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Our Youth Speak Up

About This Collection

Let's hear from our children, and their advocates, on the social, environmental, cultural, and economic concerns around sustainability and the call to always act responsibly and with the next seven generations in mind. The collection will also feature, from time to time, adults who are speaking on behalf of children. 

To add to this collection email children@earthsayers.com.  Thank you.

 

 

Curated by mokiethecat

Kayla Carpenter and Erika Chase - Brower Youth Awards 2005
December 07, 2007

Childhood friends Erika and Kayla actively championed river health in their hometown. Through the Youth Tribal Council and a Salmon Run Relay, they raised awareness about the declining Klamath and Trinity rivers. Excessive water diversion for agriculture, requiring dams and heavy irrigation, had severely depleted water tables and fish populations like salmon, sturgeon, and trout.

The Salmon Run Relay, mimicking salmon migration, also educated the community on native diet and culture, featuring a ceremony based on Yurok, Hupa, and Karuk traditions. Erika and Kayla further organized town hall meetings and distributed pamphlets, aiming to unite cultures, promote health, and encourage political engagement for river conservation.