Hoopa Tribal member fights to save California’s Trinity River and its salmon
For 19-year-old Danielle Frank, California’s Trinity River is a cultural lifeline. “We are water people. We are river people,” she says. “And we believe that when our river drains and there is no more water left, we will no longer be here.” Frank is a Hoopa tribal member and Yurok descendant. The Trinity River runs through her homeland. … The river has been dammed, and water from the Trinity is often diverted to the Central Valley. Frank says those diversions — combined with droughts and global warming — are causing fish kills. … So Frank is pushing for change. As the youth coordinator for the nonprofit Save California Salmon, Frank helps young people maintain their connection to the river and learn how to influence water policy.
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