Connection to the River
Strengthening Cultural Ties to the River
PHCC builds our base through mobilizing collectively to heal the river while supporting culturally specific and intercultural groups (tribal, indigenous, Black, immigrant and refugee, and people experiencing homelessness) to share stories and restore connections.
Our film, The Blue River: A Call to Heal the Willamette (a collaboration with Tulefilms), speaks to indigenous truths about the connection of all of humanity to the water and mother earth, to break down the ideology that the river is ‘property’.
Intergenerational River Access
PHCC collaborates with grassroots coalition members to secure safer, greener access to the river for all communities in a way that restores historical ties and generates new connections for newcomers and younger generations.
The Water Ceremony is an annual gathering to heal the river through ceremonial singing, drumming, dancing, and prayer, continued in honor of the legacy of PHCC’s leader, the late Art “Koy-a-ma” McConville, Nez Perce, Cayuse.
Youth Leadership
PHCC supports youth as stewards as they learn about the risks of fishing and advocating for healthy access through leadership opportunities.
This includes environmental justice initiatives and leadership opportunities for youth of color who live near and far from the river. We also invite them to guide and participate in decision-making spaces to shape pathways for culturally specific climate justice and community resilience.
