Climate Conversations

Mining companies extracted millions of tons of uranium from the Navajo Nation between 1944 and 1986. Today hundreds of abandoned uranium mines litter the Navajo Nation. How have the Navajo people, land, and water suffered from exposure to these mines? Are people still at risk of radiation exposure? What is being done by the federal […]

From birth to death, the mesquite tree is an integral part of life for many who call the desert home. The mesquite tree is just one of many holistic materials, elements of our natural environment, that are vital to sustaining Native culture and practices. But climate change and environmental degradation are changing the landscapes of […]

Join author Brian Young for a reading and conversation about his new book, Heroes of the Water Monster, companion to Healer of the Water Monster, which won the American Indian Youth Literature Award. Young will discuss water in the Southwest, how water consumption affects Native communities, and how stories can help us understand environmental issues. […]

Arizona is on the frontlines of two simultaneous modern crises: a housing shortage crisis and a climate change crisis. These two problems are generally addressed separately, but how we solve one will impact our options for solving the other. Join environmental journalist Joan Meiners for a talk about a project to be published in The […]

Traditional foodways of the Tohono O’odham are inextricably linked to their ancestral lands in the Sonoran Desert. O’odham knowledge of hunting, farming, and harvesting wild foods has evolved over generations and continues to adapt to the land. How are communities sharing contemporary cultivation methods? How is climate change affecting traditional foodways? What can we learn […]

Talking about the climate crisis and its impact on the planet and our communities is challenging. Is there a way to bring joy into the conversation? Can art and movement inspire hope and action? One innovative approach is science dance, a program that uses dance to express science concepts. Join marine sustainability scientist and dance […]