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We all believe. We all belong. Saturday, May 2, was the culmination of three years of dreaming and hard work. Members of the Lummi Nation invited farmers, Nooksack tribal members, civic leaders, environmentalists, and PNW neighbors to come to the delta of the Nooksack River — to hear stories, songs, language, history, and to share a meal together on the water. It was a generous invitation. One that over 100 people accepted. Those words at the top weren't ours. They came from the children who were there. And the truth is, sometimes it's hard to say I believe. And sometimes it's even harder to say I belong. Especially when we're talking about mountains, forests, rivers, and oceans that have been inhabited by Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Many of us in this circle are newcomers. But there is an invitation into relationship.
With neighbors.
With land.
With rivers, mountains, forests, and oceans.
With salmon, and all our more-than-human relatives. Rena Priest (Lhaq'temish / Lummi Nation), former Washington State Poet Laureate and the first Indigenous person to hold that role, read beside the river: "Those beliefs are not childlike or primitive. They are the blueprint for a just and fair society, which for Native nations is not a vision but a memory... Yes, it is mine but is yours too, if you want it. If you want it you must tell new stories." Something happens when people spend time together. There is healing. Farmers hugged tribal members. Children ran along the beach. The Mayor of Bellingham said she had learned more in one day about Lummi Nation than in all her years growing up and attending school in Whatcom County. And Free Borsey, one of the day's co-creators, shared that three years ago when first approached about this project, he said no. Over time, sitting together and listening together, his heart opened. He invited his new brothers and sisters to Lummi Nation to witness. And they came. That has always been what this was building toward. Where do we go from here? We are gathering folks who want to dig deep, find common ground, and explore what working together actually looks like. Reach out if that sounds like you. And on November 19th at the Pickford Film Center, we invite the broader community into the full story: photography, art, immersive experience, panel discussions, and the first episodes of our film. Mark your calendar. Read the full recap and view pictures of the day here. Respect, Aaron Straight, Jeff Bos, Ethan Smith, and Christopher Remmers
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