For years, Northwest youth have been strong leaders in the push for change on the lower Snake River. In Idaho and beyond, members of Youth Salmon Protectors (YSP) have hosted rallies, painted banners, written dozens of Letters to the Editor, and more to urge those in power to remove the four lower Snake River dams and restore salmon to the region. Tribal youth have raised their voices and told the stories of their intimate and ancient connection to salmon, orca, and the waters that they all call home.
Efforts from youth are an essential part of salmon advocacy. Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but also the change-makers of today. Youth activism, tribal culture, and storytelling contribute to help drive the Northwest region toward major action for salmon. To win for salmon, we must support and uplift the voices of youth salmon advocates—within our region and beyond.
The last two years, thanks to the funding of generous donors, youth advocates from across the region were able to do just that. In 2023, a group of 24 representatives from Idaho Conservation League (ICL), Youth Salmon Protectors (YSP), the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Youth Council, and Washington Youth Ocean and River Conservation Alliance (WYORCA) took their work all the way to Washington, D.C. to advocate for salmon, orca, and Tribal justice. In 2024, a group of eight representatives from ICL and YSP, including the Nez Perce Tribe YSP Chapter, went to D.C. for another round of advocacy. Right now, these youth are fundraising to head back to D.C. later this month!
These fly-ins are assembled to spread the message that youth from across the Northwest are united in fighting for a free-flowing lower Snake River. Prior to each trip, each of these young advocates had been advocating for dam removal in their own neighborhoods by putting pressure on local elected officials to take action before it’s too late for salmon. The CTUIR Youth Council had been presenting their letter on lower Snake River dam removal to President Biden for the previous two years at conferences across the Pacific Northwest and surpassed their goal of 25,000 signatures prior to their D.C. trip. Maanit Goel, the director of WYORCA, had organized students from across western Washington to rally in front of the state capitol in Olympia, and was ready to take his work to the U.S. capital next. Youth Salmon Protectors had been organizing events and actions in Idaho and across the region for over two years, blazing a path for young advocates to learn about the issue and build a community of peers taking action. These passionate, smart, strategic advocates can make a difference when they take to the streets of D.C.—they just need help getting there.
Many of these advocates start these trips as strangers, but quickly bond over sharing new experiences (like exploring exhibits at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History) and sharing their personal connections to what they are working so hard to protect.
When it comes to meeting with elected officials and their staff, I’ve seen how these young leaders are able to connect the dots for elected officials in a way that invites them to be a part of the solution and to act urgently. Their testimonies have left lasting impressions on these decision makers, and on the youth themselves.
Just as we are not finished until the four lower Snake River dams are removed, the services they provide are replaced, and wild salmon are restored to the region—the work of these youth advocates is not done. YSP and other youth from across the region are planning a trip back to D.C. this spring, but they need your help to get them there.
Help send youth back to D.C. this April to advocate for salmon, orca and Tribal justice by making a donation to fund their trip! Every single donation—big or small—makes a difference. The group is so close to their goal of raising $25,000. Could you help them cross the finish line and get to D.C.?