We are highlighting two interconnected areas in the news that have informed our work deeper, drove conversations internally, and prompted more reflection about how we are learning over the last month: Native American Heritage Month and climate justice.
To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, with the United Nation’s COP27 climate change conference recently wrapping, we wanted to dig deeper into what institutions, influencers, and individuals are doing to inspire conversations around climate justice and action globally, especially in Indigenous communities and Native contexts.
Here are several resources which we found especially informative throughout over the last month:
A wrap-up of the National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Change (NTICC) conference, which concluded after four days of discussion among environmental organizations, higher education institutions, federal agencies, and Tribes focused on addressing climate change in Indigenous communities.
Nick Tilsen’s welcome message to COP27’s Indigenous People’s Pavilion, hosted by Egypt.
Our (re)education about language continues with this great piece on how capitalized “Indigenous,” “American Indian,” “Native American,” and “Native” shows respect and solidarity.
At COP27, Indigenous groups advocated for direct funding of their local climate change mitigation efforts, rather than continuing to have international donors fund large initiatives or organizations that typically ignore Indigenous and Native projects.
In a new effort by federal agencies, Native American tribes are competing for the first federal grants designed to move communities away from high water and other dangers posed by climate change, rather than simply continuing to rebuild areas at highest risk.
We wanted to highlight the Sirge Coalition, a group of Indigenous Peoples and leaders, who, along with their allies and partners, are championing a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
