Indigenous Voices from Turtle Island on the Changing Earth: Town Hall (virtual)

It can be easy to settle into the narrative that short-sighted, individualist behavior is a natural trait of all humankind, especially when considering how the human impact on the Earth has only recently become apparent to so many. But this narrative is not shared by all people and cultures; for the Indigenous people of the world, radical alteration of the planet – and of life itself – is a story that is many generations long. It is also a story of adaptation, perseverance, courage, and resourcefulness in the face of genocide and destruction.

In an innovative work of research and reportage, We Are the Middle of Forever places Indigenous voices at the center of conversations about today’s environmental crisis. The book draws on interviews with people from different North American Indigenous cultures and communities, generations, and geographic regions. Together, they share knowledge, experience, questions, observations, and dreams of maintaining the best relationship possible with all life.

We Are the Middle of Forever illuminates the perspectives of those who have been long-attuned to a changing planet. As we look for new ideas and responses to our shared human challenges, Indigenous voices offer hope, connection, and a welcome antidote to the despair arising from the climate crisis.

Dahr Jamail is the author of Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq as well as The End of Ice: Bearing Witness and Finding Meaning in the Path of Climate Disruption. He has won the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism and the Izzy Award. He lives in Washington State.