The Path to Justice: a panel discussion of Tribal Voices on Land Back

Описание: This is a recording of our panel discussion from February 19th, 2026: The Path to Justice: Tribal Voices on Land Back. The purpose of the panel event and this recording is to educate landowners, land managers, and the general public on land justice, to provide an insight into the land transfer process, and a look into the spectrum of how Land Back can look.

The Land Back movement is a modern continuation of a broader history of land justice for Tribal communities. Land Back can be a spectrum from access and partnership to the full transfer of land. The process can involve various parties including private land owners, Tribes, state or federal agencies, land trusts, county or city officials, or Native-led organizations.

We extend our gratitude to the panel speakers for their time and energy to share their experience of the Land Back movement and what the movement means to Tribal people.

Panel Speakers and their backgrounds:

Jerome Viles is enrolled at the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. He was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon where he lives with his partner and child. Jerome has a passion for supporting the cultural revival of his people and is the founding executive director of Nvn-nes-'a Land Trust.

Rachel Cushman is an enrolled citizen of the Chinook Indian Nation, where she is both an elected and hereditary leader. In 2017, Cushman was elected to the Chinook Tribal Council, but her role as a leader stems from her ancestor, Clatsop Tyee Wasilta. Cushman is an Indigenous knowledge practitioner, activist, educator, and canoe skipper. For over 20 years, Cushman has fought to protect Chinook and Indigenous lands, waters, rights, and sovereignty.

Anna-Liza Victory is the Oregon Land Justice Project Manager at the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts. She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is also of German and Scotch-Irish descent. Through her role with the Oregon Land Justice Project, she works to build coalition and equitable partnerships between Tribal communities and conservation organizations across the state.

Vesper Meadow Education Program works to honor the original peoples of the land we steward through honoring cultural knowledge and supporting Indigenous-led efforts to connect to homelands and restore First Foods at Vesper Meadow Restoration Preserve. Through collaboration with the Tribes of record in this place, we work to support their self-identified goals.