Burien resident Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe, is embraced by her granddaughter, Alyssa Williams, 14, of Tukwila, at the Duwamish Longhouse Museum and Cultural Center, West Seattle, during its Earth Day celebration Saturday, April 21. Williams presented a talk on the importance of cleaning up the river.
Earth Day at the Duwamish Longhouse Cultural Center Saturday, April 21, featured a presentation by two teens, including the granddaughter of Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe.
Alyssa Williams, 14, lives with her mother Cindy in Tukwila, and Cindy's mother, Cecile, Alyssa's grandmother, lives in Burien. In a digital story project, with the aid of stock photos of Duwamish River filth and their narration, Alyssa and Jack Trotman, 15, both Duwamish members, offer a plea to clean the polluted Duwamish River.
The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, or DRCC, offered them technical assistance to help understand the polluted river's plight. The presentation will be shown again, in front of EPA representatives for the DRCC.
"I learned that the river once was something good but is now pretty contaminated," Alyssa Williams told the West Seattle Herald following her presentation, while she joined her mother and grandmother in the kitchen to make traditional fry bread for customers. " A lot of different toxins are affecting the fish. All the different sediments are really gross," she said.
Added Linda Dombrowski, Longhouse Event Coordinator, "Duwamish children have a special relationship with the river other children don't have."
Also speaking to the audience were Duwamish tribe member James Rasmussen, Coordinator, Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group, or DRCC/TAG, and B.J. Cummings, DRCC Development and Policy Advisor and Rasmussen's predecessor. Also in attendance were Alberto Rodriguez with DRCC Education and Outreach, and Cari Simson, DRCC Program Manager.
On hand from out-of-state was Dr. Douglas Pennoyer, Biola University Dean, Cook School of Intercultural Studies, La Mirada, California, and former Director, Seattle Pacific University Intercultural Institute of Mission, responsible for missions and international program.
The West Seattle Herald understands that Chair Cecile Hansen has recently recovered from some personal health-related challenges and welcomes her back on the scene.
