Every election year, Indigenous people grapple with whether and
how to engage in electoral politics.
Communities
Remembering Colleen McElroy, the ‘literary North Star’ of the Pacific Northwest
In the last quarter century, this Black poet was one of the most decorated in American literature.
How do you describe a sacred site without describing it?
Western journalism puts Indigenous reporters in a tricky position
where values don’t always align.
A dinner party at the end of the world
Scenes from a Wyoming wild game potluck amid a climate crisis.
The California Forever debate moves underground
A billionaire-backed company will continue sowing support, while residents weigh their options.
Venezuelan migrants use social media to counter xenophobia
In the face of anti-immigration rhetoric, content creators show the ‘good outnumber the bad.’
The scrappy store that gave me everything when I had nothing
Before its demise, the 99 Cents Only chain fed generations of families across four states.
Utah wants your public land — for more roads
The state wants to build a highway through tortoise habitat.
The hunt for a great third place
The significance of discovering a place with charm, wit and different flavors of personality.
The New Mexico utility that wants to go all in on green hydrogen
The project, like the larger green hydrogen economy, will need to overcome skepticism from local communities and funding challenges.
As cities enact camping bans, where will California’s unhoused population go?
The number of people experiencing homelessness vastly exceeds the number of available shelter beds in the state.
How an unexpected storm reshaped Alaska’s west coast
Disaster recovery is a long game and the boats and driftwood that pepper Western Alaska’s tundra are the perfect reminder.
Banning concentrated feedlots is on the ballot in Sonoma
Locals worry what this could mean for a region dominated by agritourism.
Is your community ready for a wildfire?
Local governments throughout the West are investing in wildfire defense. Here’s how to know if yours is one of them.
After historic floods, the safety net failed small farmers
Climate disasters are killing the largest subset of California farms. Government programs are too.
The vision of Little Shell
How Ayabe-way-we-tung guided his tribe in the midst of colonization.
Indigenous celebration of Hanford remembers the site before nuclear contamination
At the fourth annual Hanford Journey, Yakama Nation youth, elders and scientists share stories about a land that is a part of them.
The inequity of heat
Extreme heat doesn’t discriminate; the ability to escape it does.
How New Mexico made child care free for most families
The state, long known for its challenges with child wellbeing, is now a leader in early childhood education.
What the tundra provides
Picking blueberries fills more than just a bucket.