigenous Studies, Hearts Gathered, and as a former City Council for the town of Elmer City. Formerly, he was the designated Health Division Liaison for the Colville Tribes' Climate Change Working Group. A Colville Tribal citizen, he previously worked for the Colville Tribes for over ten years in the fields of finance, accounting, human resources, health administration, and grants project management. An Army veteran, Joaquin served three combat tours and is currently the Executive Director with the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation.

More information on the Center at http://www.gonzaga.edu/ClimateCenter

ClimateCenter@gonzaga.edu

Видео Rights of Nature, Indigenous and Advocacy Perspectives канала Gonzaga Climate Institute