Environmental Justice in Indian Country

I am the policy director and senior research associate at CWIS, and copy editor for our in-house publication, Fourth World Journal. I have been with this great organization for about 5 of its nearly 40 year history, having been hired when I was right out of grad school. I have a bachelors degree in Native am studies, and a masters degree in American studies, where I was able to expand on my undergrad work. Both of my degrees are from the University of new Mexico. I also teach in the American Indian studies program at Cal State San Marcos in southern California.

Since grad school I have also been working as a journalist, primarily at Indian Country Media Network, with my work appearing in numerous other publications, including Native People’s magazine, KCET Link TV and many more. I have published several academic articles, and last year my first book was released, co-authored with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, titled “All the Indians Died off" and 20 Other Myths About Native Americans , published by Beacon Press. I am currently under contract with Beacon for a second book, tentatively titled Defending Our Lands, Indigenous Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock.

I am a descendant of the Colville Confederated Tribes in Washington state. Having been born and raised in southern California, I consider myself an urban mixed blood Indian, but with ties to my home community on the Colville reservation.