From May 6-10, 2024, the Canadian Studies Center, University of Washington Continuum College and the Native American Law Center hosted a short-term Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program, a Fulbright exchange activity funded by the U.S. Department of State focused on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The week-long executive seminar welcomed 19 professionals and leaders in Indigenous rights from countries including Australia, Greenland, Nepal, Mexico, Guatemala, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Fiji, Tuvalu, Sweden, Canada, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, and Botswana. While at UW, the fellows explored legal frameworks for Indigenous Peoples, the development and implementation of Indian law, and U.S. and Canadian consultation policies. They also engaged in sessions with UW faculty and native community members on topics such as Indigenous histories of the PNW, Canoe Journey, Herring Protectors, Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP), culture, language, land rights, and climate change.
Following the seminar, the fellows visited Indigenous communities and civic organizations in five U.S. cities—Anchorage, Bellingham, Denver, Portland, and Spokane—for strategic networking. These visits were followed by policy discussions in Washington D.C. which marked the conclusion of the program.