The Ecotrust Award for Indigenous Leadership
A Growing Tradition
The Ecotrust Award for Indigenous Leadership has quietly become one of the most important resources for supporting tribal leaders within the lands and waters of Salmon Nation. During the past seven years, the award has recognized 34 tribal leaders for their drive as catalysts for better conditions in their communities.
Tribes and First Nations in the region are more than an ethnic or minority demographic; they are nations and representative governments, major land owners, committed co-managers in natural resources and fast becoming major economic drivers—even beyond Salmon Nation borders. Tribes and First Nations hold long-range vision, sustainable societal values and a history of the land and marine ecosystems that goes back to "time immemorial." Ecotrust works to marshal what resources it can because this leadership—and deeply expressed responsibility to community and homeland vitality—is necessary for our region’s long-term sense of place in the growing global economy.
The award itself makes a modest investment in the community and/or personal initiative of these amazing people ($25,000 to the awardee, $5,000 each to four finalists). But the award is much more than money. Ecotrust invests in the involvement of a wide range of Indigenous people from California, Nevada, western Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and the Canadian Provinces of British Columbia and Yukon Territories.
Nominators from tribal communities gather stories, support materials and recommendation letters in the spring and early summer, characteristically with great respect and gratitude for the nominee’s service and dedication. The Reading Panel, comprised of three Ecotrust staff members and several tribal leaders that represent this diverse geography, convenes each year in late summer or early fall to "peer" review the submitted materials and narrow the field down to five finalists.
Another group of senior tribal leaders, along with Ecotrust President Spencer Beebe and Elizabeth Woody, form the Final Jury Panel which agrees upon the awardee from among the five finalists forwarded from the Reading Panel and refines the process and guidelines often based upon recommendations passed forward from the Reading Panel. The Final Jury Panel is presently comprised of Dalee Sambo-Dorough (Inuit), Chief Leah George-Wilson (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), Kathy Hill (Klamath Tribes), Antone Minthorn (Cayuse), and Alan Parker (Chippewa-Cree, Rocky Boy Indian Reservation). Former Final Jury panels included Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson (Haida Nation) and Gerald Amos (Haisla First Nation).
2003 Ecotrust Award Final Jury Panel (l to r): Dalee Sambo-Dorough, Terry Lynn Williams-Davidson, Antone Minthorn, Gerald Amos, Spencer Beebe, Liz Woody (Program Director), (not pictured) Alan Parker
Along the way, Ecotrust and this network of tribal leaders learn about the positive events happening in indigenous communities and come to know each other better. Similarly, the award process celebrates people and human connections. The stories of the finalists, their natural talent and hard-won experience are simply amazing: David Hatch's effort to recover the sea otter and restore the near coast ecosystem of Oregon through the Elakha Alliance is one; Carol Craig's advocacy for education on salmon and people throughout the region and outreach programs for Native youth at Yakama is another. Award Winner Phillip Cash Cash patiently works to help save native languages on the Columbia River Plateau. Learn more about the leaders here.
The Ecotrust Award for Indigenous Leadership is not about one form or type of leadership. It celebrates leaders such as Hilistis Pauline Waterfall, recognized for her work with the Heiltsuk Nation on community health, community college First Nations curriculum and cultural issues; and John Ward, spokesperson for the Taku River Tlingit First Nation who represented the elders in protection of the Taku River ecosystem. Billy Frank, Jr. is perhaps the living embodiment of leadership within Salmon Nation, and as a result of the Final Jury Panel's consideration of his life's work, the Ecotrust Conference Center now bears his name, making it the "Billy Frank, Jr. Conference Center."
The award ceremony held in November truly celebrates and honors the inspiring experiences of these leaders. The families and guests of the tribal leaders, as well as Ecotrust's family of staff, friends and supporters, gather to honor these leaders, often in awe, as we all learn about the significant works and life experience presented during the ceremony. It is the highlight dinner event for many as they return year after year to full capacity.
The annual ceremony brings together current and prior honorees, and ties in with an array of Portland-based community events, speakers and networking opportunities for the honorees. The recipients receive press coverage across the region and nation, often on local and regional radio and TV stations before and after the ceremony. The Ecotrust Award process comprises a year of honoring hard work, relationship building and, especially, celebration.
The Ecotrust Award: The Road Ahead
When the families of Howard and Peter Buffett initiated the award, it was a three-year commitment that ran from 2001 through 2003. On December 2, 2003, at the ceremony, Howard Buffett announced a pledge from both families to the total of $500,000 for the start of an Ecotrust Award for Indigenous Leadership endowment. In 2006 they completed their pledge. With the endowment's modest beginning, Ecotrust is committed to making the award each year.
Running through all of Ecotrust's programs is a commitment to Native people while exploring opportunities to create new models, capitalizing big ideas and broadly communicating the results. Ecotrust has provided several key initiatives associated with the Indigenous Leadership Program. First, Ecotrust is committed to awarding Indigenous youth with modest scholarships as part of our support of regional education efforts. Second, we work year-round to provide ongoing support for the leaders' work, often collaborating with institutions throughout the region (both programmatic and financial). Finally, we network with donors and sponsors willing to help Ecotrust bring these leaders together and further develop the award program. Looking forward ten years, Ecotrust's work and these awards will support three generations of Indigenous people. We look with optimism to the road ahead.
