It’s great to meet you. My name is Leonard Forsman, and I serve as the Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe and President of Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians.
From warming salmon streams to eroding shorelines, Northwest Tribes know firsthand the need to protect our lands and waters. And that means we must vote NO on Initiative 2117.
Nineteen Tribal Nations (and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians) are joining together in strong opposition to Initiative 2117, because it’s a bad deal for our lands, our waters, and our traditions. And today, I’m asking you to support our efforts to defeat it by supporting the No on 2117 campaign as we make our final push before the election.
Let me underscore that: A majority of federally recognized Tribal Nations in Washington state are urging voters to reject I-2117. Why? Because it’s a bad piece of policy that threatens projects critical to healing this land.
Here’s just one example of many: A restoration project at Spencer Island Park – a nursery for young Chinook salmon in Everett – would lose critical funding if I-2117 passes. This project is an example of righting wrongs from pollution and environmental damage. It’s an example of how we can work out a sustainable way to exist together and honor this place we cherish. And like many projects, it’s at risk if I-2117 passes.
In our ancestral tradition, the people, land animals, and plants are inseparable. They all have a spirit. They all have a soul. This respect for the natural world is what Tribes in the Northwest are working to restore, and Initiative 2117 would set us way back. By defeating I-2117, we can defend our progress, and protect the lands, cultures, and traditional ways of our region for generations to come.
Together,
Leonard Forsman
Suquamish Tribal Chair
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