Indigenous Affairs Native nations lead salmon restoration efforts in Columbia Basin The number of returning adult salmon and steelhead has doubled since the 1990s, but is still only halfway to the NWPCC’s goal of 5 million. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore + ICT / February 10, 2025
Indigenous Affairs Cowlitz Tribe youth help lead this year’s First Salmon Ceremony “It’s what we do to thank the salmon for what they give,” said Lydia Hodges, 15, part of the new generation carrying on the sacred ritual. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore + ICT / June 24, 2024
Indigenous Affairs Yakama Nation’s new public safety campus gives justice room to grow The tribal court system, which had occupied a cluster of trailers since the ’50s, plans to add services like a mental health or a veterans court. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore News and ICT / January 9, 2024
Equity Snoqualmie Tribe starts land protection sales tax at Salish Lodge The 2% tax will preserve ancestral sites such as Snoqualmie Falls, and could be a model for other Indigenous nations. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore/ICT / July 17, 2023
News The Washington mental health lifeline made for and by Native people The Native and Strong Lifeline provides connection and culturally specific care to callers in crisis. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Indian Country Today and Underscore News / June 19, 2023
Culture Black Arts Legacies: Preston Wadley wants you to think about art The influential teacher uses books, found objects and photography to provoke thought and shift perception. by Jas Keimig & Tifa Tomb / June 2, 2023
Culture Black Arts Legacies: Community and art collide Zoë Dusanne & Elisheba Johnson, two curators separated by decades, turn homes into galleries to support artists. by Tifa Tomb / July 1, 2022
News ‘A new lifestyle’: How two refugees are adapting to WA state As resettlement efforts continue across the region, women from Afghanistan and Eritrea share their stories of starting over. by Anushuya Thapa & Indunil Usgoda Arachchi InvestigateWest / June 24, 2022
Culture Black Arts Legacies: The Reach of Dance For dancer-choreographers Donald Byrd and Jade Solomon Curtis, social engagement takes center stage. by Tifa Tomb / June 24, 2022
News WA school districts ignoring state transparency laws Investigation finds school officials don't follow the rules on reporting abusive isolation and restraint when they send students out of state or to private facilities. by Wilson Criscione & Anushuya Thapa InvestigateWest / June 23, 2022 / Updated at 1 p.m. on June 23