A panel at a recent symposium highlighted the importance of Indigenous peoples in the quest to conserve the earth’s resources, both on land as well as in the ocean.
The Center for American Progress and the National Ocean Protection Coalition invited Native experts to take part in a symposium at the 2022 National Diversity in STEM Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico last October.
Humna Sharif from the National Ocean Protection Coalition moderated the discussion, which included six speakers:
* Chief Anne Richardson, Chief of the Rappahannock Tribe;
* Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation;
* Joel Moffett, Native Americans in Philanthropy;
* Anthony Ritter, University of Guam;
* Haley Case-Scott, White House Office of Science Technology and Policy; and
* Angelo Villagomez, Center for American Progress.
That symposium brought out five “shared themes,” according to the Center for American Progress:
* bringing their Indigenous identity to their work;
* using Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge;
* centering Indigenous values in conservation;
* the responsibilities they carry as Indigenous people; and
* the need for continued advocacy for their communities and nature.
For the full details from the symposium, go to americanprogress.org.
