The Last Substantive Day

For our final class of the semester, we took requests from our enthusiastic students to see what their hearts desired as their last memorable moment in class. Based on the thoughtful suggestions provided by the students, I crafted an Indigenous Environmental Stewardship lesson. We dove deep into the world of non-western relationships with land-use through the lens of a real-life case study. Our exploration centered around the proposed Letcher County Prison Project in Kentucky, where we critically examined the contours of the contentious issue surrounding the development of a prison situated on a former strip-mined mountain site. Students were challenged to think deeply as they reconciled the powerful tools of activism with the often intricate frameworks of law, scrutinizing how both can serve as valuable means for advocating change. For instance, thanks to successful activism efforts, the proposal for the prison was effectively rescinded in 2019. However, once it was reintroduced, a courageous group of women purchased a portion for the noble purpose of rematriation efforts. This dedicated group aims to restore the land to its former glory, reviving native plants and animals, and introducing a sustainable eco-economy into the area. From there, we seamlessly transitioned to discussing the philosophical approaches to natural resources and how humans conceptualize our role within the environment. Our conversation delved into the natural conflict and tension that exists between western/colonial land-use paradigms and Indigenous conceptions of land stewardship, addressing the pressing question of what we should do when these two worldviews conflict within environmental laws. Naturally, we incorporated some major tenets of Federal Indian Law for added context, showcasing the additional layer of legal complexities that arise in tribal environmental protections. The students did an absolutely incredible job engaging in this vibrant discussion, and in hindsight, I would love to expand this class into a week-long unit so we could delve even deeper into the rich material. It truly was an amazing note to end on, and I feel so fortunate to have had this experience, the creative freedom to sculpt the subject matter, and to have engaged with such inquisitive and passionate students throughout this journey.