NWIFC Chairman and Nisqually tribal member Billy Frank Jr. is scheduled to speak next month at the Living Earth/Living Waters Symposium at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

The event will be webcast live at 1:30 p.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. PDT) Saturday, August 7 at www.americanindian.si.edu.

Native cultures have long recognized and celebrated the interrelatedness of all life on Earth. As we tackle today’s increasingly complex environmental issues, this wisdom is more important than ever. Native and non-Native scientists, leaders, and innovators offer rich and thought-provoking presentations featuring the latest research on the biosphere, with emphasis on Earth’s waters and how their processes and problems affect the global system. Join us for a timely, inspiring exploration of the challenges, opportunities, and obstacles we face on the road to sustainability.

Speakers include:

• Billy Frank Jr. (Nisqually), chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and a renowned Native leader.
• Dr. Nancy Maynard, senior research scientist at NASA and manager of NASA’s Tribal College and University Project.
• Alberto Mellado Moreno, a member of the Comcáac Nation of Mexico and the founder of a sustainable indigenous aquaculture project
• Dr. Daniel Wildcat (Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma), Director of the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center, author, and professor at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.
• Jose Barreiro (Taino), NMAI Assistant Director for Research, will moderate the symposium.