Colby College Waterville, Maine is a long way from NW Alaska. A Juris Doctorate was not something I dreamed about or wanted, but my Gram said, ” I was born free. I will not die free. We killed no one and lost our whole world.” The lead author of one of the two Federal Indian Law text books was at University of Iowa College of Law so I became one of his research assistants when he was updating the textbook. I went to University of Washington School of Law to study Natural Resource Law, Global Warming, i.e., Climate Change, Advanced Environmental Law, Coastal Zone Management Law (at the time Alaska participated in the federal program that annually gives coastal communities monies). Alaska with the largest coastline in the United States and is the only state that does not participate in the CZMA. Why?
Asking why and other questions is important as our planet is experiencing tremendous changes in weather patterns impacting our communities, our livelihoods, and our governing systems. Understanding history, laws, government policies, climate change, etc. allow us to prepare for our shared futures. What we build out of love and joy with beauty is a much better world than what is built out of fear and desperation.
