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 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.
Last year, thanks to the funding of generous donors, youth advocates from across the region were able to do just that. 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.
This fly-in was assembled to spread the message that youth from across the Northwest are united in fighting for a free-flowing lower Snake River. Prior to the trip, each group 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 past two years at conferences across the Pacific Northwest and surpassed their goal of 25,000 signatures. 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.
Many of these advocates started the trip as strangers. They ranged from 12-20 years old, were from different states, and came from a variety of backgrounds. Some had never been on a plane, let alone to D.C. Still, they were already bonded together through their shared passion to save wild salmon and steelhead in the Northwest from extinction.
Over the course of 5 days in D.C., the bonds between them deepened. It started with sharing new experiences—like exploring exhibits at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Then, it was over the sharing of their personal experiences and connections to what they are working so hard to protect.
The group attended 13 meetings with elected officials and their staff, federal agencies, and NGO partners. The kids’ confidence blossomed from quietly reading a few sentences off a sheet of paper to sharing personal stories of their own experiences. They shared facts about the salmon, steelhead, and orcas that have been on the brink of extinction since before they were born.
Calls for Tribal justice rang loud in these meetings. The CTUIR leaders spoke eloquently of the loss they’ve personally witnessed and the hope they still hold for the future of their Tribe and their salmon. They maturely articulated how the decline in salmon has limited or erased some of their practices and traditions and how many in their community have turned toward harmful avenues (gambling, drugs, alcohol, etc) to fill this void. These young leaders were able to connect the dots for elected officials in a way that invited them to be a part of the solution and to act urgently. In many of these meetings, it was hard to find a dry eye in the room.
These testimonies left a lasting impression not only on the group of advocates, but the decision makers that can make a difference on the issue.
“The direct knowledge and personal presentations of what salmon mean to them, their families, and culture were the best form of advocacy with elected Congressional officials and staff here in Washington,” said Lindsay Slater, Trout Unlimited Vice President of Government Affairs and former Chief of Staff for Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID). “The future for salmon is bright so long as we have young women and men such as these working to bring back and restore our historic runs.”
“Working in DC was an incredibly fulfilling, tiring, emotional, and educational experience. We were able to connect with our legislators on a level that showed them the power youth hold, the undeniable importance of salmon for Pacific Northwest cultures, as well as the facts and figures which go along with dam removal,” said Lilly Wilson, a member of Youth Salmon Protectors and youth engagement assistant for ICL. “We ensured all questions were answered and that everyone had the opportunity to share their knowledge, creating an engaging and effective conversation for all parties involved. I am so proud and grateful that we were able to have such productive conversations and accomplish so much during our time in DC, as well as continue to develop these necessary skills for youth activists. Legislators are listening and they want to hear from you, all you have to do is speak up.”
It was incredibly powerful to see many of the Youth Council members walking up to the Capitol in their traditional clothing, performing a song and dance in the lobby of the National Museum of the American Indian, and promising to “indigenize everywhere” they went. The excitement was palpable to see Native representation in a few of our meetings where staff from other Northwest Tribes shared their own stories and experiences as indigenous people in D.C.
“I got to witness youth dressed in their regalia telling congressmen their future is at risk, because their grandparents tell them of a different life they used to live,” said Lindsey Pasena-Little Sky, CTUIR Youth Council mentor and student at Whitman College. “The trip fueled my momentum to continue my advocacy, not only for Salmon, but for Indigenous peoples rights and environmental justice.”
Despite the long days of walking between meetings, catching the metro, and sharing heartfelt stories with elected leaders, there were mornings where, to my surprise, the first person in the hotel lobby was a student submitting their essay or starting their calculus homework to make up for missing a week of school. The will and strength of these young leaders to take time out of their own lives, when they should be getting ready for prom or at soccer practice, reignited my own passion and hope that we’ll soon see a free-flowing lower Snake River.
On our last evening in D.C. the group gathered at the local Patagonia store for a private screening of Children of the Setting Sun Production’s Our Sacred Obligation. The short film highlights the Indigenous leadership in the movements for dam removal in the West including the Elwha, Klamath, and Snake Rivers. To everyone’s surprise, the youth spotted themselves in the background of multiple shots in the film. Their excitement to not only see Native representation on the screen, but see themselves on the screen was remarkable. It also inspired many to move forward into a lead role of salmon advocacy.
“Us fighting unitedly will be my fuel forever to know environmental justice brings people of all color and ages together,” continued Lindsey. “This is our future and I am thrilled to observe; we all agree everyone’s voice matters in creating it.”
Building relationships with fellow youth advocates was also an incredibly meaningful aspect of the trip.
“What most impacted me was the community we created over the course of our week in DC, connecting student activists normally scattered across three states and hundreds of miles,” said Maanit Goel, Director of WYORCA and high school student in Sammamish, Washington. “From the CTUIR Youth Council to my Idaho YSP peers, I heard stories and perspectives that fuel my motivation to continue this work and continue pushing for dam removal, and more than anything—built friendships which will bridge and reinforce our common efforts for years to come.”
“The trip with the Youth Salmon Protectors, ICL, and CTUIR Youth Council was a great step toward Saving the Salmon,” said Keyen Singer, CTUIR Youth Council member. “This was an opening to our long run to Save our Wykanish. We are not done until the dams are breached on the Lower Snake River.”
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.
- Your donation of $40 helps provide meals for a youth advocate for a day in D.C.
- Your donation of $300 helps cover the cost of airfare for a youth advocate.
- Your donation of $1,000 helps pay for lodging for a youth advocate
Please consider making a donation today!