PUBLIC SPEAKING:
"Brook Thompson delivers an electrifying presentation. Her keynote wove an intricate story of what it means to grow up in a culture that revolves around salmon, grieve the loss of wild salmon abundance, and organize for positive change.”
- Dana Stolzman, Executive Director, Salmonid Restoration Federation
"Brook is a compelling and eloquent speaker who can speak to a number of important issues, including those that impact communities that she is a part of. Brook is an inspiring figure to many, and yet she is very approachable in her tone. Brook has the ability to speak directly to a subject and relay her opinion on challenges in an honest and professional manner, helping inspire an audience to action. I recommend reaching out to Brook as a knowledgeable speaker and inspiration to both individuals and communities alike."
- Serena Dressel, Coordinator of Portland State University Student Sustainability Center
"Brook is organized, diligent, and passionate about building a better future for her community and all future generations. She is an incredible public speaker who engages the crowd even when explaining complex details. Working with Brook is always a pleasure!"
- Allie Rosenbluth, Campaigns Director, Rouge Climate
"We were so grateful to have had Brook join us as a keynote for our Future Innovators event. Her message resonated with our audience of young adults and seasoned professionals and she has a way of connecting her personal experience with her professional expertise that is deeply moving. Brook was great to work with and we hope to have the chance to welcome her back for future events!"
- Dr. Tong Zhang, Executive Director, Oregon MESA
“Brook brought a fantastic breadth of perspective to a discussion on climate change and climate justice --peeling back the curtain on much of the prevailing accepted wisdoms and mainstream approaches to climate change education and mobilization. With razor-sharp focus on the intersectional issues related to climate and social justice, a strong historical grounding in how policy happens, and a rich lens on indigenous, traditional ecological knowledge, Brook --with an engineer's rigor and an activist's fire and passion--delivered to her audience fresh tools to think about agency around climate action.”
- Tim DuRoche, Director of Programs, WorldOregon
TOPICS I SPEAK ON:
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Traditional Ecological Knowledge
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Academic Success
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Activism
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Climate Change
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Learning Disabilities
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Public Policy And Native Americans
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Foreign Policy And Indigeneity
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Public Policy And Water Rights
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Murdered And Missing Indigenous Women And Children
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Environmental Justice
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Infrastructure (Built Environment) And Its Effects On People And The Environment
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Salmon
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Native Media Representation
WHO I HAVE SPOKEN TO:
Government:
Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
United Nations World Food Forum
United States Agricultural Department (USDA)
City of Portland Oregon
Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian
Colleges:
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Lewis & Clark College
Stanford University
UC Berkeley
Cal Poly Pomona
Stanford Law School
UC Davis School of Law
Harvard Kennedy School
Cal Poly Humboldt State
Portland State University
The University of Oregon
Semester at Sea
The University of Dayton Ohio
Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science
High Schools:
Urban School of San Francisco
The Arcata High School Native American Club
Cheyenne River Reservation High School
Madison High School (Portland)
Grant High School (Portland)
Franklin High School (Portland)
Non-Profits:
California Native Plant Society (CNPS)
The Nature Conservancy (at UN COP 27)
Rios to Rivers (at UN COP 27)
Salmonid Restoration Federation
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
Rouge River Climate
American Lung Association
World Oregon
California Center for Civic Participation
Organizations:
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA)*
Council of Graduate Schools
NEXUS
Science on Tap
Ignite Digital
Portland General Electric
California Environmental Water Network
Heyday/ News from Native California
HISTORY OF PRESENTATIONS & LECTURES:
* = Upcoming Speech
*Cultivating Connections, Plenary Presenter
The California Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL)
When: April 14, 2023
Where: Davis, CA
Website: https://sercal.org/sercal-2023
Description: Every year since 1992, the California Society for Ecological Restoration has gathered people who are connected to or interested in the work of restoring California’s native habitats. This community comes from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds — they are biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, landscape architects, engineers, conservationists, students, academics, consultants, agency staff, and more — but for all their differences, they find inspiration and opportunities for collaboration when they meet each other and share their work.
*California Salmon and Dams, Lecturer
Urban School of San Francisco (high school)
Where: San Francisco
When: March 20, 2023
* Environmental Law Symposium: Walking the Walk Toward an Equitable Future: The Urgent Need to Center Environmental Justice in Law and Policy, Speaker
UC Davis School of Law
Where: UC Davis
When: February 17, 2022
*Beyond Salmon: A Native American Perspective on Water Quality
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Where: Monterey Bay, CA
When: February 15, 2023
Description: Brook Thompson, who is from the Yurok and Karuk tribes of Northern California, goes into
detail on how the Klamath River water quality is linked to not only a decline in salmon but a
decline in mental, physical, and cultural health of her tribes. Through personal anecdotes and
using her experience as a civil engineer, Thompson teaches lessons on why we should consider.
Shifting our perspective about water and fish to a more traditional one and how that shift can
benefit future research and California policy.
Website: https://www.mbari.org/about/events/
*2023 Career Conversations: Native American Heritage event, Speaker
Oregon Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA)
Where: Online
When: January 24, 2023
Description: Two Native American guest speakers who can talk about their career trajectory, their backgrounds, and the way that their heritage has influenced their career path.
*Making Dams and Breaking Dams with Brook Thompson & Garrett Costello, Keynote
Science on Tap: Mad River Brewery
Where: Blue Lake, CA
When: January 27, 2023
Description: “Finally! Klamath Dam Removal Becomes a Reality! A talk with a local tribal member and engineer.”
Fish as Indigenous Foodways and Climate Resilience, Guest Lecturer
Class: Feeding the World
Where: Santa Clara University
When: January 24, 2023
Description: The Feeding the World pathway focuses on the complex interrelationships among food production, food consumption, hunger, poverty, and the environment. Students in the pathway will explore how the production, consumption, and distribution of food resources are impacted by a variety of factors, including the availability of resources, income levels, and environmental degradation. The production of food in fragile environments and the sustainability of subsistence food systems will be explored, including the role of agricultural development in reducing hunger and poverty throughout the world.
A Conversation about Conservation with the Yurok Tribe
The Nature Conservancy/ United Nations COP 27
Where: Sustainability Development Goals Pavillion, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
When: November 18, 2022
Centering the Protection of Rivers and Rights in Achieving Climate Justice
Rios to Rivers/ United Nations COP 27
Where: Side Event Room COP 27 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
When: November 15, 2022
Description: Free-flowing rivers are critical to mitigate and adapting to climate change. This event features efforts of Indigenous youth to assert their rights in defending rivers and global efforts to ensure climate funds protect rivers, don’t incentivize destructive dams, and strengthen community resilience.
Plenary Session on Seeds
California Native Plant Society (CNPS)
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Jose, CA
When: October 22, 2022
Description: The Conference ended with the closing plenary talk by the North state’s very own Jennifer Jewell, host of the national award-winning weekly public radio program, Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden. Her keynote address anchored an expert panel discussion focusing on the importance of seed in our personal and cultural, gardening, environmental, and economic lives.”
Lewis & Clark College Deconstructing the Apocalypses: Holistic Approaches to Climate Futures, Panelist
Lewis & Clark College
Where: Portland, OR
When: October 19, 2022
Website: https://college.lclark.edu/programs/environmental_studies/symposium/25th-annual-symposium/
Description: Lewis & Clark College’s Environmental Studies Program sponsors an annual Symposium series of events, building on the broad theme of Environment Across Boundaries (ENVX). ENVX speaks to how our students cross a wide range of intellectual boundaries as they seek new scholarly concepts and skills; geographic boundaries as they apply these concepts and skills to explore environmental issues around the world; and communication boundaries as they engage with people on all sides of these issues, ideally working toward mutual respect and collaborative solutions. Symposium offers the Lewis & Clark community and general public an opportunity to experience this broader approach to environment.
Environmental Justice Series, Speaker
Making Visible
Where: Zoom
When: September 21, 2022
Website: https://www.making-visible.org/
Description: This 3-webinar series is curated by award-winning community activist Brenda Perez (she / her / ella), a D.C. local who is passionate about fighting for the liberation of mother earth and oppressed people of color. Brenda will open each of our webinars with an introduction to our speaker and provide context for each discussion.
World Food Forum Youth Action Track Focal Points Group, Panelist
United Nations (UN): North American Regional Consultation
Where: Zoom
When: September 28, 2022
Description: Discussing 1) how civil/environmental engineering relates to agrifood systems; and, 2) how innovation and civil/environmental engineering can create more sustainable agrifood systems in the context of transforming consumption and production patterns.
Cal Poly Humboldt "Klamath Connection" Freshman Program, Keynote
Cal Poly Humboldt
Where: Arcata Theater Lounge, CA,
When: August 17, 2022
Description: A place-based program aims to familiarize incoming STEM students with the Klamath Basin: the people, the wildlife, the geography, the past and present issues, etc.
29th Regular Session of the CEC Council and Meeting of the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC).
JPAC Intergenerational Round Table, Living Under Crises: Sharing Knowledge to Generate Opportunities for the Creation of More Sustainable Communities", Panelist
Where: Mérida, Mexico
When: July 14, 2022
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC)
Description: "This round table aims to showcase North American experiences related to environmental, social, and economic crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the growing impact of climate change. Crises are often major learning experiences for communities, and recovery can provide opportunities for moments of reflection regarding where we are, where we want to be, and how to get there.
Invited speakers and attendees will come together to discuss how they have been affected by recent challenges and emergencies and will also share insights on how they are turning this crisis into an opportunity to build more sustainable and resilient communities. The intergenerational dialogue will offer a two-way sharing of knowledge that honors diverse forms of cultural foundations from various perspectives and approaches."
California Salmon and Dams, Lecturer
Urban School of San Francisco (high school)
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: May 16, 2022
Lecture for ESS 226: Wastelanding: Indigenous Environmental Justice in the Western U.S., Speaker
Stanford University
Where: Stanford University Farm
When: May 2, 2022
Description: "This seminar introduces basic principles of Indigenous environmental justice (IEJ) and presents frameworks for analyzing and addressing inequalities in the distribution of environmental benefits among Indigenous communities. Through a series of invited speakers, we will explore IEJ as distinct from the broader environmental justice movement, with a particular focus on the western U.S. Students will learn about archetypal IEJ cases, such as uranium mining on Navajo and Hopi lands and water rights in the Klamath River basin. We will then turn to the importance of self-determination and sovereignty in the IEJ movement, along with the failures of federal and state systems of law and governance. The series will conclude with discussions of how academic researchers can best engage with Native communities and apply Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in academia."
"Salmon Fishing, More than a Sport: How Salmon are Vital to Native American Culture, Health, and Prosperity," Keynote
The Salmonid Restoration Federation
Where: Santa Cruz, CA
When: Thursday, April 21, 2022
Website: https://www.calsalmon.org/conferences/39th-annual-salmonid-restoration-conference
Description: "In 2022, Salmonid Restoration Federation produced the 39th Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference in Santa Cruz, California. The first two days of the conference included technical workshops and field tours. Thursday began with a half-day plenary session followed by 1.5 days of technical, biological, and policy-related concurrent sessions. This conference focused on a broad range of salmonid and watershed restoration topics of concern to restoration practitioners, watershed scientists, fisheries biologists, resource agency personnel, land-use planners, and landowners."
Environmental Justice and Indigenous Lands across Generations, Panelist
UC Berkeley
Where: Zoom
When: April 19, 2022
Staying Safe Online: Protecting yourself in the real world by having online awareness, Presenter
AISES Region 2 Conference
Where: Cal Poly- Pomona
When: April 17, 2022
Description: "When vacationing, do you make an Instagram post about how much fun you're having? Have you ever received a networking message online saying they have mutual friends who told them about your work? Have you ever filled out a change of address with USPS? Then this session is for you.
This presentation will go over how to stay safe with personal information and location that may be threatened by common mistakes. Most internet safety lessons are targeted at children and workplace phishing, but this session will focus on adult life outside of work. According to the CSC, 1 in 6 women will experience stalking in their lifetimes. Workshop and learn about precautions that can make it more difficult to be targeted. (Focus on women & LGBT adults but open to everyone)."
TikTok Diagnosed me as Neurodivergent. What now? , Speaker
AISES Region 2 Conference
Where: Cal Poly- Pomona
When: April 17, 2022
Description: Cal Poly- Pomona, Sunday, April 16, 2022
"Provide all necessary details for reviewers to evaluate your session, including a general description, goals, learning objectives, outcomes, presentation methods, etc. Limit 500 Words.
What does it mean to be neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, etc.)? How can I know for sure? What are the benefits and adversities of being neurodivergent? How does it affect higher education and work? How can I support my friends who are neurodivergent? What resources are there to help me?
After downloading TikTok at the start of the pandemic, my For You Page (FYP) started coming up with tips and memes for people with autism and ADHD. I had a close friend of mine download TikTok and have the same thing happen. Often people of color and women are undiagnosed compared to their white counterparts.
I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 3rd grade, and despite reading slower than 99% of the U.S. population, I took A.P. English classes in high school and have had multiple national magazine articles published. However, I also struggled on assignments to the point of tears when writing and reading for the same assignment came naturally to other students. Learn from my 18 years of Neurodivergence in public education on how to find success while neurodivergent."
The Bright Award, Panelist
Stanford Law School
Where: Stanford university
When: April 14, 2022
Description: "The Bright Award was created as a gift from Raymond E. Bright, Jr., JD '59, in 2007 on behalf of his late wife, Marcelle, and himself. Mr. Bright died in 2011. Under the terms of his gift, the Bright Award is given annually to an "individual who has made significant contributions in the environmental preservation and sustainability area" and is awarded to an individual from one of ten rotating regions. The regions the winners have been chosen from since the award's inception are South Asia, the Middle East; West Asia; Africa; Europe; South America; and North America."
Water Law Symposium Panel, "Indigenous Water Management," Panelist
UC Davis School of Law
Where: UC Davis
When: April 9, 2022
Website: https://www.waterlawsymposium.org/
Description: "The California Water Law Symposium is a collaborative student-run event that consistently brings together leading minds in water law to discuss California's critical water issues. Led this year by UC Davis School of Law, participant schools include USF School of Law; UC Hastings College of the Law; UC Berkeley School of Law; Golden Gate University School of Law; Stanford Law School, and University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law."
Healing Turtle Island: Indigenous Leadership Through the Climate Crisis, Resistance and Activism panel, Panelist
Harvard Kennedy School
Where: Zoom and the Democracy Lab at Harvard Kennedy School
When: April 1, 2022
Description: "Discussions of innovative approaches to the climate crisis held at Harvard Kennedy School rarely feature Indigenous approaches, and even fewer center Indigenous perspectives as the primary goal.
To that end, the Native and Indigenous Caucus at Harvard Kennedy School, in partnership with the Belfer Center's Arctic Initiative, will hold a day-long hybrid convening to highlight Indigenous leadership in addressing the climate crisis. The event will bring together Indigenous leaders from across the globe to discuss the following:
1. How has the climate crisis uniquely affected Indigenous communities?
2. In what ways does an "Indigenous" approach to the climate crisis differ from non-Indigenous approaches? How does this differ across regions and communities?
3. What are examples of impactful activism by Indigenous writers, activists, government leaders, and youth? What can students and the broader HKS community learn from these examples?"
Green Focus Youth Program, Speaker
California Center for Civic Participation
Where: Zoom
When: March 26, 2022
Local Native in Higher Education STEM, Speaker
The Arcata High School Native American Club
Where: Zoom
When: February 10, 2022
Fireside Chat: Key Foreign Policy Topics on Climate Change, Speaker
World Oregon
Where: Zoom
When: February 25, 2022
STEM Speaker Series, Speaker
Humboldt State Poly, INSPIRE (Indian Natural Resources Science & Engineering Program)
Where: Zoom
When: February 9, 2022
Description: "Discover Brook's experience as a Native woman in STEM and how Indigenous values push to redefine water policy, infrastructure engineering, and leadership."
Working towards a Green Post-Pandemic Recovery, Panelist
IgniteDigital Conference
Where: Zoom
When: November 28, 2021
Description: "This session would aim to address questions such as what should a green recovery look like, what climate justice means, what are the barriers facing us – and how can we overcome them, what are the key actions for achieving a green recovery, how do we build sustainable infrastructure, and how can the green recovery be financed."
Climate Action Talks: PNW Environmental Justice, Speaker
Portland General Electric, American Lung Association
Where: Zoom
When: October 28, 2021
Harvesting Health: Native Youth Summit, Host
[Several Organizers: Save California Salmon, United Indian Health Services, Yurok Tribe, and More]
Keynote Speaker: Dallas Goldtooth
Where: Zoom
When: October 23, 2021
Indigenous Perspectives on Water Infrastructure and Management, Speaker
California Environmental Water Network
Where: Zoom
When: October 26, 2021
Salmon, Social Justice & Dam Removal: Indigenous Water Governance and Self-Determination on the Klamath River, Co-Lecturer
Stanford Law School (Environmental Justice Workshop)
Where: Stanford CA
When: September 30, 2021
Sheltering Inspiration, Speaker
Heyday and News from Native California
Where: Zoom
When: June 10, 2021
Indigenous Brilliance: Kinship & Culture in STEM, Panelist
Portland State University, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
Where: Zoom
When: May 26, 2021
California Salmon and Dams, Lecturer
Urban School of San Francisco
Where: Zoom
When: May 27, 2021
Coalition Against Environmental Racism (CAER): Environmental Racism by Water Infrastructure, Speaker
The University of Oregon
Where: Hopin (online)
When: May 22, 2021
View the Video Recording Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T7u2b_MlKUEeO6-cfOHu74jpbveLTEOb/view?usp=sharing
2021 Oregon MESA Future Innovators Celebration, Keynote & Panelist
Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA)
Where: Online
When: May 20, 2021
Climate Woke! Earth Day Event: Undam the Klamath, Panelist
Cal Poly Pomona
Where: Zoom
When: April 22, 2021
MMIWG Social Plunge, Keynote
The University of Dayton, Ohio
Where: Zoom
When: March 22, 2021
Silencing of Celilo Falls but Not the People, Speaker
Where: Portland, OR
When: March 10, 2021
PSU Civil Engineering Capstone Alumni Panel, Panelist
Portland State University, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science
Where: Zoom
When: January 12, 2021
Climate Justice Teach-In, Speaker/ Panelist
Madison High School (Portland, OR)
Where: Zoom
When: December 15, 2020
Indigenous Climate Leadership workshop, Speaker
PDX Youth Climate Summit
Where: Zoom
When: December 12, 2020
Traditional knowledge in STEM fields, Assistant Host
United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY)
Where: Zoom
When: October 27, 2020
Representing Indigeneity in social media, Panelist
The University of Dayton Ohio, Native Peoples of the Americas Colloquium
Where: Zoom
When: October 20, 2020
College Scholarship Application Workshop: Going to School Debt Free, Speaker
AISES Nationals: Session
Where: Zoom
When: October 17, 2020
Combined Systems: The Effect of P.V. Panels on Eco Roof Soil Moisture Content, Speaker
AISES Nationals: Undergraduate Research
Where: Zoom
When: October 16, 2020
Supporting Graduate Student Mental Health and well-being, Panelist
Council of Graduate Schools
Where: Zoom
When: October 15, 2020
Indigenous Peoples Day - Youth Activism: Monuments & Mascots, Panelist
Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian
Where: Zoom
When: October 12, 2020
Not Your Mascot: Understanding Modern Indigenous Realities, Speaker
NEXUS
Where: Zoom
When: June 10, 2020
Indigenous Land & Water Protectors Webinar, Speaker
Where: Zoom
When: May 28, 2020
Cheyenne River Reservation High School AISES Student Leader Night, Panelist
American Indian Science & Engineering Society
Where: Zoom
When: May 14, 2020
Class Panel on Civic Engagement, Collaboration, Consciousness of Self, Panelist
PSU Leadership Fellows within the Student Sustainability Center
Where: Zoom
When: May 7, 2020
Chase Bank Takeover: No Jordan Cove, Speaker
350 PDX
Where: Zoom
When: April 27, 2020
AISES 2020 National Conference Closing Ceremony, Student Speaker
American Indian Science & Engineering Society
Where: Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee, WI
When: October 12, 2019
Jordan Cove LNG Conversation with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Speaker
Rouge River Climate
Where: Oregon Capitol Building, Salem, OR
When: June 11, 2019
Teachers, Family, and Community Against Racism in Portland Public Schools, Speaker
Where: Portland, OR
When: May 8, 2019
Models of Indigenous Self Determination, Panelist
NEXUS USA Summit
Where: Washington, DC
When: March 8, 2019
Panel on Diversity, Panelist
Semester at Sea
Where: International Open Ocean
When: December 9, 2018
No Jordan-Cove Liquified Natural Gas Pipeline Rally, Opening Speaker
Rouge River Climate
Where: Medford, OR
When: August 16, 2018
Indigenous Movements and Activism Panel, Panelist
United States Agricultural Department (USDA) Hunger Fellows
Where: Washington, DC
When: May 11, 2018
Water is Life Discussion on the Oregon LNG Pipeline, Panelist
The Climate Action Team
Where: Portland, OR
When: December 16, 2017
"Salmon and Social Justice on the Klamath," Guest Lecturer
Salmon & Social Justice Senior Capstone
Where: Portland State University
When: December 23, 2017
"Native American Misconceptions, Facts, and Water Rights," Keynote Speaker
City of Portland
Where: Portland, OR
When: October 5, 2017
Women of Color Speak Out, Opening Speaker
The Climate Action Team
Where: Portland State University
When: December 16, 2017
Pacific Northwest Stands with Standing Rock, Speaker
Where: Portland, OR,
When: January 28, 2017
Indigenous Peoples Day: Standing with Standing Rock, Panelist
Portland State Native American Student Community Center
Where: Portland, OR,
When: October 10, 2016
"Salmon and Social Justice on the Klamath," Guest Lecturer
Salmon & Social Justice Senior Capstone
Where: Portland State University
When: December 2016
Portland State Environmental Club, Speaker
Where: Portland State University
When: April 9, 2016
MLK Day Tribute, Speaker
The Portland Public Schools Bill of Rights for Students of Color
Where: Highland Center, Portland,
When: January 18, 2016
College Success as a Person of Color & Franklin Alumni, Guest Speaker & Panelist
Where: Franklin High School
When: Spring 2014, 2015, 2016
