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Sarah James
Sarah James
Sarah James
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Sarah Agnes James (born 1946[1][2]) is a Neets'aii Gwich'in activist from Arctic Village, Alaska, USA, but was born in Fort Yukon "because that is where the hospital was. I grew up part of the time in Fort Yukon and Salmon River, but most of the time in Arctic Village, Alaska[3]."James is a board member of the International Indian Treaty Council. She was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2002,[4] together with Jonathon Solomon and Norma Kassi. They received the prize for their efforts to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) from plans of oil exploration and drilling. Oil and gas exploration would disturb the life cycle of the Porcupine caribou, which has been a foundation for the Gwich'in culture since approximately 18,000 BC.[4]

Key Information

Politics and lobbying

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In November 1969, James joined a group of Indigenous students led by Mohawk activist Richard Oakes that occupied the former prison island Alcatraz in San Francisco, CA.[5]

In the 1990s James visited communities in South American countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala), speaking for the underprivileged. She also appeared on television programs (CNN, MacNeil-Lehrer, CBS). And she traveled to Washington, trying to clear up concepts that they believe petroleum companies misrepresent, and speaking for preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[6]

Background

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James encourages all of us to “learn from each other and go forward for the Earth, so we can live.” Sarah is inseparable from the far northern world of interior Alaska. Her mother, father, and grandparents lovingly taught her to protect the “Sacred Place Where All Life Begins”, Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodiit. The land is her teacher, her medicine, her sustainer, and her way to the Creator. She grew up living off the land and knows the hardships of surviving in the cold north country. Sarah dedicates herself to protecting necessary lifeways, amplifying the voices of her people and beings—especially the caribou. A strong spokesperson and powerful activist, Sarah travels globally to mobilize many into empathy to protect the Porcupine Caribou herd and, defend their calving grounds from oil development and climate catastrophe. She educates and learns from diverse people, bringing her teachings, and also receiving theirs. Sarah works from her village and remains devoted to passing on the ancestral teaching to younger generations.[7]

Honors and awards

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In 1993, James was awarded the Alston Bannerman Fellowship.[8] In 2001 she received the "Leadership for a Changing World" grant awarded for outstanding but little known leaders.[9] In 2002 she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for "grassroots environmentalists along with Jonathon Solomon Sr., and Norma Kassi.[10][9] She also received the National Conservation Land Trust Award in 2002. In 2004, she received the "Ecotrust Award for Indigenous Leadership",[11] and in 2006 she earned the Alaska Conservation Foundation "Celia Hunter Award for Outstanding Conservations".[12]

References

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Sarah James

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Sarah James is an American Gwich'in tribal leader and environmental activist known for her decades-long campaign to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) from oil and gas development, particularly the coastal plain calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd that are central to Gwich'in culture and subsistence. From her home in Arctic Village, Alaska, she has served as chairperson of the Gwich’in Steering Committee since 1988, leading grassroots efforts that combine indigenous advocacy, lobbying of U.S. Congress, and international outreach to highlight the cultural and ecological importance of the region. Her work has emphasized the deep connection between the Gwich'in people and the Porcupine caribou herd, which she describes as integral to their identity, stating that the caribou provide clothing, stories, songs, dances, and food essential to Gwich’in existence. In 2002, she shared the Goldman Environmental Prize with Norma Kassi and Jonathan Solomon for their collective leadership in opposing drilling in ANWR’s biological core, helping to elevate indigenous voices in debates over Arctic conservation. James has also advocated for renewable energy initiatives in Gwich’in communities, such as solar power installations in two Gwich’in villages, and organized gatherings to train younger generations in traditional knowledge and conservation practices. Through her efforts, including participation in global climate discussions (such as international climate change talks in the Netherlands in 2000) and direct engagement with policymakers, James has played a key role in maintaining protections for the Porcupine caribou herd’s critical habitat and bringing attention to the impacts of climate change and industrial development on Arctic indigenous lifeways.

Early life

Sarah James is a lifelong resident of Arctic Village, Alaska, and a member of the Gwich'in people. She has been a member of the Arctic Village Traditional Council and a longtime board member of the International Indian Treaty Council. No specific birth date is documented in available primary sources.

Activism and career

James was elected chairperson of the Gwich’in Steering Committee in 1988, a position she held for many years, becoming a leading voice in the campaign to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the Porcupine caribou herd. She has educated U.S. Congress members on the importance of ANWR’s protected status and coordinated with other native peoples to promote sustainable energy solutions. She organized the Gwich’in Young Peoples Gathering, a multi-day event focused on cultural celebration and strategizing for ANWR conservation, providing guidance to younger Gwich’in activists. Note: This article concerns the Gwich'in environmental activist Sarah James. There is a separate individual named Sarah James who was an adult film actress born in 1984 in Hungary.
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