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“Who knew adjudication would bring me closer to my Lummi and Nooksack brothers and sisters?” Brad Rader said this to me recently over cheeseburgers in Bellingham, and I can’t stop thinking about it. It captures where many of us find ourselves right now. While we haven’t arrived at tidy solutions, we have arrived at something just as important: new friendships, deeper listening, and a growing understanding of one another. In the wake of this winter’s flooding, when our communities, farms, and the river itself took a hit, we’ve also seen something hopeful. Neighbors showing up. Thoughtful responses. Real care. In the past few months, we’ve read a beautiful letter from the Nooksack Tribe responding to the flooding in Everson and Sumas. We’ve watched students at Western Washington University carry this work into their classrooms and out into the field. And just last week, a small crew of us shared our collective progress at the Eat Local First Trade Meeting, in front of several hundred farmers, fishers, and tradespeople. All of this is bending toward something we’re genuinely excited about: an invitation to gather with members of the Lummi Nation on the Nooksack River Delta this spring. We’re currently aiming for May 9, so please pencil it in. Elders, fishers, and farmers will share stories. We’ll walk the river and visit old village sites. We’ll close the day sharing salmon caught and prepared by our hosts. As always, we invite you to bring your children, your partners, your parents, because this river, and this work, belongs to all generations. Thank you for continuing to walk alongside us. Let us know how you’d like to take part as we keep building relationships with the river, and with each other. Much Respect, Aaron and the W̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶W̶a̶r̶s̶ (how to avoid) team
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