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By: Dinh Thai Bao Tran Today I will write about a leader from Vietnam. She is quite well-known in the place where I was born. Her name is Cấn Thị Thêu, a land rights activist from Hanoi. Her bravery in protecting justice for people who lost their land has made her one of the strongest voices for land justice in Vietnam.
Cấn Thị Thêu was born into a farming family who lived by growing rice and working on the same land that her family had cared for over many generations. When the government took her family’s land for a project, she realized that the land was not only a source of life but also a part of her identity, memory, and history. Instead of staying silent, she started to record and speak out against unfair land seizures. She also helped other families who faced the same problem. Even though she was arrested and put in jail many times, she never lost her belief that ordinary people also have the right to speak up. Her story shows the knowledge of ancestors and cultural traditions. In Vietnamese culture, land is deeply connected to spiritual life, work, and moral values. It is the place where people “settle down and live in peace,” where children honor their ancestors, and where communities grow together. Many families still use land for farming today. When Cấn Thị Thêu protects the land, she is also protecting the tradition of respecting nature, kindness, and unity values passed down from generation to generation. Her actions also show land and environmental justice. Taking away farmland not only makes people lose their homes, but it also destroys the ecosystem, the water, and the way humans live in harmony with nature. When she stood up to fight, she was not only defending people’s rights but also protecting the strong relationship between humans and Mother Earth. For me, her story is a deep source of inspiration. It helps me understand that climate justice cannot exist without land justice. Protecting the Earth is not only about saving forests or water, but also about protecting the people who live close to the land, those who understand nature’s value through their daily lives. Through Cấn Thị Thêu’s story, I see that even an ordinary woman farmer can become a symbol of strength, truth, and courage, a voice from the land that deserves to be heard around the world.
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By: Nayrelin Reyes Castro Levi Sucre Romero originates from Bribri Talamanca an Indigenous community in Costa Rica. He is a farmer and specialist with over 2 decades of experience in rural development and community organization. Also, having 15+ years of experience in design, implementation and the evaluation of projects of local and indigenous communities. His focal point is indigenous organization, cultures, and the environment in Central America. Currently he’s the coordinator of Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB), his organization guarantees and protects land rights of indigenous and forest communities. Additionally, he’s the organizer and manager for the technical side of the RIBCA, a group of eight indigenous territories in Costa Rica.
His most notable work is his strong advocacy in the fight against forest degradation which contributes to the planet’s imbalance. This accelerates climate change and limits the production of particular foods, increasing threat to health emergencies such as Covid-19 due to the mismanagement of natural resources. As stated by Romero, one of the possible solutions is for the government to spread awareness and create spaces for indigenous knowledge concerning natural resource management policies. He considers know-how a step forward onto protecting biodiversity and to the world. A major attack towards the Amazon forest concluded into weakening environmental protections, indigenous land rights, and the rule of law poses a threat to local and indigenous territories. Shifting the momentum is crucial in the future of climate buffering Amazon forest and success of the Paris Agreement. Romero says “25% of medicine (the world) uses comes out of the forest, and by losing the forests. We put in danger future solutions” This credits him coming forward into protecting the forest's environment as this place is vital for maintaining things we need. His fight continues with going against politics/government as he states “they do not understand”. A visual example of this is his beloved Costa Rica and the happenings regionally, communities, indigenous people and those who live in the forest are a key factor in the protection of those resources and human survival. As a defender, he’s like a guard to these forests at the world level. The continuous fight for global, national, and local spaces through media coverage as videos to demand politicians especially those in developed countries as for the extraction of resources does not lead them anywhere but rather to death. Something that stood out to me was when he was young a lot of the land was lost and the government gave it to big international companies to grow bananas. That was the moment he realized from a young age that his right had been violated for the economic interests of others. With that in mind he used it as motivation to defend and restore the rights of his community, and merely the Indigenous people of Costa Rica. The reason I admire him is although he doesn’t receive much recognition for his work he looks furthermore on it and continues his legacy. With his determination and fight for his community and advocacy so others are aware of it. He cares for the sacred land he’s grown up in and wants a better future for the indigenous communities. With his activism he hopes to create a new initiative into environmental and forest activism. I would say it’s far more than creating changes, but rather strive for these Indigenous people’s needs. Sources:
By: Allen Murphy When I was growing up in Oakland, Berkeley, and Vallejo, I never really thought about what was beneath me. The ground was just the ground; sidewalks, dirt lots, places we hung out. Nobody ever talked about whose land it was or what came before the cities. It wasn’t until later, when I learned about Corrina Gould and the Ohlone people, that I started realizing how much history was right there the whole time, hidden under everything I thought I already knew. Gould is a Chochenyo and Karkin Ohlone woman from Huichin, which most people today call Oakland. She leads the Confederated Villages of Lisjan and helped create the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust to bring pieces of that land back into Indigenous care. What made me want to highlight this incredible woman the most is her fight to protect the West Berkeley Shellmound; a sacred Ohlone site that was once full of life and history but got paved over and treated like it didn’t matter.
I have a personal connection to this because my life began on these lands. Born in Berkeley and growing up six miles away from the 2011 sit-in at Glen Cove (Sogorea Te’), a sacred village site in Vallejo, and yet I had no idea the depth of what was being held there. Gould was part of that occupation, which lasted 109 days. That makes her work feel close to me; it’s tied to the same neighborhoods and memories I grew up with; the same land I always just called home. Her story is about ancestral knowledge and cultural continuity: how the Ohlone languages (Chochenyo, Karkin), the shellmounds, the marshes, the songs; they didn’t vanish, they were suppressed. Gould’s activism revives those, claiming them back not just symbolically but materially: land return, cultural practice, community rebuilding. That means her advocacy is deeply tied to land, water, and climate justice. The shellmounds were placed at estuaries, creeks, marshlands; they held ancestral remains, they held ecological wisdom of tides and seasons. She safeguards that knowledge and fights for rights and sovereignty; these are Indigenous rights in action, restoring governance of land, not simply being recognized by colonial state systems. Academically, her work inspires me to question what “justice” really is in environmental science. Growing up in the Bay, I’ve seen how people treat climate change like it’s something far away. Corrina’s story reminds me it’s right here — in the land, the water, and the history we walk on. But Gould frames it locally: the Bay Area, the shellmound beneath the parking lot, the people still insisting the land still holds life and rights. It forces me to rethink frameworks of stewardship: not only how humans manage nature, but how human and non-human relationships, ancestral knowledge, place-based cultural continuity, and Indigenous governance must shape our approach. Her focus on rematriation, on women-led land trust, on returning land under Indigenous stewardship—it shows energy, water, climate, land issues are inherently justice issues. Writing this reflection brought together everything I care about; where I’m from, what I’m studying, and what it means to actually protect the places we call home. Corrina Gould’s work opened my eyes to what true environmental leadership looks like. She fights for land that most people don’t even realize is sacred, like the West Berkeley Shellmound, where she’s spent years pushing back against development and educating others about its history. What I respect about her is how she leads with both spirit and strategy. She once said that rematriation isn’t just about giving land back; it’s about “restoring our relationship with it.” That idea made an impression on me. She lives her values every day, whether she’s holding ceremony, teaching youth about the Chochenyo language, or negotiating land trust agreements in the city. She never separates who she is from what she does. Her work shows that climate justice, land justice, and cultural survival all connect and how you can’t fight for one without fighting for the other. It evoked thought about my own role in that balance; how I move through the world, how I treat the land I live on, and how I can use what I learn to support people like her who are already leading the way. I pay more attention now to what’s around me, what came before me and the responsibilities this moment holds. References
Chief Seattle: Duwamish Leader Teaching That We Belong to the Earth, Not the Other Way Around11/11/2025 By: Mahmoud Mohamud A indigenous leader I had tremendous respect for is Chief Seattle. He was a well-respected Duwamish and Squamish leader in Washington during the 1800s. As humans we believe that we own the land and we are entitled to it. Reading his story he strongly believed that we didn't own the land and things it offers, but he believed that we belonged to the land. I really felt like that was interesting way to look at the world. He once said, “The Earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the Earth.” He also believed the people and nature are one.
When researching and watching videos about Chief Seattle, I found a speech that he wrote in 1854 where he stood up for climate change. The speech was delivered when the Americans wanted to negotiate the sale of their land. He knew that humans hurting the earth would eventually catch up to them. Even though there are no written words of what he spoke that day, the legacy of the speech will always be talked about when it comes to Washington State. One thing I really admired about Chief Seattle was his leadership skills. He never tried to start a war or start a fight against the settlers at that time. Instead, he used words to help his people to overcome those challenges. He knew true strength came from unity and community. In order for things to work everybody had to be on the same page. I vividly remember learning about Chief Seattle in my 4th grade social studies class. Back then I really didn't care about historical figures that were important to the world. For some odd reason his name and his story and his views on the world always stood out to me. Doing my research on him for this assignment made me realize how important he was to all the indigenous people that were living during that time and today. As long as Seattle is a city in America, no one will forget about him. References
By: Amelia Lind Up until ninth grade, I had passed through a series of private or alternative schools. As grateful as I am for those privileges, I wish that had not been the case. My knowledge of Indigenous tribes and the injustices built into the systems around us against them is far less than what it should be. For years, I have taken to educating myself, but I truly do not think it will ever be enough. In Washington state, it is written that Native history must be taught in schools. Most of the schools I attended would follow this, but not in a way that was correctly educating the children. Due to this, in ninth grade, I faced a large shock when nearly everything I learned was incorrect and harmful. I had to take it upon myself to educate myself to try to rebuild the opinions I had developed.
Early in my research, I stumbled upon a woman named Tara Houska, who is from the Couchiching tribe and has devoted her life to interrupting projects that disrupt native grounds. She has led a multitude of successful projects and stopped harm from being furthered in her native lands. (1) During her TED Talk, she spoke of not only the environmental harm that is done by installing pipelines, but also how it harms them directly. The main point that I think stuck with me, early on, was the repetition of people just not knowing the reality. That is the truth, and that is what needs to change. (2) So many people may consider themselves highly educated, reading articles about the damage and past atrocities, but often, there is so much more we do not see. Tara is trying to change that. From an outside perspective, we can only apply what we know. Tara has spoken from someone who has lived the reality and seen the effects. She is advocating for a change, not just environmentally but socially. She has become a participant in something called Resistance camps, which are a space for indigenous people to reconnect with the traditions and practices they know that protect the land. (3) During an interview, Tara stated, “Because it’s not just about Line 3; it’s not just about tar sands—it’s about changing your value system away from an extractive economy into an economy of caring for each other.” (Marsh, 2020) This was in speaking of what the resistance camps were teaching, and its alignment with her activist work against the Line 3 pipeline. Simply with a story like this, I was able to learn the reality of what Indigenous people face. It is much more deeply rooted than many people on the outside view it as. This environmental destruction we commit is a continuation of the abuse that has occurred against those Native to the lands we live on. My connection to her story is personal, as it was not difficult to learn; all the information is available, and yet people do not do the work to educate themselves. Much of Tara’s work, specifically towards removing harmful symbolism, was described as depressingly comical by her, as much of these things being changed are so apparent, and yet it takes a large resistance group for it to even be considered. (4) There is rarely such a thing as immediate change in the corporate world, but as resistance has grown over the years, more attention has been drawn. Tara’s work, along with many others, has been enough to truly begin to educate those who may have no idea of the reality Indigenous people face. I will continue to educate myself and share leaders like this with those around me who are not educated. We cannot ignore the past; it is set in stone in history, and should not be forgotten. But we can build a better and renewed future. REFERENCES
Casey Camp-Horinek: Ponca Elder Leading with Ceremony, Sovereignty, and Environmental Justice11/11/2025 By: Yejin Jeong Casey Camp-Horinek is an elder from the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma and a respected Indigenous leader. She connects her people's traditional knowledge with today’s fight for the environment. For Casey and her community, caring for the Earth is not a new idea. It is something they have done for generations. She teaches that the Earth is not just a resource to use but a living relative that we must care for and respect. Her work shows how Indigenous teachings and traditions can guide all of us to better understand our relationship with nature and why protecting it is so important.
Casey has been a strong advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental justice her whole life. She helped the Ponca Nation create one of the first tribal laws recognizing the “Rights of Nature.” This law says that rivers, soil, and air have the right to exist and remain healthy. Her leadership combines cultural wisdom with modern environmental action, showing that real climate justice cannot exist without respecting Indigenous sovereignty and traditions. Beyond legal work, Casey teaches through storytelling, ceremonies, and her example as a community member. She reminds people that caring for the Earth is not only a political issue but also a responsibility we all share. What inspires me most about Casey Camp-Horinek is how she lives her values every day. She is not only an activist but also a mother, grandmother, and leader in her community. She shows that change begins when people act from love, respect, and care for others. Her courage and dedication make me think about my own actions and how I can contribute to protecting the environment. She reminds me that protecting the Earth is about more than laws and rules; it is about relationships, responsibility, and honoring the knowledge of those who came before us. Casey Camp-Horinek’s story also shows how traditions and teachings are passed down from generation to generation. By listening to her, I see that Indigenous knowledge is not just history; it is a guide for the future. Her work makes me realize that environmental justice and cultural respect must go together. By following her example, we can all learn to live in balance with the land and care for the world in ways that last for generations. I chose Casey Camp-Horinek because she shows that anyone can make a difference when they follow their values. Her life encourages me to think more deeply about how I interact with the environment and how I can help protect it. She teaches that we are all connected to the Earth and that taking care of it should always come first. By: Owen Jenkins An inspiring leader in the Indigenous community that embodies the values that I have learned more about in this class is Tom B.K. Goldtooth. Tom is a climate justice activist, film producer, Indigenous rights activist, and the Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network.
Born in the Navajo nation, he was raised by his grandparents while his mom attended college at San Diego. When Tom was a kid, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America, earning his life scout award and other awards. With hunting trips as well, these aspects of experience uplifted his relationship with the Earth, teaching him to protect the environment. Tom’s advocacy for the land was very similar (if not identical) to the things we were taught during this unit. He mentions the importance and belief that food isn't something that's sold and marketed, it's a gift from the Earth that contains the seeds to give back to the earth, allowing us to be able to strengthen our relationship with Mother Earth. This reciprocity is something you don't see as much here in America, with capitalist greed and overconsumption being seen as a normality, when in reality, it's destroying our relationship with the Earth and its land. In the early 90s, Indigenous communities were being affected by waste dumping and pollution. A year later, he spoke on behalf of Indigenous people at the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in Washington DC, speaking about the importance of shifting our western ways of agriculture to a more reciprocal way of economics, showing the importance of treating our earth as something to be cared for. At that point, he became an outstanding voice for Indigenous communities regarding climate activism. Something that inspired me about Tom is that during his time in the Army after the Vietnam War, he encouraged the Indigenous people serving alongside him to stand up against the stigma and racism they experienced while serving in the Army. In this way, he was instrumental in cultivating unity for the Indigenous people serving in the Army. After his time in the military, he went on to work in social services in the Navajo Nation and in urban Indigenous communities in Minnesota. Today, he is the director of the Indigenous Environmental Network. To this day, he continues to be an influential leader in the world of environmental justice, championing for Indigenous communities around the world. References
By: Minnie Huynh Lorraine Netro is regarded as a respected elder of the Vunvut Gwich'in tribe as a symbol of wisdom, strength, and cultural preservation. She was born and raised in Old Crow, Yukon Territory, Canada, and was taught the traditional values of the Gwich'in people from a young age by her late mother, Mary Netro. She has served on the Porcupine Caribou Management Board and the Gwich’in Council International. She has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to advocate for the people of the Arctic and protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on a foundation of Gwich'in culture, history, and traditions.
Protecting Gwich'in ancestral knowledge is central to Lorraine Netro's work. The Gwich'in people have been connected to the Porcupine Caribou Herd for generations and have depended on it for food, clothing, and ceremonies (Protect the Arctic). Netro frequently discusses this uniquely sacred connection between her people and the caribou. She emphasizes that "When we’re talking about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we’re talking about the sacred place where life begins. We’re talking about where the caribou give birth. That is a sacred time for them. It should never be disturbed" (Sara Connors, 2020), stressing that conserving the caribou calving grounds is a question of preserving her people's traditional and spiritual identity, as well as the ecology. Lorraine Netro's voice is that of her Nation and represents the collective memories and moral responsibility of her people. Lorraine Netro's activism is based on both land and climate justice. A former member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, and a longtime representative of the Gwich'in Steering Committee, she has travelled extensively throughout Canada, the United States and around the world to tell the story of her homeland. She has presented at the United Nations and international climate conferences, calling upon world leaders to listen to the voices of Indigenous peoples and to understand that the Arctic is not an empty wilderness, it is a living homeland. According to her, “We’re spiritually connected to our land, to our water and to our animals, and it’s our sole responsibility to make sure we do everything in our power to take care of the land and water for future generations” (Heather Avery, 2019). Her work links local experiences to global action and reminds us that climate change is not merely a scientific issue, but also a human rights issue. It was Lorraine Netro's courage and humility in the face of the many challenges she has faced that inspired me most. She speaks gently yet profoundly, and her words reach across generations. Her dedication to preserve her people's sacred grounds taught me that great leadership is rooted in a love for people, animals, and the soil that sustains them. Her experience made me think differently about environmental protection. It's not only about rules and numbers, but also about connections and taking responsibility. On a personal level, she reminded me that resilience is cultivated by remembering who we are and where we come from. The story of Lorraine Netro is a reminder that we need to listen to Indigenous perspectives if we want to protect both our culture and our planet. She is a leader whose lessons go far beyond the Arctic. Her courage, wisdom, and enthusiasm inspire all of us to care for the Earth as if it were our own. Works Cited
Winona LaDuke: Anishinaabe Leader Bridging Tradition, Climate Justice, and Community Healing11/11/2025 By Asli Gutiérrez Winona LaDuke is an Anishinaabe activist from the White Earth Nation in Minnesota. Her name Winona means “first daughter” in the Dakota language, was born in Los Angeles CA, and grew up in Ashland, OR. Her father was from the White Earth Ojibwe Nation, and her mother’s family were Jewish immigrants from Europe. Growing up between two very different worlds gave her a strong sense of who she is and how everything is connected. Today, she’s known for her powerful voice in protecting land, water, and Indigenous rights. Through her work, she reminds people that caring for the planet isn’t just about science; it’s about respect and responsibility.
What inspires me most about Winona, the way she mixes traditional knowledge with action. She often talks about the Seventh Generation principle, which teaches that the choices we make today should care for the next seven generations. That idea really stayed with me because it shows how every single decision we took, even a small one, has meaning and impact on someone else's life. For her, the Earth isn’t something humans control; it’s family. She brings her culture and spirituality into her activism, and that’s what makes her message so powerful. She shows that protecting our planet is also about protecting identity, language, and the wisdom of those generations who came before us. Winona has spent her life fighting for clean water and sacred land. She helped lead the movement against oil pipelines that threaten rivers and wild rice fields in Minnesota. At the same time, she works on building better futures; supporting solar energy, local food, and community-based projects that heal both the land and also the people. I really admire that she doesn’t just resist what’s wrong; she also creates something good, she sees the wounds and tries to heal them. That balance of strength and hope is what makes her such a strong leader. Learning about Winona LaDuke changed how I see climate change and justice. Before, I mostly thought about it as pollution and rising temperatures. Now I understand it’s also about culture and the connection we have to the land where we live. Winona’s work makes me want to take better care of the world around me; even in small ways, like using less plastic, water waste or spending more time in nature. She reminds me that hope is something we all build together, one choice at a time, with care for the land and for each other. Lately, I’ve been reading about several Indigenous leaders. I chose Winona LaDuke, she inspires me to care more for the environment where I live. The way she raises her voice not just for herself, but for those who cannot speak like our planet, really touches me. She reminds me that the Earth needs defenders who listen, act, and love it as if it were family. By: Troy Gee Berta Cáceres was a Lenca environmental and human-rights activist who was an empowering symbol of indigenous resistance. She was born in 1971 in the city of La Esperanza, Honduras and died of gunshot wounds in her home of her birth city because of her defense of the Lenca’s people access to food and water by posing opposition to the construction of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam which threatened to block the Gualcarque river– which was sacred to the Lenca people.
While she was in the university in 1993 she co-founded the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations (Consejo Cívico de Organizaciones Populares e Indígenas de Honduras) which was an organization created to help protect indigenous peoples from colonization and neoliberal pushes from certain companies, governments and more. Throughout her life she protested against neoliberal colonization encroachments into the land of her people and continued to speak against such policies, unfortunately she had received many death threats due to this. While she defended the Gualcarque river she was also protecting against other similar projects that hurt native peoples and her death left a legacy that was able to put a halt to the construction of the dam when the government and Desarrollos Energeticos (the primary company that put forth the construction of the dam) were intimidated by the movement. There are many inspiring and impactful Indigenous leaders out there, but I believe the assasination of Cáceres in particular goes to show how many obstacles or tragedies these leaders of resistance have to face, and it makes me think that we have to stand up against these corporations that hurt the people of the land. By protesting the dam Cáceres inspires many others including myself that if we decide to stand together as a community to protect the land we can stop the neoliberal desires of settlers and protect the traditions, health, and wellbeing of not only native peoples but everybody. We must remember Berta’s message is beyond politics, it is spirituality and she knew that the rivers spoke and were crying for help– water is the blood of the Earth and building a dam is like a clog in the artery, when we take care of the land it will take care of us. Cáceres' strong fighting spirit is deeply inspiring and creates greater awareness within me of where our electricity, food, or products we use may come from and the potential communities that are impacted locally. |
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