Renewable energy development is necessary to decarbonize the electrical grid and move communities away from reliance on burning fossil fuels, and yet sometimes decarbonization efforts conflict with the also pressing work of decolonization.
Advocates view renewable energy projects as necessary, even if building them requires sacrifices. But those sacrifices tend to fall on Indigenous people, who have already suffered genocide, loss of land, boarding schools, and other tragic consequences of colonization. To be truly just, climate solutions need to be developed outside of colonial structures, rather than replicate them.
Featuring two journalists—one writer and one editor—this talk will touch on ways Tribal communities are pushing back against renewable energy projects that threaten ecological and cultural resources, what alternative approaches to renewable energy development might look like, and how one Indigenous affairs reporter has brought these issues to light and made an impact through their work.
B. ‘Toastie’ Oaster is an award-winning journalist, reporting for the Indigenous affairs desk at High Country News from Chinook lands in the Pacific Northwest. Their work has also appeared in Foreign Policy, ICT News, Street Roots, the Portland Mercury and elsewhere. Their first feature for High Country News, a story about Pacific lamprey, was nominated for a National Magazine award. They’re a member of the Uproot Project, the Trans Journalists Association, and the Indigiqueer committee at the Indigenous Journalists’s Association, as well as a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Jennifer Sahn has spent the past two decades working in the nonprofit journalism sphere, editing award-winning narrative nonfiction and leading teams to new heights. She is currently editor in chief of High Country News, a magazine about the West. She previously served as executive editor of Pacific Standard and as editor of Orion magazine before that. She took a detour into the corporate world to work as deputy editor at Patagonia, Inc. Her work has been recognized by the National Magazine Awards, Utne Independent Press Awards, Pushcart Prize, O. Henry Prize, John Burroughs Essay Awards, and the Best American Series anthologies. She has been a judge for several literary awards and fellowships and has taught and lectured at a number of writing workshops.
Please contact at schatzenergy@humboldt.edu or 707-826-4345 for additional accommodations or questions.
Students can learn more about environmental reporting and professional development on Thursday, Feb. 20, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Library Fishbowl (2nd floor), for a student-oriented professional development workshop and pizza lunch with Oaster and Sahn. Questions? Email Professor Jennifer Marlow at jjm182@humboldt.edu.
Decolonizing Renewable Energy Development Speaker Series
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Native American Forum (BSS 162) at Cal Poly Humboldt
Free and open to the public
Accessible parking and seating are available for the Native American Forum.