Hello, Braided River Community! I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine as much as I have over the last week. April is a special month at Braided River, as we highlight our core values that the loss of biodiversity and the climate crisis are urgent, and change is possible when power is shared. It is Earth Month!
In addition to advocating for environmental protection and conservation, Braided River acknowledges that evolving principles of social and environmental justice are integral to these conversations. The two forthcoming campaigns underlined in this newsletter do just that, by showcasing Indigenous sovereignty, storytelling, and climate action. We invite you to read on to learn more about each project and how you can support them. Please reach out with any questions or thoughts, I would love to hear from you!
Happy Earth Month!
April celebrates Earth Month to raise environmental awareness and encourage climate action, culminating in Earth Day on April 22.
Now, more than ever, wildlife and cultures that depend on public lands are threatened by the current administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, weakened environmental regulations, and promotion of oil and gas drilling. Braided River strives for a cleaner, safer, more ecologically balanced, and equitable world regardless of our political climate.
It’s not too late to celebrate Earth Month and fight for wild and sacred lands by donating to organizations that promote climate justice.
Get your name in upcoming braided river books
We are thrilled to launch two book projects within the next year— In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations: Conversations about Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being in Nature and Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet.
In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations, with foreword by Jay Julius and as told to Kurt Russo, provides an Indigenous-led approach to equal and respectful conversations between Tribal communities and other partners regarding the climate crisis. This book was developed in partnership with Se’Si’Le, an Indigenous-led, Bellingham-based non-profit fighting to protect Indigenous areas, resources, and sacred sites, and will launch this summer!
Guardians of Life, launching in the Spring of 2026, highlights the critical role that Indigenous communities play in sustaining biological and cultural diversity through breathtaking photography by National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan and essays by Charles C. Mann, Gleb Raygorodetsky, Erjen Khamaganova, and foreword by Quannah Chasinghorse. This visually captivating book and multi-media campaign amplify the rich lifeways of Indigenous people on a global scale, focusing on leadership and place-based stories in nine areas: Alaska, Palau, Ecuador, Mongolia, Australia, Greenland, California, Alberta—Montana, and Vancouver Island.
highlight—braided river joined se’si’le on orcas island
Last week, we attended a reception following a Se’Si’Le multi-day retreat on Indigenous leaders and Human Rights scholars discussing just transitions for Indigenous sovereignty and restoring biodiversity. Tribal communities, including the Udege, Itelman, Lummi, Yakama, and Tsleil-Wauth First Nation shared culture, music, and ceremony at this inspiring and informative event. Braided River was honored to showcase our forthcoming book, In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations, in partnership with Se’Si’Le.
Photo Credits
Top photo by Dave Showalter, author/photographer of LIVING RIVER: The Promise of the Mighty Colorado and Sage Spirit: The American West at a Crossroads
Second photo by Kiliii Yüyan, author/photographer of upcoming book and multi-media campaign, Guardians of Life