Project Grant 02J56401

DESCRIPTION:WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING (EJCPS) FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, THE GRANTEE HOPES TO BUILD OFF THEIR PREVIOUS EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT A STRONGER, BETTER PREPARED GENERATION OF TRIBAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS. THERE ARE THREE FOCUS AREAS IN WHICH UPPER SNAKE RIVER TRIBAL FOUNDATION (USRT OR USRTF) CAN ENGAGE TRIBAL YOUTH ON CLIMATE HAZARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS: 1) IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LITERACY OF TRIBAL YOUTH; 2) AUTHENTICALLY CONNECT TRIBAL YOUTH TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH COLLABORATIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT; AND 3) EMPOWER TRIBAL YOUTH TO TAKE ACTION THROUGH CAREER AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM WILL BE TO PROVIDE COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCES, TRAINING, AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL HELP THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRIBAL LEADERS ADDRESS THEIR MOST PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, REGIONALLY, AND BEYOND. USRT WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS WORK WITH THE CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CLIMATE CURRICULUM AND SUITE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE-FOCUSED PROGRAMMING (FIGURE 2). THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF THIS WORK WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SOME WORK MAY BE CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY, IN PERSON AT EACH RESERVATION, AND IN BOISE WHERE MANY OF THE RESOURCES WE HOPE TO OFFER THE STUDENTS ARE LOCATED.ACTIVITIES:IN YEAR 1 OF THE PROJECT UPPER SNAKE RIVER TRIBES FOUNDATION (USRT OR USRTF) WILL BEGIN COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, THEY WILL MEET WITH TRIBAL LEADERS, EDUCATORS, AND OUR PARTNERS TO STRATEGIZE ON NEXT STEPS. USRT WILL HOST TWO WORKSHOPS AT EACH RESERVATION OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST YEAR. THESE WORKSHOPS WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, DISCUSSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE ISSUES, IDENTIFYING SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM AND PLAN TO THE COMMUNITY. USRT WILL HOST SIX VIRTUAL CLASSES THAT ARE OPEN TO EACH MEMBER TRIBE. IN YEAR 2 USRT WILL HOST AN ADDITIONAL FOUR WORKSHOPS (ONE AT EACH COMMUNITY). USRT WILL CONDUCT FOUR FIELD TRIPS/EJ CAMPS FOCUSED ON IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE CHANGE LEARNING. DURING YEAR TWO, USRT WILL WORK WITH STUDENT PARTICIPANTS TO IMPLEMENT TWO SERVICE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES AT EACH RESERVATION (EIGHT TOTAL). YOUTH-LED SERVICE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE AIR QUALITY MONITORING, WATER QUALITY TESTING, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PRESENTATIONS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND PUBLIC-EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS ON AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TOPIC. USRT WILL HOST VIRTUAL CLASSES THAT ARE OPEN TO EACH MEMBER TRIBE. IN YEAR 3 USRT AND ITS PARTNERS WILL SELECT EIGHT TRIBAL YOUTH PARTICIPANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PAID INTERNSHIPS FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. USRT WILL WORK WITH ITS PARTNERS TO CONDUCT FOUR CAREER-FOCUSED FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCES (ONE FOR EACH TRIBE) WITH TRIBAL CHAPERONES. USRT WILL HOST VIRTUAL CLASSES THAT ARE OPEN TO EACH MEMBER TRIBE. SUBRECIPIENT:FRIENDS OF THE OWYHEE'S (FOTO) WILL BRING THEIR EXPERTISE TO LEAD CAREER, FIELD-WORK FOCUSED EXPEDITIONS INTO THE OWYHEE CANYONLANDS TO OFFER PARTICIPANTS IN-THE-FIELD EXPERIENCES. THE NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC) WILL BRING EXPERTISE TO THE VIRTUAL CLIMATE JUSTICE CLASSES, HOST TWO SERVICE-LEARNING FIELD DAYS AT ONE OF THE TNC'S PRESERVES, AND HOST ONE TRIBAL YOUTH INTERN AT THEIR SILVER CREEK PRESERVE.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE EDUCATING TRIBAL YOUTH ON THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, PARTICIPATION IN CAREER BUILDING EVENTS, SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND WORKSHOP EVENTS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE THE YOUTH OF THE UPPER SNAKE RIVER TRIBES AND THE IMPACT THEIR EDUCATION WILL HAVE ON THE FUTURE OF THE TRIBES. THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, EMPOWERING YOUTH, AND SUSTAINING YOUTH PROGRAMMING CAN BE MODELED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NATION.