News & Updates

We are thrilled to share that Sydney Sparks, citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, has been awarded L.I.G.H.T. Foundation's 2025 Eric Stensgar Memorial Scholarship.  Ms. Sparks is a student at the University of Oregon (UO) and is interested in supporting the native plants and traditional foods of her community.  She states, "In light of climate change, I know the clock is ticking.  Indigenous practices, traditional land management, and the kinship worldview has proven to be effective for thousands of years.  If we adopted more of these practices across communities on a large scale, we could stop, if not reverse the effects of climate change.  However, in order to protect other communities, I believe I should start with mine."  Read more about Ms. Sparks here.  Photo credit forthcoming.

In April 2025, LF was invited to speak before the Council on Foreign Relations about the topics of Indigenous Faith and Climate Policy as part of their Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar Series.  Watch the full video and read the transcript on the CFR's website here. 

"The Earth is abundant and wants to take care of us."  This Earth Day 2025, the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation is thrilled to celebrate Dr. Melodi Wynne (Spokane), who received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa School of Communication and Information earlier this month.  Dr. Wynne's interdisciplinary work heals people, places, and the cultural relationships that bind us.  Learn about how her belief and knowledge for a better tomorrow is the most powerful form of healing. Read the full interview with Dr. Wynne here.

In honor of International Women's Day (3/8/25) and Women's History Month (March 2025), we are honored to have Kathy Moses (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation [CTCR}] share her Voice with us.  Recently retired from her years of dedicated service to the Colville Reservation, Kathy has been a leader in environmental education and outreach at CTCR.  Throughout her time there, she worked with communities and public schools on and off the Colville Reservation and multiple Tribal, Federal, and State agencies to advocate for Tribal rights, sovereignty, and priorities.  Kathy also served the Colville Tribes as Public Information Officer during wildland fires, protecting and advocating for her reservation community and the watersheds of her home.  In this short interview, Kathy reflects on her traditional teachings, who inspires her, and her work in environmental education.  Photo by Ryan Bell. Read the full interview with Kathy Moses here.

L.I.G.H.T. Foundation Executive Director Amelia Marchand shares the motivations behind the Indigenous-led conservation nonprofit, the Okanogan legend inspiring native pollinator protection, and the work of advocating for Indigenous food systems in the Fall/Winter 2024 edition of Valley Voice.  She states, "[T]o exercise food sovereignty is the ability to access, whether it's through purchase or trade or direct harvest, those foods which are not just nutrient rich and healthy for your body, but also good for your spirit as well.  And for me, it's not just food, it's water as well, because you can't have one without the other [...]. So, it's access to and availability of nutritious foods for your body and soul, and for Indigenous Peoples, it's also access to those foods and medicines that are vital to your cultural identity and heritage."  

The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Tribal Climate Change Project (TCCP) are thrilled to announce that, beginning November 2024, the TCCP is receiving support from the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation (LF). The TCCP was founded in 2009. Early on, participating Tribes identified a need for information on grants, programs, and events that would help Tribes to address climate change and the PNW Tribal Climate Change Network was formed in 2010. Since that time, the Network has grown to include over 800 participants, including Tribal leaders, Tribal staff, and Intertribal organizations, as well as non-Tribal participants.  Read the full press release here.

The L.I.G.H.T. Foundation is thrilled to welcome Kathy Lynn as our Tribal Climate Change Coordinator. Kathy brings over a decade of experience leading the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project, a collaborative initiative supported by partners like the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, the USDA Forest Service, and the EPA. With a Master's in Community and Regional Planning and a background in community-focused work, including service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Haiti, Kathy is passionate about advancing climate resilience for Tribal communities. We are excited to have her expertise and vision as part of our team! Read more about Kathy here.

The L.I.G.H.T. Foundation is excited to announce the appointment of Mrs. Amelia Marchand as Executive Director, effective October 1, 2024. With over 27 years of experience in cultural and natural resource management and a proven leadership track record, she will guide the Foundation’s mission to support native plant conservation and restoration for Pacific Northwest Tribes.  Read the full Press Release here.

The L.I.G.H.T. Foundation is proud to share that Executive Director Joaquin Marchand was featured in a news article from the December 2023 edition of the Fig Tree,  highlighting his inspiring journey and dedication to preserving Indigenous traditions. Joaquin's reflections on cultural heritage, first foods, and his lifelong commitment to environmental advocacy underscore the Foundation's mission to honor and protect ancestral knowledge for future generations.