Rising Voices in Action Julie Maldonado and Heather Lazrus, co-organizers

Rising Voices Rising Voices background Rising Voices I Workshop, July 2013 Rising Voices of Indigenous Peoples in Weather and Climate Research and Policy Rising Voices II Workshop, June 30-July 2, 2014 Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability: Bringing Together Science and Indigenous Ways of Knowing to Create Positive Solutions Themes: changing relationship with traditional plants and animal relatives; water quality and quantity; declining sea ice; health and livelihood hazards; and forced relocation.

2013 Rising Voices I Workshop Conclusions Ways of knowing and communicating are informed by cultural values, whether in scientific institutions or tribal contexts. Issues of equity must be addressed explicitly in the engagement of diverse ways of knowing so that one knowledge system is not prioritized or valued more highly than another. There are sets of rights and responsibilities associated with all knowledge systems. Studies that seek to engage diverse knowledge systems, namely Indigenous or local knowledge, must be designed carefully to address pragmatic concerns and challenges to research processes that may arise from cultural protocols, and facilitate iterative processes that allow for community input and revision continually or as frequently as possible. A Native Science Foundation could be created that serves as a network of networks or broad infrastructure to facilitate the above practices. “We’re all in the same canoe”

2014 Rising Voices II Workshop Outcomes List of recommendations: Presidential Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Convene a Climate Migration Task Force. Establish a permanent and formalized structure for Indigenous participation in the NCA. Establish an institutional framework to ensure support for tribes to define and utilize their water rights. To the extent agreed by Indigenous knowledge holders, map the TEKs, places, resource uses, and histories of Indigenous communities as a resource guide for climate change impact and adaptation efforts. Support inclusion of Indigenous perspectives, insights, and knowledge in federally-appointed and/or agency-led assemblies concerned with natural resources, environmental management, and policy. Create a Climate Change Corps to enhance capacity building of youth leaders and returning Veterans. Support and enhance relations between education institutions and agencies to foster educational needs that address climate change, variability, adaptation, and mitigation in all levels of academic education, as well as for general public education. Have Indigenous communities be co-investigators in climate change research. Establish an annual event for Indigenous communities to come together with researchers working on climate change. The Rising Voices I and II workshops provide such a model.

2014 Rising Voices II Workshop Outcomes Workshop reports: Submit to the National Climate Assessment as technical input. Available on website (coming soon) Rising Voices became a member of NCAnet (NCA’s network of partner organizations).

Save the Date for Rising Voices 3! Learning and Doing: Education and Adaptation through Diverse Ways of Knowing Website: The Rising Voices 3 workshop will have the theme of Learning and Doing: Education and Adaptation through Diverse Ways of Knowing and be held at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado from 29 June – 1 July, The Rising Voices 3 workshop will move our shared discussion forward by focusing on topics to support shared learning about on-the-ground climate adaptation. Drawing from previous Rising Voices gatherings, proposed topics for Rising Voices 3 include: Scientific-Indigenous partnerships in support of in-situ adaptation and relocation in response to climate variability and change Education curricula and student engagement in support of youth and early-career leadership on climate issues, and Ways to further a more inclusive understanding of natural resources and ecosystem services impacted by climate change that emphasizes restorative justice and shifting from a language of ‘resources and services’ to one of ‘relations.’

Thank you! Contact information: Julie Maldonado, Heather Lazrus,