Expo ’74 Legislative Summit

Hosted by The Lands Council, this free event picks up where Expo ’74’s Environmental Symposium left off. While a lot of important environmental case studies and solutions were discussed, the criticism at the time was that not enough policymakers attended Expo ’74; therefore, no policies to combat Global Warming or Climate Change were put into place.

At the Legislative Summit, legislators and local area experts will craft legislation on six locally important topics with a Climate Justice thread running through them; these proposed bills will be sponsored in the 2025 Legislative Session and could possibly become law if passed.

The day will start at the Convention Center Ballroom with a Native Opening Ceremony. City of Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown will speak at breakfast and Governor Jay Inslee will speak at lunch. This event is hosted in collaboration with the Tribal Pillar and will feature a symbolic salmon release and prayer at noon, as well as a traditional canoe race on the Spokane River to mark the end of the Legislative Summit. The last event is a traditional salmon and bison dinner with Indigenous side dishes to round off the day.

SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY

7:30: Check-in

8:00: Native Opening Ceremony with prayer, song, drum, and dance

8:30: Breakfast, with speaker Mayor Lisa Brown

9:35: Simultaneous Breakout sessions on:

• Climate and the Environment

• Indigenous Rights

• Immigrants and Refugees

• Childcare, Youth, and Education

• Housing and Homelessness

• Health Disparities, Health, Gender, and Bodily Autonomy, Disability/Reproductive/2SLGBTQAI+ Rights

12:00: Symbolic Salmon Ceremony with the Colville Tribe’s Salmon Chief and Coeur d’Alene Tribe member

12:20: Lunch, with speaker Governor Jay Inslee

1:30: Group Reports

2:45: A Message from The Lands Council’s Executive Director, Amanda Parrish

3:30: Traditional Canoe Races on Spokane River with Dr. Margo Hill and Jeff Ferguson (Tribal Pillar co-chairs)

5:00: Salmon and Bison dinner, and Canoe Race Prize Ceremony