Indigenous communities in the West and across the U.S. are some of the most affected by climate change. In recent years, news media have finally focused on bringing their voices to the forefront. What is emerging from such stories is that Native communities are stepping up with their own solutions to climate change, solutions steeped in traditional wisdom, previously-discounted practices, …
Demanding Justice for Native Women
Last year, when I wrote a story about domestic violence in rural areas, I came across a stark statistic: a survey conducted by the Women’s Foundation of Oregon had found that 100 percent of the respondents at the Umatilla Reservation said they knew someone affected by domestic violence, the only location in Oregon with such a high percentage. I had heard …
Lamprey harvest
OREGON CITY — They dove into the cold waters, emerging with writhing, eel-like fish in hand and thrusting them into nets. Thus began Northwest Native American tribes’ annual lamprey harvest at a rushing, 40-foot waterfall about 15 miles south of Portland. The jawless, gray fish are a traditional food source for tribal members in the Columbia River Basin… Read More
Flooded villages
This is one of my favorite stories that I’ve written and photographed at the AP. I worked with AP’s features editor and features photo editor to bring it together. To me, it’s an essential tale of the Pacific Northwest – a story about this region’s history and its making, the area’s principal characteristics (the river, salmon, dams, and hydropower), and the legacy …