Fellowship Shares New Stories of the Colorado River
To create a healthy future for the imperiled Colorado River Basin, we need a holistic approach that includes a diversity of perspectives. In an effort to share the unique perspectives of people whose lives and histories are intertwined with this monumental river, we recently launched the Journey to Publication Writing Fellowship for Indigenous Women of the Colorado River Basin. Meet the inaugural Fellows below!
Planet Women, in partnership with New Nature Writers, designed the six-month Fellowship to amplify the voices and stories of Indigenous women who have a passion for the cultural, ecological, and natural narratives of the Colorado River Basin. This is a critical moment for the Colorado River, which is at risk of aridification (permanent drought).
Emma Robbins, Planet Women’s CEO, explains why this Fellowship is important:
“This Fellowship is the first of its kind, designed by Native women for Native women in the Colorado River Basin. It goes beyond inclusion and embraces Native women. We’re partnering with like-minded allies to elevate our traditional ways of storytelling in a formal way. To create a healthy future for the Colorado River, it’s so important to include local voices and stories in conservation efforts. Human voices are key because the river can’t speak for itself.”
Colorado River at Marble Canyon in Arizona. ©️ Jeff Hollett.
The Fellowship aims to enable Indigenous women to publish their stories that address a range of environmental and social justice topics relevant to the Basin. During the Fellowship, writers will be guided from the conceptualization stage to publication by Laurie Scheer (New Nature Writers) and guest mentors. By the end of the program, Fellows will have developed a manuscript, devised a publishing plan, and crafted a marketing strategy to effectively pitch their work to agents and publishers.
Four Fellows were selected based on the strength of their writing samples and proposed projects and each will receive a $3,000 stipend. A big thank you to Re:Wild for providing a grant to cover a fourth stipend!
Meet the Writing Fellows
Valerisa Gaddy, PhD
Valerisa Gaddy, PhD, is originally from the Navajo Nation and of the Navajo (Diné) people. Gaddy is a dedicated advocate for Tribal water resources and climate advocacy in Arizona. With a Ph.D. and M.S. in Environmental Microbiology from the University of Arizona and a B.S. from New Mexico State University, Gaddy now serves as the Community Conservation Director at Watershed Management Group. Her role focuses on advancing environmental justice in historically underserved communities.
Gaddy’s professional journey includes over a decade of research at the University of Arizona with research interests on developing and validating methods to assess water quality and communicating environmental issues. Gaddy leads the program Irrigation Resources Reaching Indigenous Growers and Tribal Entities (IRRIGaTE), which was a winner at the 2022 MIT Solve Finals. Additionally, Gaddy is a senior fellow through Agent of Change in Environmental Justice. Beyond her work, Gaddy enjoys family hikes, and playing with Legos with her son and husband.
Stephanie Gutierrez
Stephanie Gutierrez (she/her) is a citizen of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. She is a writer whose stories are deeply shaped by her transformative experiences immersed in and connecting with nature and her culture. She uses writing as a tool for healing, connection, transformation, and visioning. In her role at Ecotrust, a northwest nonprofit, Stephanie leads a team of data scientists, storytellers, and tribal partnership specialists to support Indigenous land management. Her project work is grounded in the interconnection between the community and foods, fibers, medicines, and forests. She lives in Portland, Oregon.
Cheyenne Klemme
Chyenne Klemme (she/they) is of the Béésh bich'ahii clan, born for the Ta'neeszanii clan, and identifies as a Diné Adzaan. The rolling sandstone landscape of Northern Arizona is where Chyenne calls home. She is an artist at heart and braids her creativity into her personal and professional life. She received her BA in Social Justice and Environmental Studies and a Master's in Indigenous Studies from Prescott College. Chyenne's career path has focused primarily on social and environmental justice within the Four Corners region. She spends most of her time outside and uses her connection to land to feed her creativity and advocacy for the places dear to her.
Nadira Mitchell
Nadira Mitchell is Diné (Navajo), born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. Nadira graduated with honors from the University of Arizona in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Wildlife Conservation and Management, and a minor in American Indian Studies. She is committed to the empowerment of Indigenous perspectives in conservation and natural resources policy. She aspires to advocate for environmental equity in Indigenous communities. In her professional journey, she intends to center Indigenous knowledge, strengthen relationships to land and our responsibility to future generations. She believes that building resilient environments requires resilient communities.
The Fellowship is officially underway and we look forward to sharing the stories that Nadira, Chyenne, Stephanie and Valerisa are writing. Stay tuned!