Gonzaga to Host Event on Protecting Environment through Advocacy and Indigenous Perspectives

Gonzaga to Host Event on Protecting Environment through Advocacy and Indigenous Perspectives

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News Brief by Matthew Kincanon | FāVS News

On Tuesday, Sept. 19, Gonzaga University will be hosting a panel discussion on protecting water and landscapes through advocacy and Indigenous perspectives.

“Rights of Nature, Indigenous and Advocacy Perspectives” will feature Spokane Riverkeeper, an organization that will discuss the contrast with water law and provide several potential ways to work toward recognizing natural rights of the Spokane River.

Speakers will include:

• Jerry White Jr., a Spokane Riverkeeper who 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.
• Amelia Marchand, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation who is the executive director of the Center for World Indigenous Studies, an education, research and public policy nonprofit established in 1979. She also volunteers as a board member with Conservation Northwest, the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland and serves on the Women in Conservation Leadership Advisory Council for the National Wildlife Federation.
• Joaquin Marchand, who has served in various nonprofit governing boards and public service roles, including Conservation Northwest and Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS) and previously as a City Councilman of Elmer City for four years, Hearts Gathered and Colville Tribal Liaison for Health Division for impact of climate change work group. He worked for the Colville Tribes for more than 10 years in finance, accounting, human resources, health field administration and grants project management.

Representatives from the LIGHT Foundation will be on hand (virtually and/or in person) to provide an Indigenous perspective, as well as the intersections with cultural visions around food sovereignty and clean water.

The LIGHT Foundation is a non-profit whose intent is to support native plant conservation and restoration of native plant gathering traditions for Pacific Northwest tribes, Native American plant conservation and traditional cultural plant species.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held at 6 p.m. in the Hemmingson Auditorium.

You can register for the event here.

For more information, contact the Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment at climatecenter@gonzaga.edu.