Special to the One Feather
NEW YORK, New York — Jasmine Smith, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), made history as the youngest EBCI representative to speak at the recent United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), addressing global leaders on Indigenous health and environmental protection.
Jasmine Smith, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), made history as the youngest EBCI representative to speak at the recent United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), addressing global leaders on Indigenous health and environmental protection.
Representing both EBCI and North American Indian Women’s Association Daughters, Smith joined Indigenous youth leaders from across Turtle Island for the “Indigenous Youth Protecting Ocean Kin for Health & Wellbeing” panel. The event was co-sponsored by Indigenous Environmental Network and Earth Law Center.
Smith brought a unique perspective as an EBCI citizen from the headwaters region, emphasizing the responsibility of upstream communities to protect water systems that sustain life downstream.
“As Cherokee people, we are taught that responsibility flows like our waterways, from the headwaters to the ocean,” she said. “We may not always see where the water ends, but we understand the impact of every choice we make. Protecting water is protecting life, past, present, and future.”
She also highlighted her work through NAIWA Daughters, including a successful Rights of Nature resolution for waterways and ongoing efforts to restore aquatic ecosystems.
Reflecting on her experience at the United Nations, Smith shared, “I carry my community with me into every room I enter. I am deeply grateful to my family, my elders, and the mentors who have made it possible for me to step into spaces like the United Nations. I’m grateful for the recognition by others to be seen not just as a future leader.”
Fellow panelist Neepah Hyde reinforced Smith’s message, emphasizing the connection between environmental and community health, “If the ocean is healthy, we are healthy. Protecting our waters is protecting our people, our culture, and our future.”
The discussion underscored the urgent need for Indigenous-led solutions to environmental challenges and highlighted youth leadership as critical to shaping policy and protecting natural resources.
The panel event in its entirety is archived in the United Nations digital collection. Visit https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1c/k1cfmbfon4 to view the conversation.
The panel also marked the soft launch of the Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress, an initiative aimed at connecting youth globally to advance ocean protection and Indigenous rights.
