The Mashpee Wampanoag have had a relationship with the Herring for time immemorial. Due to development, runoff, and water management systems, the Herring are in trouble, with only 5% of the ancestral population still alive. The Mashpee youth took note and then took action. They formed a cohort, Native Environmental Ambassadors, to advocate for the Rights of Herring in their community. They drafted a Rights of Herring Resolution acknowledging the Herring’s crisis and identified several contributing factors: motor boats, pollution, and “fish ladders.” The resolution passed unanimously, and the youth hosted a Declaration Day, inviting local municipal and state officials. The youth continued to galvanize their community to indigenize the law and speak for the Herring through community events, social media, and their Rights of Herring Resolution.

This event took place in the Fall of 2023. Featuring: Jyrzie Alves, Amaya Balbuena, Talia Landry, Ciara Oakley Robbins, Isaiah Peters, Jacelle Steiding. Moderated by Britt Gondolfi, Rights of Nature Program Coordinator. To learn more about the Rights of Nature movement, visit https://bioneers.org/rights-of-nature/