Bullitt Prize Ceremony & Upcoming Events
December 9th, 2024
Creating Lasting Change for Indigenous Youth, the Environment, and a Sustainable Future
Together, we're creating lasting change that empowers Indigenous youth, protects the environment, and fosters a sustainable future for generations to come.
AWARD CEREMONY
Free and Raven Borsey, brothers from the Lummi Nation, won the 2024 Bullitt Prize for their work in environmental justice and cultural preservation. They’ll use the $100,000 award to revive the Lummi Youth Canoe Family, a program that helps at-risk youth reconnect with their heritage and nature. Growing up in foster care, the brothers found strength in canoeing and now aim to protect sacred lands and pass on traditional ecological knowledge. Washington Conservation Action honored them at an award ceremony in Seatac, on December 6. The ceremony was filled with cedar reef decorations and really good words.
CALLING ALL ARTISTS!
Interested in vending at the 2024 Rise Up Northwest in Unity Convening in Kennewick, WA, December 16th-18th? We’re excited to offer FREE vending opportunities to artists who want to showcase their work at this inspiring event.
TREATY DAY FILM FESTIVAL
Make it stand out
The Treaty Day Film Festival this year will be held at seven locations, providing a broader reach and more opportunities for people to participate. Attendees will also be able to access more information and stay connected through our website where they can find details on films, schedules, and additional festival offerings. This expansion allows the festival to bring Indigenous stories to an even larger audience across different communities.
WARRIOR UP & HEAL
The Warrior Up & Healing Gathering, held after the 2024 elections at Northwest Indian College, brought together Indigenous communities to unite, heal, and strategize. Focused on threats to tribal sovereignty, human rights, and environmental protection, the event aimed to strengthen resilience and defend treaty rights. Key discussions covered tribal governance, policy impacts, and the importance of collective action for cultural preservation. The gathering emphasized community, healing, hope, and the lessons from past resistance movements, with a strong focus on empowering youth.
Help us spread kindness by sharing this newsletter with your friends and family. Together, we can build a stronger, more caring community for all.
“CSSP has enhanced the school district’s relationship with Coast Salish leaders and has accelerated the pace and quality of Washington State’s Tribal Sovereignty curriculum. This work is about building relationships and learning from each other.”
– Dr. Greg Baker, Superintendent Bellingham Public Schools
ORCA FAMILIARITY
Salmon have always been our relatives. For Indigenous peoples, their return is a sacred journey, honored through song and dance. Whether in 2024 or 1980, the sight of orcas with dead salmon on their heads is a cry for help, urging us to take action. It’s clear, the salmon are dying, waters are polluted, and orcas are starving. This is not only an environmental crisis but spiritual one.
Around the world, communities are coming together to restore that balance. In the Pacific Northwest, the salmon run celebrations at places like Carkeek Park show what happens when non-indigenous people come together to celebrate salmon spawns. The Ainu people in Japan honor their relationship with salmon to ensure their return. Hawaiian communities honor the ʻopae through cultural teachings that focus on protecting the ocean. In parts of Africa, communities are working to restore the health of rivers through sustainable practices. The Māori people also guided by ancestral teachings have a deep spiritual obligation to protect the water and land. Even in Scotland and Norway, traditional management systems protect salmon with respect for the fish. We owe it to ourselves and everything around us to protect the water, the salmon, and the orca. We gotta act on it.
Children of the Setting Sun Productions is a 501 (c)3 non-profit
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Hy'shqe \o/
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