We stand in solidarity with Northwest Tribal Nations. Remove the four lower Snake River dams.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Black liberation is inextricably linked to Indigenous self-determination. In solidarity with the Northwest tribes, we’re calling on Washington legislators, members of congress, and Governor Inslee to take action toward a solution that restores salmon and honors the federal government’s promises to Native nations by removing the four lower Snake River dams.

Read our full letter to Washington representatives.

Restoring salmon is a human rights issue. For centuries, Northwest Tribes have stewarded salmon on the Columbia and Snake Rivers and relied on them to sustain their cultures, economies, and identity. The decline of salmon has been devastating to the Native people of our state. Beyond the ecological or economic devastation, the loss of salmon has violated the treaty and human rights of Native people.

This is why we join with Northwest tribes in calling for the removal of the four lower Snake River dams. The dams are a manifestation of systemic genocide and have been a form of Indigenous erasure since their inception. Buried beneath the reservoirs created by the dams are ancestral lands, accustomed fishing sites, traditional plant-medicines, and burial grounds. We will not stand by as our Native relatives’ rights, health, culture, and identities continue to be threatened and erased.

In the same way we as Black people have heard from elected leaders that they need more time to act on racial justice, Indigenous people have heard “we need more time” to prevent the salmon extinction.

In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “’Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’”

We’re done waiting—the time to act is now. Raise your voice in solidarity with Native people.

Send a letter to your member of congress and Governor Inslee to break the cycle of colonial violence and take action toward a comprehensive solution to restore salmon. to break the cycle of colonial violence and take action toward a comprehensive solution to restore salmon.