Kotre’lenayh: Building the Next Economy w/Winona LaDuke

In the time of Coronavirus, we return to Kotre’lenayh: Alaska’s first Just Transition Summit to bring you a bundle of stories from Winona LaDuke, Lagunai Elizabeth Medicine Crow, and Naomi Michalsen. This first episode in our three-part bundle is a conversation we had with Winona LaDuke. Winona LaDuke is Anishinaabekwe from the White Earth Nation in what is known as Minnesota. She is the executive director and co-founder of Honor the Earth alongside the Indigo Girls. Honor the Earth is an Indigenous led environmental justice organization that supports water protectors, builds Indigenous regeneration, and is invested in the next economy through a just transition. She is also the founder of Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm – a two-part hemp farm and agricultural institute currently working on growing the next economy through localized, tribally led food and hemp growth. Winona is a corn grower and economist by training. Find out more about Winona’s work using the links below:Honor the EarthWebsite: www.honorearth.org IG: @honortheearthWinona’s Hemp & Heritage Farm Website: www.winonashemp.comWinona PersonalIG: @winonaladukeWebsite: https://www.winonaladuke.com/pressPatagonia Presents Film: Misunderstood: A Brief History of Hemp in America https://vimeo.com/334549461IG: @patagonia OTL Call to Action For many people in Alaska, Spring is their favorite time of year, however as soon as the sun starts to shine and the days stretch longer, welcoming the midnight sun - there is one thing on my mind - Salmon Season. Commercial fishing is one of Alaska’s top economic sources alongside the oil and gas industry and tourism. It currently sustains more than 15,000 jobs and is worth over 1.5 billion dollars. 62.3 million fish returned to the water shed 2018 with another record year following in the 2019 season. While the commercial fishing industry supports many local peoples, most of those 15,000 jobs are held by out of state fishermen and cannery workers. Now is a crucial time to be discussing the 2020 fishing season and how it will be impacted by the Coronavirus. April is the time that many people start to make their way north to prepare for the season and our communities are not equipped to handle a possible outbreak. We are calling on out-of-state commercial fishermen and canneries to seriously reflect on their impact in our region and reconsider the 2020 salmon season. Our communities have already seen sickness and our elders still remember the 1919 influenza that swept through Bristol Bay. In light of this, we would like to hear from you - If you are from Bristol Bay or a community that sees a large influx of people due to fishing operations, please let us know your thoughts on the upcoming season. You can submit your testimony at onthelandmedia.com or submit a voice memo to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you and appreciate you in advance for opening yourself to engaging in tis dialogue. Amazon Flooding Community ReliefFrom the Go Fund Me Page“CORONAVIRUS AND CLIMATE CRISIS - THOUSANDS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN URGENT NEED AFTER EXTREME FLOODS: As Indigenous people in the Ecuadorian Amazon fight to prevent the spread of COVID-19 into their territories, extreme floods on the Bobonaza river have caused bridges to collapse, flooded homes and food gardens threatening the livelihood of thousands of people. This is the worst flood in recent history, caused by deforestation and climate change. This is the Climate Crisis!”