Immersions

Reflection by Cindy Garibay and Molly Grimshaw

             Today was our last morning in Portland. Although our wakeup time was the earliest so far, everyone was eager to get on the move. Over the past three days, we had heard from seven different organizations who shared their stories of environmental justice and advocacy in an urban setting. Although their perspectives were impactful, we felt as though there was a piece missing in the narrative. In search of this missing component, we traveled an hour east to Hood River, and could finally put a setting to the stories we had just learned about.

              We began our day with an introduction to the Colombia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC). Their headquarters was located along the river, with gorgeous views of the Washington side of the gorge and the pristine water below. CRITFC is an organization that not only focuses on fish, but also community. They provide both technology and management to the four major tribal nations of the Columbia River: the Yakama, Warm Springs, Umatilla, and Nez Perce. The Executive Director of CRITC, Jaime Pinkham, emphasized the importance of recognizing the sovereignty of these nations, something we all tend to forget. This acknowledgement of their presence is directly connected to outsider activities in the river. Many of the livelihoods of the indigenous river peoples have been disrupted and destroyed by these activities, which in turn has been a direct threat to the core values of their culture. The construction of dams and railroads, as well as the seizing of native homelands, are some of the most impactful instances of these persisting problems. This was the perfect set-up for the rest of our day, where we continued to learn about the environmental and cultural impact of unwanted government intervention, as well as the deep connection the river has to the tribal nations.

              Continuing our journey, we drove along the river to some different river access sites used by the tribal citizens. We learned about their fishing systems and the role CRITCF has in the processing stage of the operation. Our first stop also had gorgeous views of the river and the gorge, which further contextualized the information communicated to us throughout the week. Several of us had not previously viewed the river as anything other than a body of water, but this quickly changed when we got an up-close view. Standing at the edge of the bluff presented a vast, breathtaking view of the land, but a closer look revealed the details often overlooked by the common passerby. Scattered alongside the riverside were several fishing platforms, exposing the historical and persisting reliance of the tribal nations on the Columbia River. It was an eye-opening, yet peaceful moment for our entire group, which helped us transition into our final leg of the day’s adventure.

              We arrived at the Celilo Village mid-afternoon. Jaime, who had been leading us on our jaunt around the Columbia River Gorge, introduced us to a community who had been living along the banks of the river for thousands of years. We were escorted into the village’s longhouse, their central meeting place for all important events. Inside, we met four generations of tribal citizens who shared the history of their society, as well as their individual testimonies about what life was like growing up removed from the modern world. Family, we learned, is the core of what they believe in. Their children are raised in the traditions of their ancestors, and it is expected of them to continue their way of life. When reflecting on this, our group became aware of the prevalence of individualism in American culture, and the stark contrast in ideologies that are taught to us by our society. However, for this tribal community, the preservation of their customs is crucial to their survival. Language also plays an important role in the safeguarding of their identity. The chief of Celilo Village explained to our group that there was so much more to what he was teaching us, but the lack of direct translation from their native language to English made it impossible to fully encapsulate its true meaning. With this in mind, we more clearly understood the significance of preserving their culture, and the dire consequences if it was lost. After listening intently for three hours, we were all feeling the effects of a long day, but one of the elder women, Gloria, sent us on our way with a piece of uplifting knowledge. She explained that, in her native language, there was no direct translation for the word “goodbye”. Instead, they part ways with a word meaning “I love you”. This was a simple but highly profound way to form a connection between us and them, and a really nice end to our long day. With our hearts full of knowledge and our bellies full of salmon, we went on our way, reflecting on what we had been taught, and our understanding of the role we play in this ongoing story.

                                           In community,

                                                          Cindy and Molly

Reflection by Molly Lowney and Trudi Timperman            

              This morning we met with Columbia Riverkeeper, an organization focused on the overall health of the Columbia River with the goal to maintain the wellbeing of the communities that depend on it. One point that was emphasized was viewing the river as a community member. By understanding the river as a living being and system, we can better understand its intersections in different areas of environmental justice. Through organizing, advocacy and litigation, Columbia Riverkeeper has been able to block several polluting fossil fuel industries from creating industrial areas along the banks of the river.

              We also learned about how salmon run numbers have drastically fallen over the past years because of rising river temperatures, hazardous waste pollution and dams blocking traditional migration routes. Salmon are the livelihood of Columbia River communities and ecosystems. They provide a healthy source of protein for rural and indigenous communities and are also a source of income for fishing communities. From an ecological perspective, salmon are important species in the ecosystem and are a food source for both sea lions and southern resident orca whales.

Columbia Riverkeeper also works specifically with the Latino community on environmental justice issues and education. They have a radio show called Conoce tu Columbia where they speak in both English and Spanish about environmentalism in communities of color. Here is the final thought that Columbia Riverkeeper left with us: The earth is our mother and the rivers are her veins.

              After finishing up with Columbia Riverkeeper, we hopped in the vans and headed down to Salem and the state of Oregon’s capitol building. Most of us had never been to the capitol building before, so we were filled with a sense of awe at the magnificence of the building itself. We immediately went inside to begin our meeting with Renew Oregon – a state-wide advocacy group campaigning to pass Senate Bill 1530 in the Senate. This bill (more commonly known as cap-and-trade or Clean Energy Jobs) would require large polluters in the state of Oregon to pay a tax if they exceed a certain carbon emissions limit. The money from this tax would then be reinvested back into the local economy to create jobs in the clean energy sector. This bill has been proposed in the Senate multiple times, and every time it has been met with harsh opposition. When we were at the capitol, the atmosphere was contentious because the Republicans had walked out, thus preventing the quorum necessary to vote on the bill. After Renew finished giving us the background on the bill and their campaign, we had the opportunity to meet with the state Senator for our district, Lew Frederick, who has been a large proponent for the bill and other environmental legislation. He immediately voiced his disappointment and frustration with the current situation. We asked him a couple of questions and by the end of our brief thirty-minute interaction, we were all incredibly inspired. He highlighted the importance of understanding an issue from both sides, which can only be achieved by including a diversity of perspectives. I think this was an important takeaway for us as individuals interested in environmental justice. As we have been learning from other organizations, it is easy to become blinded to certain aspects of the movement when we are only viewing it from a single perspective. By involving multiple voices, we can create a more robust story that actually addresses the root of the problem.

              Finally, we asked Senator Frederick how he remains hopeful in today’s often discouraging political climate. He told us his story of growing up in the South as a young black man, being tear-gassed as an eight-year-old, and desegregating his high school in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite the hardships he has faced, he remains hopeful because he has seen the bad times get better. He urged us to never stop learning, and educate ourselves on as many topics as we can to become as well-rounded and informed as possible so that we may truly have a significant impact in ameliorating problems we care about.

              We ended our day by joining a Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest (JVCNW) house for dinner. JVCNW is a service program centered around simple-living, community, spirituality, and environmental and social justice. The house we visited consisted of eight volunteers living together and working at various non-profits throughout Portland. Interestingly enough, one of the volunteers was our very own program manager’s little brother – Joe Wagner. The volunteers were all incredibly welcoming and eager to both share their experience with JVC and learn about our immersion so far. I was inspired by their commitment to simple-living, which went so far as rarely heating their house, not having wifi, and subsisting on a very limited stipend. This showed us what our lives might look like if we are one day forced to abide by stricter regulatory limits due to climate change. Overall, it was exciting to meet people our age so devoted to service.