>>MY NAME IS DAVE WILSON. I AM A MEMBER OF THE NAVAJO NATION AND ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE NIH TRIBAL HEALTH AND RESEARCH OFFICE. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HOST THIS SPECIAL EVENT HONORING AND CELEBRATING AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN NATIVE CULTURE AND INGENUITY. OUR FOCUS FOR THIS YEAR'S GUEST LECTURE IS ENVIRONMENTAL. WE'RE DELIGHTED TO PARTNER WITH THE NIEHS AS WE HIGHLIGHT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IN ALASKA. AT THE END OF THE LECTURE WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT, PLEASE USE THE VIDEOCAST FORM ON YOUR SCREEN. TO LEAVE AS MUCH AS TIME AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR DYNAMIC SPEAKERS, I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF. BUT FIRST I WOULD LIKE IT TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR THE NIH ISSUED A NEW TRIBAL CULT JAGS POLICY AND THIS MARKS AN IMPORTANT STEP THAT REFLECT THE AGENCY'S COMMITMENT TO SOVEREIGN TRIBAL NATIONS. AS SUCH PROVIDES A TRANSPARENT AND CONSISTENT CONSULTATION PROCESS THAT FACILITATES THE INCLUSION OF AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN RESEARCH. FOR NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW POLICY AND CHECK OUT NEW SS FOCUSSED ON TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH, GO TO THE NIH TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH OFFICE WEBSITE AT WWW.NIH.gov/TRIBAL HEALTH AND THAT'S ALL ONE WORD. NOW, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. LARRY TABAK PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF THE NIH DIRECTOR. DR. TABAK, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A TREMENDOUS LEADER AND ADVOCATE FOR TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE ABLE TO START US OFF TODAY. >> WELL, THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, DR. WILSON AND HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO OUR TWO SPEAKERS TODAY. AS YOU HEARD, I AM LARRY TABAK AND PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF THE NIH DIRECTOR AND IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO DO SO. IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO JOIN WITH THE TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH OFFICE AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES AND ALL OF YOU TODAY FOR THIS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH EVENT. IN TODAY'S LECTURE, OUR SPEAKERS WILL DISCUSS IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON ALASKAN NATIVE COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH. NIH IS THE LARGEST FUNDER OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN THE WORLD. OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE HEALTH, LENGTH IN LIFE AND REDUCE ILLNESS AND DISABILITY. WE RECOGNIZE IT AS A TIME OF YEAR TO HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE PEOPLE AND WAYS TO PROMOTE, MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE HEALTH. AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN NATIVE COMMUNITIES HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED HUMANS ARE INTERDEPENDENT WITH ANIMALS, PLANT AND THE ENVIRONMENT. SO HE THE IDEA OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IS NOTHING NEW TO TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS ALASKAN NATIVES HAVE THRIVED IN A HARSH ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR LAND AND BECAUSE OF THEIR CULTURE AND RESILIENCE. NOW, LIVING IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, ALASKAN NATIVES ARE ON THE FOREFRONT OF RESPONDING TO EXTREME WEATHER, LAND EROSION, CHANGING MIGRATION PATTERNS AND OTHER CHALLENGES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELL BEING. WITH THE LAUNCH IN THE LAST YEAR OF THE NIH CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH INITIATIVE, WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO STUDY HOW TO HELP COMMUNITIES ADAPT, RESPOND AND TO PREVENT FURTHER HARM. THE DR. WILSON AND THE TRIBAL HEALTH TEAM FOR THE HELP AND NOW TO DR. RICK WOYCHIK THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES WHICH LEADS THE NIH CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH INITIATIVE. DR. WOYCHIK. >> THANK YOU, DR. TABAK. I'M RICK WOYCHIK THE DIRECTOR OF THE NIEHS. I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING DR. WILSON AND THE TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH OFFICE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THEY'RE DOING AND IN PARTICULAR REACHING OUT TO NIEHS TO PARTNER ON THIS YEAR'S EVENT. WHICH AS YOU INDICATED IS FOCUSSED ON IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKAN NATIVES. WE ADDRESS THE HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS AND SUBSTANCES TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ARE EXPOSED TO IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY LIVE. SINCE 1994, NIEHS HAS SUPPORTED AND ADVANCED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN RESEARCH WE RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS CRITICAL AND PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO MAKE SURE LOCAL RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES FEEL THEY'RE PARTNERS WITH US IN THE RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED. SO TODAY'S SPEAKERS ARE DR. PAMELA MILLER AND MS. VIOLA WAGHIYI AND THEY'RE BOTH FROM THE ALASKA COMMUNITY ACTION ON TOXICS OR ABBREVIATED ACAT AND MS. WAGHIYI SERVES AS THE GROUP'S PROGRAM DIRECTOR. VI IS ALSO A PAST MEMBER OF THE NIEHS COUNCIL. IT'S BEEN A PART OF THE GRANT PORTFOLIO SINCE 2000. THEY'RE FUNDED AS A STATE-WIDE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND JUSTICE ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENT HEALTH RISKS FROM FORMER DEFENSE SITES. AND THEY'RE ALSO FOCUSSED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEVASTATION THAT IS CAUSED BY THE GLOBAL TRANSPORT OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS. THEY'RE RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION AND TRANSLATION EFFORTS HAVE ALL HELPED TO INFORM THE EX -- EXTENSIVE CLEANUP OF THE ISLAND. IT EXEMPLIFIES THE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND VALUING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE SAY CRITICAL STEP FOR ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS. MY PREDECESSOR ATTENDED A FORUM ON ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND. SHE SHARES HER EXPERIENCED WITH THE REST OF US WHEN SHE RETURNED TO NORTH CAROLINA AND EXPRESSED HOW SHE WITNESSED FIRST-HAND THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCE ON A DAILY BASIS. SO ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS CONTINUES TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE NIEHS MISSION SO TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES, LET'S WELCOME OUR SPEAKERS TO THE ENVIRONMENT PODIUM. DR. MILLER AND MS. WAGHIYI, THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO BE WITH US TODAY AND FOR TAKE THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH US. SO THE VIRTUAL PODIUM IS YOURS. >> THANK YOU, DR. WOYCHIK. WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SPEAK TODAY IN COMMEMORATION OF AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH AND FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN ALASKA AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR OFFICES ARE LOCATED ON THE ANCESTRAL TERRITORIES OF THE PEOPLE AND HAVE BEEN FIT FROM THEIR LONG STANDING KNOWLEDGE AND CARE. IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH VI FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. SHE'S BEEN A NATIONAL LEADER AND GLOBAL LEADER FOR HER WORK OF THE PEOPLE AND TODAY I'M WEARING A TRADITIONAL GARMENT MADE BY VI AND VI WILL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL TRADITIONS AND LONGSTANDING PEOPLE OF THE SIVUQAQ PEOPLE AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE LIFE OWN THE ISLAND AND ARTS AND CULTURE OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND. ALASKA COMMUNITY ACTION NON TOXICS IS AN ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1997 AND IT WAS FOUNDED TO ADDRESS CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITIES AROUND ALASKA MOSTLY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN RURAL ALASKA ABOUT CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY MILITARY SITES, OIL, GAS MINING AND THE CHEMICALS IN THE ARCTIC AND WE CONDUCT TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND WORK ON POLICY AT THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS TO ACHIEVE POLICIES PROTECTIVE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US BASED ON THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE AND WE WORK TO HOLD INDUSTRY AND THE MILITARY POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR RESPONSIBLE CLEANUP AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE. THIS IS THE INSPIRATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH IN THE NORTON SOUND REGION. SHE WORKED AAS -- AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH AIDE AND WITNESSED THE CONDITIONS ATTRIBUTED TO THE MILITARY BASES AND I MET HER IN 1997 AND REQUESTED I WORK WITH HER TO HOLD THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE FOR CLEANUP OF THE MILITARY SITES ON SIVUQAQ. WHEN SHE WAS DYING OF CANCER SHE REQUESTED I INTERVIEWED HER AND HAD A SMALL BORROWED CAMERA HOWEVER, WE TALKED OVER TWO HOURS AS SHE RECOUNTED HER KNOWLEDGE, CONCERNS AND ALSO A PLEA FOR PEOPLE OF GOOD CONSCIENCE TO CARRY ON HER WORK AND WORK TOGETHER TO ARE RESTORE THE HEALTH OF NORTHEAST CAPE AND THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE MILITARY CONTAMINATION ON THE ISLAND SHE SAID AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER, I WILL FIGHT UNTIL I MELT AND ON THE LAST PHONE CALL BEFORE SHE DIED OF CANCER, SHE SAID, KEEP IT UP, MILLER. I ALSO REMEMBER THAT EVERY DAY. HER WORK INSPIRED THE COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH WITH THE TRIBES AND HAS SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS WITH NIEHS AND BEGINNING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANT AND WITH SUPPORT SINCE THAT TIME. I'LL PASS IT OVER TO VI. >> CAN YOU SEE ME? >> WE CAN SEE YOU AND THE SLIDE. >> I APOLOGIZE, MY THROAT IS VERY SCRATCHY. I'M JUST GETTING OVER A FLU BUT SO GRATEFUL TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE VERY IMPORTANT AND WHAT WE DO ON SIVUQAQ AND A DAUGHTER FROM SIVUQAQ WHICH IS OUR TRADITIONAL NAME FOR ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND. THE IMAGE YOU SEE IS OF OUR ISLAND WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE NORTHERN BERING SEA AND WE CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM OUR WINDOW. INTO THE PICTURE OF TOMORROW. THOSE ARE IMAGES OF RUSSIA THAT YOU SEE. DURING THE COLD WAR THE MILITARY ESTABLISHED LARGE MILITARY BASIS AND LEFT A LEGACY OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCLUDING MASSIVE FUEL SPILLS, PESTICIDES, HEAVY METALS AND SOLVENTS THAT CONTINUE TO HARM THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF OUR PEOPLE TODAY AND LET ITTEN -- THREATEN THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF OUR CHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. I WANTED TO SHARE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CULTURAL VALUES WE HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED FOR CENTURIES OF HOW WE RESPECT ALL LIVING THINGS, LIVING AS ONE WITH OUR LANDS AND WATERS AND WILDLIFE. WE ENCOURAGE TO EN INCORPORATE ADVICE FROM OUR ELDERS AND TO BE INDEPENDENT AND GATHER KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM AND LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART AND MIND AND TO ALWAYS HONOR OUR ELDERS AND CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT -- I WILL SAY IS TO GIVE SERVICE TO OTHERS. THIS PROJECT HAS ALWAYS ENABLED TO ALLOW KNOW HELP OUR YOUTH PEOPLE ON SIVUQAQ AND ALSO JUST AS IMPORTANT IS NEVER TO GIVE UP. THIS WORK IS VERY PERSONAL. IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE BUT AS MUCH AS I'VE COME TO LEARN, I CAN'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE. THESE ARE IMAGES OF OUR ANCESTORS. THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY. YOU SEE THE SIDE WALK AND THERE YOU SEE MY GRANDMOTHER. AND ONE WAS THE SURVIVOR OF A BIG STARVATION IN HIS COMMUNITY AND ORPHAN AND SURVIVED. MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY GRANDFATHER HAD 12 CHILDREN. SHE WAS A MIDWIFE. I THINK OF HER OFTEN OF HOW SHE PERSEVERED AS A MIDWIFE DELIVERING ALL THE BABIES IN HER COMMUNITY BUT OUT OF THOSE 12 CHILDREN, ONLY 4 SURVIVED. AND THE IMABGE IS OF MY PARENTS AND SIBLINGS. I WASN'T BORN YET. THE IMAGE ON THE BOTTOM IS OF THE VERY WISE, THE BACKBONE OF OUR CULTURE AND TRADITIONS, OUR GREAT GRAND MOTHERS. MY MOTHER DEEMED THE ELDEST IN HER FAMILY RAISED BY HER GRAND MOTHER. SHE'S THE IN THE FRONT SECOND FROM THE LEFT WITH THE WHITE HAIR. ABOVE THAT IS IMAGES OF OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH DANCING AND THE BULLHEAD WHALE OUR PEOPLE HAVE THRIVED ON MANY GENERATIONS. WE HAVE INTRICATELY TIED TO OUR LANDS AND WATERS AND TRADITIONS AND CULTURES AND WILDLIFE IT'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL PICTURE AND ECHOS FROM OUR ANCESTORS WITH OUR DRUMMING AND SINGING. OUR KNOWLEDGE IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOU'RE COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH AND CALL TO ACTION. THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUOTES. I WON'T SAY THEM ALL HOWEVER, THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT TO ME IS FROM MERLE OUR WORK GROUP MEMBER. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A VIGILANT PEOPLE. OUR CBPR ENABLES TO BE VIGILANT AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL. AND ONE ALSO TALKS ABOUT BEING OVERWHELMED WITH CONCERNS BUT THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE MELTING SEA ICE AND PERMAFROST AND THE MOBILIZATION OF CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS. IN HIS WORDS, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES HOW OUR PEOPLE ARE VERY MASTER CARVERS. WE UTILIZE EVERYTHING THE CREATOR PROVIDED US WHERE WE LIVE. OUR CREATION STORIES THAT THE CREATOR REACHED HIS HAND INTO THE BERING SEA AND PULLED UP SOIL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN AND RUNG IT OUT AND THAT'S WHY SIVUQAQ MEANS, WHICH MEANS BROWN OUT. WE DEPEND MOSTLY ON MARINE MAMMALS. THIS IS A MANHUNTING IN HIS CANOE. IMAGES OF A WALRUS AND CALF OUR MAIN FOOD DURING THE LONG WINTERS. THE BULL HEAD WHALE THAT CAN BE FROM 25 TO 65 FEET, OUR MAIN HUNT AND 18-FOOT ALUMINUM CRAFT AND WE HAVE RESPECT FOR THE BERING SEA ESPECIALLY TODAY DUE TO THE RAPID WARMINGS -- WARMING OF THE PLANET AND TRADITION NOT WORKING ANY MORE DUE TO THE RAPID CHANGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOU SEE THE BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL CARVING OF A SWAN WHICH WAS ETCHED FIRST ON THE TUSK OF THE WALRUS. THIS IS BE AN IMAGE OF MY GREAT, GREAT AUNTIE WEARING TATTOOS ON HER FACE OCCURRING DURING THE PASSAGE OF HER YOUTH AND WEARING TRADITIONAL BRAIDS. WE UTILIZE EVERYTHING. IMAGE ON THE RIGHT ARE BIRD PELTS USED TO MAKE A VERY VERY DOWN PARKA, PER SE. THE IMAGE IN THE MIDDLE A WALRUS INTESTINE A RAIN CODE ENDORNED WITH PUFFIN BIRD TUFTS YOU SEE. IT'S VERY WATER REPELLENT USING EVERYTHING THE CREATOR PROVIDED US TO THRIVE AS OUR ANCESTORS DID. THESE ARE TRADITION AS FOODS. 90% OF OUR HOMES EAT TRADITIONAL FOODS. THE MEN ON THE TOP LEFT HISTORIC IMAGE SHOWED THEM CARRYING SEAL SKIN THEY USED IN HUNTING. IMAGE AND THE RIGHT SIDE IS OF AN ELDER USING A LONG NET TOE HUNT FOR CLIFF BIRDS. I GREW UP HUNTING WITH MY FATHER LIKE THAT IMAGE. THIS IMAGE IS FROM A LONG TIME AGO. UNFORTUNATELY, THREE SUMMERS AND WINTERS AGO WHERE I GREW UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFFS ON THE OTHER SIDE THE IMAGE YOU SAW TALKING ABOUT A CLIMATE CRISIS, HE WENT TO THE CLIFFS HE SAID, VI, IT WAS SO ERIE. NORMALLY THERE'S SO MANY CLIFF BIRDS. THE SKY IS BLACK AND IT'S SO THUNDEROUS FROM ALL THE CLIFF BIRDS HE SAID VI, THERE WERE NO BIRDS. AND MY BROTHER TAKES HIS CHILDREN LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING HUNTING, EVERY SPRING AND SUMMER AT THOSE CLIFFS. HE HAD TO MAKE A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION AND TELL HIS CHILDREN THAT HIS INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND OBSERVATION TOLD HIM THAT THE BIRDS AT THE CLIFFS WERE NOT HEALTHY. THEY HAD TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISION NOT TO EAT THE CLIFF BIRDS. THE IMAGE ON THE BOTTOM IS OF MY SON SCALING CLIFFS TO COLLECT BIRD EGGS. THESE THE NUMBERS OF OUR TRADITIONAL FOODS ARE DRASTICALLY CHANGING. OUR TRADITIONAL FOODS -- THIS IS A CRISIS FOOD SECURITY ISSUE FOR MY PEOPLE. THE IMAGE OF THIS DELICACY AND THE IMAGE ON THE TOP ARE WHAT WASH UP AFTER BIG STORMS. WE HARDLY SEE THEM ANYMORE AND THE IMAGE OF THE BOTTOM IS A BULLHEAD WHALE AND ON THE BOTTOM LEFT IS OF SEALS. OUR WAY OF LIFE THAT HAVE SUSTAINED MY PEOPLE FOR MILLENNIA, THAT IS AT A CRISIS RIGHT NOW AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT. SO MORE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES OF OUR WAY OF LIFE. YOU SEE THE WOMAN SPLITTING A WALRUS HIDE. IT'S LIKE A NATURAL ICE BREAKER, THE WALRUS HIDE HAS TO BE SPLIT BECAUSE IT'S SO THICK TO MAKE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE IMAGE AND THE WOMAN IS SEWING IT. IT'S LIKE A NATURAL ICE BREAKER AS THE MEN GO OUT HUNTING. YOU SEE MY ELDER WHO WORKED WITH ANNIE AS A HEALTH AIDE AND IS NOW OUR BOARD MEMBER AND WE HAVE ALL VERY PASSIONATE TO HOLD POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE AND YOU SEE IMAGES OF OUR COMMUNITIES DUE TO PERMAFROST THE WATER AND SEWER HAS TO BE INSTALLED ON TOP OF THE GROUND BUT THE PERMAFROST IS NOW MELTING. YOU SEE IMAGE OF A BEAUTIFUL NORTHERN LIGHTS. PAM. >> YES, THANK YOU, VI. WE HAVE USED GIS MAPPING TO LOCATE OVER 2,000 CONTAMINATED SITES, INFORMATION WE SYNTHESIZED FROM STATE AND AGENCY DATABASES INCLUDING MINING, MILITARY, OIL AND GAS LOCATIONS WHERE THERE HAS BEEN POLLUTION FROM PAST AND CURRENT ACTIVITY. THERE ARE MORE THAN 700 FORM FORMERLY -- FORMALLY USED SITES AND ALASKA HAS BEEN A SITE OF GREAT STRATEGY IMPORTANCE FOR THE U.S. MILITARY AND USED FOR THE TESTING OF CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS THE WARNINGS ALONG THE BERING AND FROM ALASKA TO GREENLAND. AND THEY INCLUDE THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS THE SITE OF THE GREATEST UNDERGROUND TEST AND DEEMED TOO LARGE FOR THE NEVADA NUCLEAR TEST SITE AND WAS 350 TIMES THE EXPLOSIVE POWER OF THE BOMB THAT DEVASTATED HIROSHIMA IN ONE OF THE MOST VOLCANICALLY AND SEISMICALLY ACTIVE AREAS IN THE WORLD AND DOCUMENTED PLUTONIUM AND OTHER CONTAMINATES IN THE BERING SEA. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, THE ARCTIC IS A PLACE FOR CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE WARMING THROUGH MORE RAPID TRANSPORT OF CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS IN THE ARTIC ON WIND AND OCEAN CURRENTS AND THE RELEASE OF SEQUESTERED SOURCES FROM SEA ICE, PERMAFROST AND THE ARCTIC IS WARMING AT A RATE OF THREE TO FOUR TIMES AS FAST AS THE REST OF THE PLANET. THIS IS INDEED A CRISIS AS VI MENTIONED FOR FOOD SECURITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CHEMICALS ARE BEING RELEASED IN THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS FOR WILDLIFE AND FISHING AND FUNDING. THIS IS KNOWN AS GLOBAL D DISTILLATION OR THE GRASS HOPPER EFFECT WHERE THEY'RE CARRIED TO THE NORTH BY WIND AND CURRENT AND THE MICROPLASTICS ARE BEING TRANSPORTED BOTH BY WIND AND OCEAN CURRENTS. SO I MENTIONED WE HAVE CONDUCTED COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH OVER A PERIOD OF OVER 20 YEARS NOW AND THESE ARE THE TYPES OF RESEARCH WE CONDUCTED MONITORING RESEARCH. THESE INCLUDE EXTENSIVE ELDER INTERVIEWS, MONITORING OF IMPORTANT TRADITIONAL FOODS AS WELL AS THE MONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS IN HUMAN BLOOD SERUM AND LOOKING AT THE ENDOCRINE EFFECTS OF THE CHEMICALS AND YOU SEE WHAT WE HAVE MEASURED OVER MANY YEARS IN SIVUQAQ AND THE BERING SEA REGION AND IN THE END WE'LL INCLUDE A LIST OF PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS IN THE LITERATURE. THIS COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH IS BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND ELDERS TO ESTABLISH BOTH THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS AS WELL AS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESEARCH. WE'VE DONE EXTENSIVE TRAINING OF LOCAL SPEAKING HEALTH RESEARCHERS AND BOARD MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS ON THE ISLAND. WE EMPHASIZE COMMUNITY RIGHT KNOW AND BUILD CAPACITY WITH THE TRIBES, DO A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM WITH THE TRIBES. WE SUPPORT THE TRIBES IN THEIR GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT RIGHTS WITH THE AGENCIES AND WE WORK WITH THE TRIBES TO HOLD THE MILITARY AND OTHER CORPORATE POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CONTAMINATION IN THIS RESEARCH AND IN THE POLICY THAT WE WORK ON FROM A LOCAL TO INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. SOME OF THE TRAINING INCLUDES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND WE HELD THE MOST RECENT ONE IN AUGUST THIS PAST AUGUST AND IT WAS ATTENDED BY PEOPLE FROM TRIBES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NORTON SOUND REGION. IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL INCLUDING OUR RESEARCH PARTNERS AS WELL AS THE TRIBES. WE ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE PEOPLE SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE LATEST SCIENCE CONCERNING HOW THESE CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS CAN AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH. I MENTIONED WE WORK ON POLICY CHANGE AT THE LOCAL TO INTERNATIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE OF OUR PLACE IN THE NORTH AND ARCTIC WE KNOW THESE CHEMICALS DON'T RESPECT POLITICAL BOUNDARIES. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO WORK LOCALLY BUT ALSO WORK INTERNATIONALLY BECAUSE THE ARCTIC IS SUCH A HEMISPHERIC AREA AND THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE PARTICULARLY AFFECTED AND CONTAIN THE HIGHEST BODY BURDENS OF PERSISTENT POLLUTANTS OF ANY POPULATION ON EARTH. BACK TO YOU, VI. >> THANK YOU. THESE ARE IMAGES OF NORTHEAST CAPE. IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGIC LOCATION FOR THE MILITARY. BEFORE SATELLITE IT MADE LARGE 13-STORY HIGH STRUCTURES FOR EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS BUILT AT THE TOP OF ALASKA AND ALONG THE WEST COAST. AND THEN THE IMAGE IN THE TOP RIGHT IS OF NORTHEAST CAPE. THEY ABANDONED NORTHEAST CAPE. IT WAS LIKE A GHOST TOWN. WE HAD 130 OF OUR OWN PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE. IT WAS A PRETTY BIG INSTALLATION. 700 PERSONNEL AND THE MILITARY HAS DONE COSMETIC REMEDIATION. THE SITES HAVE NEVER BEEN PROPERLY CHARACTERIZED FOR THE HAZARDOUS MILITARY TOXICS THEY ABANDONED AT NORTHEAST CAPE. IN THE MIDDLE BOTTOM YOU SEE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BARRELS. THEY ARE WERE ABANDONED. WHEN THEY CAME THEY BROUGHT EVERYTHING THEY EVER NEEDED FOR 15 YEARS AND TO REDUCE AND SAVE MONEY, THEY ABANDONED EVERYTHING. SUCH UNETHICAL PRACTICES THAT THEY HAD. THESE TOXIC CHEMICALS HAVE MULTI-GENERATIONAL AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY OF NORTHEAST CAPE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AND OUR FAMILIES THAT LIVE, WORKED OR CAMPED THERE AS CHILDREN AND AFAMILIES NOW HAVE THE MOST HEALTH DISPARITY SFAMILIES NOW HAVE THE MOST HEALTH DISPARI DISPARITIES. THE CHILDREN THAT PLAYED AT THE RIVER WE'RE SEEING THE MOST CANCER CRISIS IN THOSE CHILDREN. WE JUST BURIED MY BROTHER THREE MONTHS AGO. WE WERE A FAMILY OF EIGHT HALF OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND PARENTS AND SIBLINGS HAVE CANCER. MY MOTHER HAD A STILLBORN CHILD, HEART DISEASE, CANCER, DIABETES. MY BROTHER COURAGEOUSLY FOUGHT CANCER FOR SEVEN YEARS AND WHEN IT CAME BACK IT CAME BACK FIERCE. HE CHOSE TO GO HOME AND LIVE THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN. I'M A CANCER SURVIVOR. IT'S NOT A MATTER IF I'LL GET CANCER BUT WHEN. I'VE ALSO HAD THREE MISCARRIAGES. WE HAVE THREE TIMES MORE BIRTH DEFECTS THAT BE THE LOWER 48 OUR ALASKAN NATIVE INFANT HAVE TWO TIMES MORE THAN NON-NATIVES. THIS IS AN IMAGE OF MY FATHER. PATRIOTIC SERVICE HE SERVED OVER 30 YEARS. OUR PEOPLE WELCOMED THE MILITARY. THEY HELPED RESCUE DOWNED PLANES. MY FATHER AND GRANDFATHER SERVED FOR THE ALASKAN TERRITORY GUARD WE WERE IMPORTANT STRATEGIC LOCATION AND EYES AND EARS OF THE NORTH DURING THE COLD WAR. MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THE SIGNATORIES IN THE 1951 AGREEMENT. OUR TRIBE MADE WITH THE MILITARY. THE MILITARY HAVE NEVER HONORED THAT AGREEMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE VULNERABLE HUNTING AREAS OF NORTHEAST CAPE. WE USED TO HAVE THE MOST ABUNDANT FISHING AT THE RIVER AT NORTHEAST CAPE. THERE'S NO MORE SALMON. WE USED TO HAVE THE MOST ABUNDANT SALMON AND NO MORE FISHING AND THIS RESULTED IN FOOD SECURITY IN OUR FAMILIES THAT LIVE, WORKED AND CAMPED AT NORTHEAST CAPE. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRUST OF OUR PEOPLE HAS BEEN VIOLATED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. HEALTH DISPARITIES NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN OUR PEOPLE. INCLUDING CANCERS, THYROID DISEASE, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND ALL THE OTHERS I MENTIONED BRIEFLY DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING DISABILITIES. OUR CURRENT PROJECT IS TO LOOK AT FLAME RETARDANTS AND PCBs THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN BANNED DECADES AGO ARE PERSISTENT. MY GRANDSON HAS A HIGHER BODY BURDEN OF FLAME RETARDANTS THAN ADULTS. OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING BORN PRE-POLLUTED. BURDENS WE DID NOT CREATE. THIS IS VERY PERSONAL AND HEART-WRENCHING TO ME, HOWEVER, I WILL FIGHT UNTIL I MELT IN ANNIE'S WORDS. I CAN'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE. HELP IS NOT COMING FAST ENOUGH FOR OUR GENERATION. WE MAKE SURE WE'RE TRAINING OUR YOUTH. THIS IS IMAGE OF OUR PCB LEVELS IN THE BLOOD OF OUR PEOPLE. THE RED LINE YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM IS YOUR AVERAGE AMERICAN IN THE LOWER 48. MY PEOPLE HAVE 4 TO 10 TIMES HIRE PCBs THAN THE AVERAGE AMERICAN. AND FAMILIES HAVE HIGHER FROM THE THREE GROUPS. WE TEST THE BLOOD AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NIEHS PROJECT. THAT GOES TO SHOW THE MILITARY TOXICS CONTRIBUTE MORE AND ALSO THE EVIDENCE OF THE ORGANIC POLLUTANTS WE KNOW WE'RE SOME OF THE MOST HIGHLY CONTAMINATED POPULATION IN THE PLANET. BURDENS WE DIDN'T CREATE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE NORTHEAST CAPE FAMILIES HAVE EVEN HIGHER. MILITARY IS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE. AT THE DIRECTION OF OUR LEADERSHIP, WE SAMPLED EVERYTHING WE EAT. WE COLLECTED OVER 300 SAMPLES OF EVERYTHING, BULLHEAD WHALE, WATER, SEALS, LAND, MARINE MAMMAL AS. WE TESTED ONE BATCH FOR PCBs, PESTICIDES AND HEAVY METALS. THIS IS AN IMAGE OF MY BROTHER WHO TRAGICALLY DIED. HE WAS A COMMUNITY HEALTH RESEARCHER. WE HIRE AND TRAIN LOCAL PEOPLE. WE'RE THE ONE ON THE GROUND COLLECTING. ALL OF OUR SAMPLES THAT WE HAVE GATHERED FOR ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND, CVPR AND SHE'S -- THESE ARE RESULTS OF OUR TRADITIONAL FOOD STUDY. IT'S QUITE EVIDENT THE MARINE MAMALS' MEAT IS LOWER THAN THE FAT AND BLUBBER THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOODS FOR OUR PEOPLE DURING THE LONG WINTERS. THE POLAR BEAR UP TO 583 PARTS PER BILLION. THE ONLY GUIDELINE FOR UNLIMITED FISH CONSUMPTION WITH NO EXCESS CANCER IS 1.5 PARTS PER BILLION. THE EPA RISK GUIDELINE. OUR TRADITIONAL FOOD IS KILLING MY PEOPLE. HOWEVER, WE STILL FEEL THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISK. PAM. >> THESE DATA ARE FROM A NEW TRADITIONAL FOOD STUDY PUBLISHED THIS YEAR IN ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH. THE SPECIES THAT WE MONITORED INCLUDED THE BOWHEAD WHALE, PACIFIC WALRUS AND THE DIFFERENT ICE SEAL SPECIES AND REINDEER AND WE FOUND THAT THE FLAME RETARDANTS OR PBDEs WERE FREQUENTLY DETECTED IN ALL THE SPECIES AND TISSUES. THE PBDE CONCENTRATIONS TENDED TO BE HIGHEST IN LIPID RICH TISSUES OF SEAL AND THESE AND OTHER STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED PBDEs ARE PRESENT IN TISSUES OF TRADITIONAL FOOD ANIMALS FROM SIVUQAQ AS THEY ARE THROUGHOUT THE ARCTIC AND CONSUMPTION OF THESE ANIMALS CONTRIBUTES TO HARMFUL EXPOSURES AMONG ARCTIC INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. THE COMPOSITION OF PFAS IN THE SEAL SAMPLES IS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE REPORTED ELSEWHERE IN THE ARCTIC AND SPECIFICALLY, PFPEA WAS THE MOST FREQUENTLY DETECT AND HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PFAS IN THE SEAL TISSUES FILED BY PFXHA. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER STUDY REPORTING PEA AS THE PREDOMINANT COMPOUND IN ARCTIC BIOTA. THIS SLIDE SHOWS WE MEASURED PFAS IN HOUSEHOLD DUST AND BLOOD SERUM. HOUSEHOLD DUST IS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF EXPOSURE AND BASED ON OUR OTHER FINDINGS, TRADITIONAL FOODS CONTRIBUTE TO EXPOSURES TO FLAME RETARDANT CHEMICALS AND PBDEs. THIS SLIDE IS ALSO FROM A 2022 PAPER PUBLISHED IN THE SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT AND WILL INCLUDE ALL THE REFERENCES AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION. AND THIS ONE DEMONSTRATES EVEN AFTER REMEDIATION, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF MERCURY AND PCBs THAT CONTRIBUTE TO HIGH LEVELS OF THESE CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS DOWN STREAM FROM THE MILITARY SITE AT LEVELS THAT EXCEED SAFE CONSUMPTION VALUES. FOR THE PEOPLE AND THERE'S AN IMPORTANT FISH IN THE TRADITIONAL DIET AND WE HAVE ALSO NOTED THE AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY HAS NOT TAKEN THIS INTO ACCOUNT IN THEIR MOST RECENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT. THESE ARE JUST A SUMMARY OF THE KEY FINDINGS AND I WON'T INCLUDE THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIST OF PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION AND THOUGH THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE REMEDIATION OVER $125 MILLION ON CLEAN UP THAT'S BEEN MOSTLY SURFACE AND COSMETIC THE FISH REHEAVILY CONTAMINATED WITH PCBEs AND OTHER CHEMICALS. THEY'RE DISRUPTING THE ENDOCRINE PRODUCTION OF THE FISH AND CHANGING THE EXPRESSION OF THE GENES. AND THE CONCENTRATIONS IN THE MALE FISH INDICATE EXPOSURE TO ESTROGENIC CHEMICALS SUCH AS PCB CON GENERS. THE PATTERNS AND THE HEALTH AFFECTS WE'RE FIND FISH MIRROR WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PEOPLE. SO THESE FISH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT SENTINEL SPECIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS YEAR. THESE ARE SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS INCLUDING EXPOSURES. SIX PBEs WERE DETECTED IN 1% OF THE SERUM SAMPLES AND ANOTHER 10 IN 95% OF THE SAMPLES. THE PBDEs ARE QUITE PREVALENT IN THE PEOPLE OF SIVUQAQ AT HIGHER LEVELS THAN IN CANADIAN INUIT PEOPLE AND WE DETECTED ESPECIALLY PFOA AND OTHER PFAS CHEMICALS AND PFOA IN 92% OF THE SAMPLES. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE DISTANT FROM ANY MANUFACTURING OF THE PFAS CHEMICALS AND FOUND TWO PFAS CHEMICALS, ELEVATED COMPARABLY TO POPULATIONS IN THE LOWER 48. BOTH PBDEs AND PFAS ARE IN OUR STUDY OF THYROID DYSFUNCTION. BACK TO YOU, VI. >> THESE ARE IMAGES OF OUR COLLEGE ACCREDITED CVPR INSTITUTE. NOT ONLY DO WE PROVIDE FUNDINGS TO CONTINUE TO MON FOR THE TWO DEFENSE SITES BUT WE OFFER EDUCATION COMPONENTS THAT HAVE SO IMPORTANT. I WOE WANT TO ENSURE WE OFFER THIS COLLEGE-CREDITED COURSES TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION. WE'VE HELD THESE IN ANCHORAGE WHERE OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY PEOPLE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT EVEN THE BURDEN OF PROOF WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MILITARY TOXICS THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED SINCE THEY'VE NEVER BEEN PROPERLY CHARACTERIZED AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTS OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS AND OUR GOAL IS TO OFFER EDUCATION TO TRIBAL LEADERS, ELDERS, MOTHERS, YOUTH AND OTHERS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR OWN INFORMED DECISIONS. THANK YOU. >> IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT THIS PROJECT HAS GIVEN US OPPORTUNITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING AND TO OFFER REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SYMPOSIUM. OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ALSO HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY AND MEET WITH THE U.N. PERSONNEL ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHT TO HEALTH. OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHT TO FOOD AND SUBSISTENCE ARE BEING THREATENED BY CORPORATIONS WHO MANUFACTURE OVER 130,000 CHEMICALS DRIVEN BY GREED AND PROFIT AND DO NOT TAKE OUR HEALTH INTO ACCOUNT. IT'S SO IMPORTANT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED THESE ARE BURDENS WE DID NOT CREATE. PAM. >> THANKS, VI. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WORKED TO CHANGE POLICY FROM A LOCAL TO AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF A PRIORITY PIECE OF LEGISLATION WE'VE WORKED ON THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND OPTIMISTIC WITH THE UPCOMING LEGISLATION IN ALASKA WE CAN GET IT PASSED. IT'S A BILL AND A COMPANION BILL IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE AND TO PROTECT DRINKING WATER AGAINST PFAS AND ELIMINATE PFAS IN FIRE FIGHTING FOAM AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION IN ALASKA. WE DOCUMENTED OVER 100 SITE THAT CONTAIN HARMFUL LEVELS OF PFAS IN DRINKING WATER. IT'S A BIG PRIORITY FOR THE HEALTH OF THE STATE AND NATION AND WORLD AND WORKING ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND NATIONWIDE LEVEL TO ELIMINATE PFAS WHO IS AT THIS POINT VIRTUALLY UNREGULATED. THE WORK WE DO AND FOR THE NORTHEAST CAPE PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR IS AIMED AT DOCUMENTING THE NATURE AND EXTEND OF THE CONTAMINATION TO HELP INFORM CLEANUP DECISIONS BY THE CORE OF ENGINEERS AS WELL AS THE STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THE CORE OF ENGINEERS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. WE'RE WORKING TO PROMPT THE AGENCY FOR TOXIC DISEASE REGISTRY TO CONDUCT A NEW AND COMPLETE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT BASED ON THE LONG KNOWLEDGE OF THE HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND HAVE PROVIDED TO THE AGENCY AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH. WE CONDUCT COMMUNITY HEALTH MEETINGS AND SUMMIT AND BROUGHT DELEGATIONS OF LEADERS AND YOUTH AND ELDERS TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO AFFECT DECISIONS ABOUT THE CLEAN UP AND ABOUT POLICY DECISIONS CONCERNING PERSISTENT POLLUTANTS IN THE ARCTIC AND IN THE IMAGE IN THE LOWER RIGHT YOU SEE DR. BIRMBAUM WHO VISITED SIVUQAQ AND SPENT DAYS OUT MEETING WITH COMMUNITY AND HAVING TALKING CIRCLES WITH WOMEN AND TOURING THE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY MILITARY CONTAMINATION. YOU DO WORK AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND THERE'S AN IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CALLED THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION THE ONLY LEGALLY BINDING TREATY TO ELIMINATE THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS CHEMICALS. OVER 180 NATIONS ARE A PARTY TO THE TREATY. IT'S NOT YET BEEN RATIFIED BY THE UNITED STATES. THIS TREATY RECOGNIZES THE PARTICULAR VULNERABILITY OF ARCTIC INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND ARCTIC INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HAVE PLAYED A VERY KEY ROLE IN THE NEGOTIATION AS WELL AS THE NEGOTIATION OF THE TREATY. THE INUIT STATUE YOU SEE IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER WAS PRESENTED BY AN INUIT LEADER TO REMIND THE DELEGATES OF THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION THEIR DELIBERATIONS ARE CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH AND JUSTICE OF THE PEOPLES OF THE ARCTIC. THE CONVENTION IS BASED ON THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE AND THE REAL STRENGTH OF THE TREATY IS THE ABILITY TO ADD NEW CHEMICALS IN ADDITION TO THE DIRTY DOZEN. 31 CHEMICALS AND CHEMICAL CLASSES ARE NOW INCLUDED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE TREATY. IN THE MIDDLE PHOTOGRAPH YOU SEE POWERFUL ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WOMEN WHO TRAVEL TO GENEVA TO ATTEND AND TESTIFY BEFORE THE DELEGATES THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTY. AND IT'S CRITICAL ARCTIC INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE A PART OF THIS AND WE PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS OF THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION TO HELP ADVANCE CHEMICALS TOWARDS GLOBAL ELIMINATION AND IN PARTICULAR PROVIDE EVIDENCE FROM OUR COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH THAT DEMONSTRATE THE NEED TO PHASE THESE CHEMICALS OUT OF PRODUCTION AND USE. THESE ARE SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ACTIONS. OF COURSE, WE REALLY BELIEVE THE COMPREHENSIVE CHEMICAL POLICY REFORM IS NECESSARY AT ALL LEVELS. WE WANT TO SHIFT THE BURDEN OF PROOF. WE HAVE SEEN THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS BORNE BY COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THESE TOXICS AND THINK THAT SHOULD SHIFT AND WE SHOULD ALSO ADOPT POLLUTER-PAYS PRINCIPLES. WE WORK WITH AND ARE SEARCHING AND ALWAYS REACHING OUT TO ALLIES TO HELP HOLD POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. WE TRAIN SCIENTISTS AND WOULD RECOMMEND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS DO ADDITIONAL TRAINING ABOUT COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH AND HOW TO DO THIS IN A RESPECTFUL AND COLLABORATIVE MANNER. AND WE'RE ALSO WE AIM TOWARDS PRIMARY PREVENTION AND KNOWLEDGE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN HAVE TOWARDS PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF HEALTH PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. >> THE CURRENT PROJECT IS TO PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE IMAGE OF LITTLE GIRLS WHO HAVE NOW BECOME PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS THEMSELVES BUT THESE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE A TOXIC FREE WORLD. WE BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER AND TOXIC FREE FOOD. WE HAVE OUR CREATION STORIES AND TRADITIONS AROUND CULTURES. THIS IS WHY WE DO THIS WORK. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY. WE RECOGNIZE OUR ELDER AND TEAC TEACHER. HE CONTINUES TO GUIDE US IN THIS WORK. NEXT SLIDE IS OF OUR PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS AND WE CAN LEAVE THIS UP FOR YOU AND WE'RE ALMOST DONE HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING KEEPING UP WITH US ON THIS. WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE NIEHS AND NIH ALSO THE TRIBAL RESEARCH HEALTH OFFICE I PARTNERED WITH ONE OF THE FEW IN THE FLATION AND GLOBALLY WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITIES THEY HELP DESIGN THE RESEARCH AND WHAT DATA TO COLLECT AND ARE SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, ACADEMIC PARTNERS. SEVEN WHO WE PARTNER WITH. HELPING PROTECT FUTURE GENERATION AND TO RESTORE NORTHEAST CAPE. >> THANK YOU, FOR THAT INCREDIBLY POWERFUL PRESENTATION. WE DO HAVE TIME FOR A FEW QUESTIONS FOR OUR SPEAKERS. ONE QUESTION I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH AND YOU MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER OR MAYBE YOU HAVE OR HAVEN'T, WHAT'S BEEN YOUR GREATEST SUCCESS OR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU FEEL HAS BEEN A RESULT OF YOUR LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP IN WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY? >> IF I CAN TAKE A STAB AT THAT IS TO EMPOWER OUR PEOPLE AND WE TRIED TO GET HELP FOR 20 YEARS. ANNIE WAS SENT FROM AGENCY TO AGENCY AND AGENCY AND NO ONE VALIDATED HER CONCERNS. SHE STARTED NOTICING LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES, MISCARRIAGES, STILLBIRTHS, NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN OUR PEOPLE. THIS HAS EMPOWERED OUR PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT THE ABANDONED HAZARDOUS MILITARY TOXICS AND THE NEWER CLASSIC CHEMICALS ARRIVING ON OUR SHORES, LANDS AND WATERS. WE NOW KNOW THE POPS AND GLACIER'S MELT, PERMAFROST MELT IS AN EXPOSURE TO OUR PEOPLE. WE USED THE DATA AND GIVES US OWNERSHIP SO WE CAN MAKE OUR OWN INFORMED DECISIONS. WE HAVE LIVED IN WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL SOME OF THE HARSHEST LOCATIONS ON THE PLANET HOWEVER OUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE IS ON PAR OR EVEN GREATER THAN WESTERN SCIENCE. AND WE HAVE BEEN A VIGILANT PEOPLE AND THE WORK I DO IS VERY DIFFICULT HOWEVER I CAN'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE. IT'S VERY PERSONAL. AND I LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I DON'T KNOW IF PAM WOULD LIKE TO ADD MORE. >> OUR COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH HAS MOTIVATED PEOPLE FROM THE ISLAND AND WHETHER IT'S STATE LEGISLATION IN JUNO AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AT WASHINGTON, D.C. AND THE STOCKHOLM MEETINGS IN GENEVA. AND WHAT'S THE IMPORTANT OUTCOME AND WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO HOLD THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE BUT OUR WORK ALREADY HAS RESULTED END THE NORTHEAST CAPE SITE BEING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PRIORITY LIST FOR CLEANUP TO THE TOP. WE HAVE MORE YEARS OF WORK AND WE'RE STANDING ALONGSIDE WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND IN HOLDING THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE AND CHANGING POLICY SO THAT THESE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH POLICIES CAN TRULY BE PROTECTIVE THE HEALTH OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. >> LAST WEEK WE WERE IN ONE OF OUR TWO COMMUNITIES FOR OUR PROTECTING FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COLLECT SMALL AMOUNT OF BLOOD AND FINGER NAIL CLIPPINGS AND TO HEAR MOTHER EXPLAIN THE PROJECT TO HER CHILD AND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. AND REPRODUCTIVE AGED MEN AND WOMEN TO LOOK AT COMPOUNDS. THIS CURRENT ONE FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION AN TO HEAR THIS MOTHER INFORM HER CHILD ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WHY EVEN THOUGH IT'S VOLUNTARY BUT JUST TO HEAR HER HOW THIS IS MAKING MEANINGFUL CHANGE. THANK YOU. >> YOU BROUGHT UP THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SAMPLES YOU'VE BEEN COLLECTING AND HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THE KNOWLEDGE THEY HOLD IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO HOLD THE SAMPLES AND THE INFORMATION. HOW DO YOU DO THAT WITH THE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH YOU ASK THE COMMUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN. IT SEEMS THEY'RE VERY WILLING TO DO SO. HOW DO YOU ENSURE THE SAMPLES ARE PROTECT AND THE DATA GOES TO THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITIES ONLY AND THERE'S NO UNETHICAL USE OF THE SAMPLES OR DATA YOU'VE COLLECTED. >> THANK YOU, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WE ALL TAKE HUMAN SUBJECTS TRAINING AND GET CERTIFIED. WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THE DATA BECAUSE THE PARTICIPANT' NAMES ARE KEPT SEPARATE ON THE SAMPLES. IT'S IMPORTANT THE INFORMED CONSENT PROCESS THEY PROVIDE THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND IT'S VOLUNTARY, THAT THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR MIND AT ANY STAGE AND MAKE A COMMITMENT IT WILL NEVER BE USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE AND THE LABS DESTROY ALL THE SAMPLES ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE'S HISTORIC RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE AND THERE'S HESITATION. HOWEVER, WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR COMMUNITIES OVER 20 YEARS AND HAVE ESTABLISHED TRUST AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT WE CONTINUE THIS BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, THESE ARE BURDENS WE CAN'T CREATE AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT HOWEVER, I'M A MOTHER AND DUE TO CONCERNS OF OUR CHILDREN'S ABILITY TO LEARN. THE CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY AND WE APPLIED FUNDING AND HAD THE LOWEST TEST SCORES AT THE TIME. OUR PARENTS AND GRANT PARENTS WERE CONCERNED OF OUR -- GRANDPARENTS WERE CONCERNED OF OUR CHILDREN'S ABILITY TO LEARN AND HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN TO A COMMUNITY THAT RELIED ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE AND HOW TO PREDICT THE WEATHER, ALL SCIENCE BASED, THE WEATHER PATTERNS, MIGRATION PATTERNS. WE HAVE TO HAVE SMARTS TO LIVE OFF THE LAND AND OCEAN LIKE WE HAVE SINCE TIME IN MEMORIAL. >> THE RESEARCH DESIGNED WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TRIBES. BEFORE AN APPLICATION GOES IN TO NIEHS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S NOT ONLY REVIEWED BUT REALLY INSPIRED BY THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE ISLAND AND THE RESULTS ARE ALSO REVIEWED BY THE TRIBE AND WORKING GROUP AND HAVE TO BE APPROVED BEFORE THE RESULTS ARE PUBLISHED IN ANY OUTSIDE WAY IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS OR TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THEY'RE REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DESIGN AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEOPLE INFORMS THE STUDIES I WOULD SAY. OUR RESEARCH PARTNERS WE'VE SOUGHT OUT RESEARCH PARTNERS THAT FUNDAMENTALLY UNDERSTAND THIS. ONE OF OUR FIRST RESEARCH PARTNERS WAS DR. DAVID CARPENTER. HE HAD HAD A LONG AND RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MOHAWK NATION AND THE EXPERTISE WE NEEDED IN UNDERSTAND PCBs AND WAS VETTED BEFORE THE MOHAWK WOMEN ELDERS BEFORE WE BROUGHT HIM ON. >> I ENCOURAGE FOR THOSE WATCHING THIS THROUGH THE VIDEOCAST, IF YOU WANT TO SECOND QUESTIONS, YOU CAN USE THE LIVE FEEDBACK LINK BELOW TO SECOND YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL SHARE THOSE WITH THE SPEAKERS. LOOKS LIKE DR. WOYCHIK HAS A QUESTION. >> THANKS, DAVE. LET ME START BY THANKING BOTH VI AND PAM FOR THIS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL SET OF PRESENTATIONS. IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO HEAR THE STORIES YOU BROUGHT TO OUR COUNCIL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STORIES THROUGH THE COUNCIL MEETING EF THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS THE POLLUTANTS ARE CAUSING TO YOUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GIVE THIS PRESENTATION ONCE AGAIN. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS THAT NIEHS HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND THE PROBLEMS YOU'RE ARTICULATING ARE BIGGER THAN THE WORK NIEHS CAN BE DOING. LINDA CAME TO VISIT YOU AND AT SOME POINT I MAY COME TO VISIT YOU AS WELL. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEY MEMBERS OF LEADERSHIP FROM THE EPA AND AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND SPECIFICALLY I HAVE A QUESTION SO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AT THE EPA. I WAS JUST FUNDED WITH $3 MILLION OF SUPPORT. HAS ADMINISTRATOR REGAN HAS VISITED YOU AND FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCED THE DEVASTATION YOUR SUFFERING IN YOUR COMMUNITY? I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THEY NEED TO GET OUT THERE. >> THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS. THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR SERVING ON THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISORY COUNCIL. WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL EFFORTS TRYING TO HOLD THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE. HERE WE ARE YET AT THE THREAT TO HEAR RUSSIA MAY HAVE INVADED INTO NATO POLAND COMMUNITY AND THREAT OF ANOTHER GLOBAL WAR AND WHEN THERE IS EXISTING MILITARY TOXICS. THE MILITARY IS THE LARGEST POLLUTER ON THE PLANET. ETSTR DID NOT INCLUDE OUR COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH DATA EVEN THOUGH OUR TRIBE REQUESTED THAT THEY DO. THEY PUT IT AT THE END OF THE REPORT AS COMMENTS. EPA -- WE'VE EXHAUSTED OUR EFFORTS AND WE SPOKE FIVE TIMES AND NEVER HEARD BACK AND MET WITH OFFICIALS, FACE TO FACE, ZOOM, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. THERE'S NOBODY TO HOLD THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE AND IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM, ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLENCE, BEING EXPOSED WITHOUT OUR CONSENT AND OUR HOMES, WORKPLACES, COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE BECAUSE OF WHERE WE LIVE. MY BEST VOICE IS THE VOICE. MY COLLEAGUES CALL ME CALL-OUT GRANDMA. THERE WAS A WELL ESTABLISHED AFRICAN AMERICAN HESITANT TO TALK ABOUT RACISM. I SAID YOU HAVE TO CALL IT WHAT IT IS. I NOW KNOW WHAT IS MINE. HOW I CAN BRING AWARENESS AND TO BE AT THE TABLE WHEN DECISIONS ARE USUALLY MADE FOR US MILES AND MILES AWAY AND AS A MEMBER, WE ARE ASKING THAT THE INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ATTEND THESE MEETINGS. ONCE AGAIN WE'RE ADVISORY HOWEVER, THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US. WHAT DO WE DO WHEN SCIENCE IS NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS LIKE I MENTIONED AND I'M RAISING A GRANDSON. I'VE BEEN RAISING HIM SINCE BIRTH. IT'S SO PERSONAL HOWEVER, IT'S OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS TO SHARE OUR STORY AND CALL FOR ACTION. THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICE OF JUSTICE WITHIN THE EPA AND I THINK THAT MAY BE A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU. I WAS RECENTLY VISITING ALONG THE TOXIC CORRIDOR OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON WITH ALL OF THE PETROLEUM REFINING PLANT AND THERE ARE HUGE PROBLEMS THERE. I KNOW ADMINISTRATOR REGAN VISITED THERE. YOU MAY WANT TO EXTEND THAT INVITATION. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO BE THERE AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESS PERSONS? ARE THEY BRINGING THESE ISSUES TO CONGRESS AND TO THE ATTENTION OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. >> WE'RE A FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY DEPENDENT STATE. A LOT OF US HAVE TIES TO INDUSTRY. I TRIED UNTIL RECENTLY AND DON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE 229 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES AND A LOT OF THIS WILL GO TO STATES AND I'M ON TWO WORK GROUPS. I'M ON THE CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC JUST JUSTICE GROUPS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S WORK GROUP. WE'RE CALLING ON HEADS OF STATE, THOSE THAT MAKE DECISIONS ATTEND THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND I'M GOING TO MY FIRST MEETING AT THE END OF THE MONTH. I'M HOPING I CAN PUT IN AN EXTRA DAY TO MAKE MEETINGS ON THE HILL. WE'VE EXHAUSTED OUR EFFORTS AND GOING TO TAKE AN ACT OF CONGRESS. THERE'S MONEY THAT'S GOING TO WARS WE SHOULD NOT BE AT. BILLIONS AND BILLIONS. MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE LEADERSHIP AND PEOPLE IN UKRAINE HOWEVER, LEGACY MILITARY TOXICS, THERE'S FINALLY MOVEMENT, HOWEVER, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US ON THE WEBINAR. THANK YOU. >> WITH WOULD LIKE TO ASK ADMINISTRATOR REGAN AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION AND WE HAVE BRIEFED OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION MANY TIMES AND WE'RE PLANNING ANOTHER DELEGATION TRIP WITH LEADERS OF THE ISLAND, ELDERS AND YOUTH AND TRIBAL LEADERS TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON, D.C. EARLIER NEXT YEAR TO FIND OUT IF WE CAN GET MEANINGFUL CHANGE. IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING AS WE'VE SAID TO HOLD THE MILITARY ACCOUNTABLE. THE DECISIONS ARE LARGELY MADE BY OUR STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION WITH LITTLE OVERSIGHT. THE HEALTH ASSESSMENT BEEN POOR AND FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE NOT ONLY THE KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM OF THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND BUT THE EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE PROVIDED CONCERNING THE LONG-TERM AFFECTS OF PCBs AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS IN THE AREA AND THE CONTINUING THREAT THE SITE POSES. BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING UP. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND ARE VERY COMMITTED TO THIS AND WE WILL TAKE THIS TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT WE POSSIBLY CAN. >> PAM, BE AWARE THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AT HHS, ADMIRAL LAVIGNE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTALIN IN OF -- ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES. JUST ANOTHER NAME YOU MAY WANT TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO. >> I HEARD OFFICIALS SPEAK AND DURING THE NATIONAL ADVISORY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COUNCIL AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY I SPEAK UP. THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US. PEOPLE SAY THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. I DON'T WANT THANKS, I WANT YOU TO SHARE OUR STORY AND HELP MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE. THANK YOU, VI. WE HAVE A COMMENT THAT'S COME IN AND IT SAYS THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, VI AND PAM AND THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION ON ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH IN THE INTEREST OF SOLIDARITY WITH OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY WHILE THE UNITED NATIONS COP 27 IS UNDERWAY I FEEL COMPELLED TO SHARE THE MAP OF CURRENT MILITARY BASES AND IT'S A LINK THEY'VE PROVIDED//BEYOND WAR.org/NO-BASES AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THOSE LIVING CLOSE TO OR ON THOSE BASES TO THINK ABOUT THE RAMIFICATIONS AROUND HEALTH. THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION YOU SHARED TODAY. >> BOTH OF YOU HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE ROBUST LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IT'S A GENERATIONAL ENGAGEMENT. HAVE YOU THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS THAT SEEM LIKE THEY'RE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GETTING INVOLVED IN RESEARCH. HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND THE LOWER TRIBES IN THE LOWER 48 TO GET THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH TO FACE THE HEALTH CHALLENGES THEY'RE FACING? >> WE HAVE USED THE MODEL AND WE HAVE SHARED IT WIDELY. I'VE TALKED AND PRESENTED AND WE WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE, BROWN PEOPLE, LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES LIVE ADJACENT TO THE COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON. WE'VE MADE NORTH SOUND CONNECTIONS WITH THEM. BECAUSE WHAT COMES OUT WHENEVER THERE'S EXPLOSION AT A REFINERY, WHAT COMES OUT OF THE EXPLOSION ENDS UP HERE IN FIVE, SEVEN DAYS. WE MAY CONNECTION WITH MOSQUEVILLE PRIMARILY AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF FREED SLAVES. THEIR COMMUNITY I PRESENTED RIGHTS TRAINING THERE AND AN ELDER THIS AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDER CRIED. HE SAID HE WAS SO SORRY WHAT WAS COMING OUT OF THE SMOKE STACKS END UP HERE IN THE ARCTIC. IT'S SO IMPORTANT NIH, NIEHS, THE TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH OFFICE CONTINUE TO SHARE THESE CVPR DOING MEANINGFUL WORK ON THE GROUND. AND WE PRESENTED SEVERAL TIMES AT THE U.N., AT THE HEADQUARTERS AT GENEVA, SWITZERLAND. I'VE BEEN THERE FIVE TIMES. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO LEAVE MY FAMILY FOR TWO WEEKS BUT I CAN'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE. WE'RE WORKING TO BAN TOXIC CHEMICALS GLOBALLY. THAT'S A LOT IN ITSELF THANKS TO THE FUNDING. >> AND TO ADD TO YOUR QUESTION, AND THE WORK WE DO IS SO IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IN TRAINING YOUTH AND WHEN WE WERE IN GAMBOL WE SPOKE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. WE TRIED TO INVOLVE YOUTH AND TRAINING FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN. AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND HOW TO COLLECT SAMPLES BUT HOW TO TRANSFORM AND ADDRESSED THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND HOW TO COLLECT ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SAMPLES FROM AIR AND WATER TO FISH AND OTHER TRADITIONAL FOOD SAMPLES AND HOW TO CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH BUT IT'S REALLY THE SCIENCE, HE HUMAN RIGHTS AND ACHIEVING POLICY CHANGE AND INVOLVING YOUTH IN THE TRAINING REALLY OF THE DIFFERENT LEVELS. >> SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT UP DURING YOUR PRESENTATION WAS IMPORTANT FOR OUR VIEWERS TO RECOGNIZE IS NOT ONLY AND THIS IS SOMETHING VI SAID EARLY ON, ESTABLISHING AND CHARACTERIZING THE SCIENCE AS THEY CURRENTLY EXIST. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS DOWN STREAM AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT. FURTHERMORE, YOU'RE ALREADY DOING THIS AT A POLICY LEVEL USING THE DATA YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE TO SHAPE AND DETERMINE POLICY OUTCOMES. THAT WILL HOPEFULLY ULTIMATELY CLOSE THE LOOP AND COME BACK AROUND AND STOP THE PRODUCTION OF THE LONG-LASTING AND VERY CARCINOGENIC COMPOUNDS NOT ONLY FOR ALASKAN NATIVES BUT THE WORLD AS A WHOLE. IT'S A TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE DOING AND THE APPROACH TO DOING THIS IS SO IMPORTANT AND I'M HOPING THOSE WATCHING US FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE TAKING NOTE OF THESE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY. HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO TALK TO THE CHILDREN OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDIES AND ALSO HAVING LEADERSHIP ON BOARD TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE DATA IS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO ASSESS IF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WORKING IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO LOOK BACK ON. EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING IS JUST WONDERFUL AND FANTASTIC. WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE BEFORE WE CONCLUDE THIS LECTURE? >> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS BROKEN TOO. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE AND OTHERS WHO MAKE DECISIONS TO MAKE TREATMENT IN HEALTH CARE FOR OUR PEOPLE. MY FATHER KEPT GETTING SET HOME AND WOULD GO TO APPOINTMENTS IN THE HOSPITAL AND NORTON HEALTH CORPORATION KEPT SENDING HIM HOME AND HAD TO PAY FOR HIS OWN AIRFARE TO COME TO ANCHORAGE. BY THE TIME WE FOUND OUT HE HAD CANCER IT WAS TOO LATE. >> THEY RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECT THE BERING SEA. IT'S A GATEWAY TO ALL THE OCEANS ON THE REST OF THE PLANET. AND LEARNING THE ARCTIC OCEAN HAS THE MOST MICROPLASTIC. WE'RE SEEING BIRD DIE OFF, SEAL DAY OFF, WHALE DIE OFF, SEAL DIE OFF. THIS IS A CRISIS. TIME IS RUNNING OUT. I AM MAKING A PLEA FOR MY GRANDSON WHO IS 3 YEARS OLD FOR HIM TO HAVE A FUTURE LIKE I DID THOUGH I'M A CANCER SURVIVOR, I'VE HAD THREE MISCARRIAGES, MY PARENTS HAD HEALTH DISPARITIES NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND OUR PEOPLE WHO WE BURIED THREE MONTHS AGO HAS A RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER AND TOXIC FREE FOOD. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US TO HOLD POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE AND CORPORATIONS DRIVEN BY GREED AND PROFIT. THANK YOU. >> I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE NOT ONLY TO ALL OF YOU FOR LISTENING FOR THE PAST HOUR OR SO BUT GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE OF SIVUQAQ AND I'VE LEARNED MORE OF THE TRADITIONAL WISDOM FROM THESE PEOPLE THAN ALL MY ACADEMIC BACKGROUND. IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR THESE PAST 20 YEARS TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE IN CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH AND SEEING HOW THE COMMUNED-BASED RESEARCH HAS FOSTERED ENGAGEMENT AS PEOPLE REALIZED THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE DISCOVERED AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEOPLE WE HAVE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE EVEN MORE IN POLICY DECISIONS AT ALL LEVELS. PEOPLE ARE INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED TO MAKE CHANGE BECAUSE OF WHAT WERE DISCOVERED AS WELL AS THE KNOWLEDGE PEOPLE HAVE THERE NEXT SUMMER WE'LL GO OUT TO NORTHEAST CAPE FOR A GATHERING OF ELDERS AND YOUTH AND LEADERS FROM THE TRIBES TO DEVELOP A REALLY LONG-TERM PLAN FOR THE RESTORATION OF NORTHEAST CAPE AND WAYS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE. WE HAD PLANNED TO GO OUT LAST SUMMER BUT DUE TO PERMAFROST MELTING, 1,000 FEET OF THE RUNWAY WAS DAMAGED SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET OUT THERE THIS LAST SUMMER. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN CONDUCTING OUR RESEARCH ARE AS A RESULT OF THE TREMENDOUS EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASING STORM SURGES AND THE MELTING OF PERMAFROST THERE WE SEE. WE KNOW WE HAD A LONG WAY TO GO BUT I'M HARTEN ED -- HEARTENED Y THE ENGAGEMENT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD IN FOSTERING EXCHANGE AND EXPERIENCE SOLIDARITY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE ADDRESSING SIMILAR TYPES OF ISSUES AND WORK TOGETHER AND WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER. >> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SPECIAL THANKS TO MS. WAGHIYI AND DR. MILLER FOR YOUR TIME AND WILLINGNESS TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES, YOUR EXPERTISE AND TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE. THANK YOU AGAIN. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, PAM AND THANK YOU VI. YOU MAKE US PROUD AS ONE OF OUR GRANTEES. >> AND I DON'T HAVE A DEGREE AND NIH BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING WE HAVE FROM YOU I'M NOW MY OWN -- I'VE BECOME A SCIENTIST DOING WORK ON THE GROUND, CITIZEN SCIENCE. >> THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING. YOU MAY NOT HAVE A DEGREE, A TECHNICAL DEGREE BUT YOU HAVE A DEGREE OF KNOWLEDGE. >> THANK YOU. >> IT'S WHAT YOUR TRADITION IS ALL ABOUT. IT'S WHAT YOU KNOW NOT WHAT ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND I JUST HOPE YOU CAN GET VISIBILITY. I'D LOVE TO SEE ADMINISTRATOR REGAN VISITING YOU AND I MAY IN THE FUTURE. THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. I KNOW THAT SOME ARE VERY CONNECTED WITH THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THAT CONNECTION. SHE IS VERY SMART AND ENGAGED AND VERY SENSITIVE TO THESE ISSUES. >> IF YOU CAN LET REGAN KNOW I'LL BE IN D.C. NOVEMBER 1 AND HOPING TO STAY AN EXTRA DAY TO HAVE MEETINGS ON THE HILL. >> I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US AND WE CAN CONTINUE THIS OFFLINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR JOINING TODAY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANKS, DAVE.