“We need to bring the salmon home.” That’s the message Gonzaga Prep Service and Justice leaders wanted to make clear at an environmental justice town hall Wednesday in Murphy Library. As the culmination of this year’s Earth Week, “Sacred Salmon,” featured Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) tribal organizer Julian Matthews and Tanya Riordan, policy and advocacy director of Save our Wild Salmon nonprofit. Both offered their experiences and perspective to an audience of students and four candidates running for the congressional seat currently held by Cathy McMorris-Rodgers.
The town hall brought home what advocacy looks like in action where the candidates—`95 alumnus Michael Baumgartner (R), Carmela Conroy (D), Terri Cooper (R), and Ann Marie Danimus (D)—listened intently from the front row as students made a case for removing the lower Snake River dams to restore the wild salmon population.
“I know what a normal, healthy salmon run looks like: So many fish that you can’t even walk across the river without running into one,” said senior Alex Scott. “That is not what I saw on the Lower Snake.” Scott is an avid fly fisherman who has fished all over the country. He was dismayed to witness the impact of the dams on the local populations of fish. “I am not the only one affected, all of us are—all fishermen and all those who fish to feed their families.”
Matthews has lived the devastating impact of the dams on food supply for the Nez Perce. “We want to be able to get salmon from the river and feed our families.” As a board member and coordinator for the nonprofit organization Nimiipuu Protecting The Environment, he has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years with the hope of making a difference for future generations of Nez Perce.
Student leaders emphasized Catholic social teaching and the words of Pope Francis in Laudato Si. “By breaching the dams not only would we be listening to Pope Francis' call in Laudato Si but also taking care of our indigenous brothers and sisters who have already lost enough,” said junior Maggie McGinn.
To close the town hall, each congressional candidate was given 2 minutes to speak to the crowd and share their different impressions from the town hall and their position on the issue. The consensus among the two democrats and two republicans was the complexity of the issue itself.
Special thanks to the Office of Service and Justice and Green Team for organizing the event and bringing the congressional candidates to campus.
The town hall brought home what advocacy looks like in action where the candidates—`95 alumnus Michael Baumgartner (R), Carmela Conroy (D), Terri Cooper (R), and Ann Marie Danimus (D)—listened intently from the front row as students made a case for removing the lower Snake River dams to restore the wild salmon population.
“I know what a normal, healthy salmon run looks like: So many fish that you can’t even walk across the river without running into one,” said senior Alex Scott. “That is not what I saw on the Lower Snake.” Scott is an avid fly fisherman who has fished all over the country. He was dismayed to witness the impact of the dams on the local populations of fish. “I am not the only one affected, all of us are—all fishermen and all those who fish to feed their families.”
Matthews has lived the devastating impact of the dams on food supply for the Nez Perce. “We want to be able to get salmon from the river and feed our families.” As a board member and coordinator for the nonprofit organization Nimiipuu Protecting The Environment, he has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years with the hope of making a difference for future generations of Nez Perce.
Student leaders emphasized Catholic social teaching and the words of Pope Francis in Laudato Si. “By breaching the dams not only would we be listening to Pope Francis' call in Laudato Si but also taking care of our indigenous brothers and sisters who have already lost enough,” said junior Maggie McGinn.
To close the town hall, each congressional candidate was given 2 minutes to speak to the crowd and share their different impressions from the town hall and their position on the issue. The consensus among the two democrats and two republicans was the complexity of the issue itself.
Special thanks to the Office of Service and Justice and Green Team for organizing the event and bringing the congressional candidates to campus.