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SPECIAL FEATURE
ACTIVIST OF THE MONTH |
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Teens With the Spirit to Act
Kayla Carpenter, 17 (left)
Erika Chase, 17 (right)
California
For thousands of years our people—the Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk Indians in remote Northern California—have lived along the Klamath
River and its tributary, the Trinity. Our cultures were based on the natural rhythms of acorn and deer seasons, and the runs of
wild salmon, steelhead, and eels. This way of life served our people well for 10,000 years. Even today, our medicine people lead
ceremonies emphasizing balance. Take only what you need from the land and you will live sustainably for generations to come,
they say. Although we have been forced to assimilate* into modern culture over the last 150 years, our generation is carrying
on living, breathing Indian traditions.
Within the last century, however, certain changes have occurred that are putting our future at stake. Several dams were built
between 1909 and 1964 on the Klamath and Trinity rivers that are reducing the flow of water, allowing toxic algae to breed and
destroy the water quality. As it turns out, the water needed for our salmon is also valuable to potato, barley and strawberry
farmers to our north. They require heavy irrigation and receive subsidies from the federal government to uphold their practices.
In the fall of 2002, 64,000 salmon died on the lower Klamath River due to disease before ever reaching their spawning grounds.
Thousands of fish flowed down what quickly became a river of death. Young and old cried in sadness and despair. We fear that
with a few more years like this our generation will see wild salmon become extinct to our rivers like the buffalo to the plains.
With the diminishing salmon populations, which served as a healthy source of protein, the health of our people is also declining.
Epidemics of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and depression are leading to predictions of shorter life spans for our children.
As young people inheriting such a world, what are we to do?
With help from friends and family members, we decided to organize an event to bring awareness to the plight of the salmon and the
diminishing health of our people. We created an annual Salmon Run Relay to educate and unite our communities, encourage local
political involvement, and inspire exercise and healthier eating. The Relay route mimics the run of the salmon from the mouth
of the Klamath up its two major tributaries, where wild salmon still spawn.
Now in its fourth year, the success of the Salmon Run Relay has surprised even us. What began as just an idea has become a major
event in which every spring there are more and more participants. In collaboration with the local elementary and high schools,
a Fish Fair is held on the same day to inspire students to get involved.
In September, we received the Earth Island Institute's Brower Youth Award—the nation's most prestigious environmental award for
young people—along with five other young activists from around the country. The Brower Youth Award is a great honor, but knowing
we can help our people and our future by taking action is what drives us, and we're sure that's true for the other winners.
Based on all of our stories, we know that any young person anywhere in the country can be a powerful force of change.
With all of the problems in a world out of balance, we can't sit back and hope they cure themselves. As Indian people and as
young people, our future depends on the defense of our natural resources.
We can all make a difference. All it takes is the spirit to act.
**Assimilate: to take on the features of another culture
A version of this article appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle in September 2005.
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Are you a teen activist or do you know any teen activists? Contact
Teen Voices and share your story.
Don't Just Imagine
Marina Tharathattel, 16,
New York
Suppose everything
you dreamed of
came true.
Just suppose
for a split second
that you can have
things your way.
The right way.
Just suppose
you had the power to change
places and
conflicts,
the power to make
a difference.
Now,
don't just suppose
anymore.
Take action!
Brower Youth Awards
Earth Island
Institute established the Brower Youth Awards in 2000 to honor David Brower
(the founder of Earth Island Institute who died in 2000) and to call forth a new generation of leaders. Each year this
national award recognizes six young people for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental
and social justice advocacy. Each winner is awarded $3000 in cash and flown out for an award night and a Yosemite camping trip.
The Awards not only promote the accomplishments of these young leaders, but also provide ongoing access to resources, mentors,
and opportunities to develop their leadership skills through Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative. Are you an
environmental activist in your community? Visit www.broweryouth
awards.org
for more information about how to apply for this year's awards.
Past Activists
of the Month
November 2005:
Stephanie Nyombaire
December 2005:
Kaley Rosinski
January 2006:
Kyla Carpenter & Erika Chase
March 2006:
Shelby Knox
April 2006:
Cisnell Baez & Ashley Cotton
May 2006:
Makalay Tarawally
June 2006:
Becky Marks
July 2006:
Geneva Johnson
August 2006:
Rachel Powell
September 2006:
Liz Funk
October 2006:
May Lan Dong
November 2006:
Karoline Evin McMullen
December 2006:
Maggie Astor
January 2007:
E. Jane Handel
February 2007:
Ana Slavin
March 2007:
Shaina Patel
April 2007:
Amity Paye
May 2007:
Evelyn Eng-Nol
June 2007:
Ava Lowery
July 2007:
Chela Élan Counts
August 2007:
Alexandra Pates
September 2007:
Alexandra Abend
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