The Making of a Native Environmental Scientist and Activist: How My Book Reflects My Personal Journey
by Brook M. Thompson (Yurok and Karuk)
For many Native American groups, animals, plants, water, rocks, and more are not resources to use to benefit us as humans; instead, they are seen as community members with whom we have a relationship and a responsibility. My book I Love Salmon and Lampreys (Heyday Books, 2025) looks beyond salmon fishing as a fun activity or only a food source and instead explores salmon and lampreys’ connections to culture and family through the eyes of a younger version of myself.
Another environmental aspect of this book is promoting how cool lampreys are! Lampreys are eel-like boneless fish with a mouth full of teeth they use as a suction cup, and they are also very important culturally to my tribes. Lampreys have a third eye on the top of their heads like a lizard to sense light changes, and they also start in the streams and then go out to the ocean before returning, much like the salmon. Sadly, the lampreys are not as admired as they should be. Most people do not know what they are despite living close to them on the Pacific Coast. I want that to change, which is why both salmon and lampreys are featured in the book! My thought process is that most people will know what a salmon is and then wonder, “What on Earth are lampreys?” and want to dive deeper.
The information about salmon and lampreys and their cultural connection is centered around the larger story of removing the Klamath River dams. In 2002 as a seven year old, I witnessed the largest fish kill in West Coast history when I saw tens of thousands of salmon dead on the shoreline of the Klamath River. The fish kill was caused in large part by four hydroelectric dams and a drought. I have since dedicated my life to dam removal and have done so partially through going to college, where I have a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Portland State University and an M.S. in Water Resource Environmental Engineering from Stanford. I am working on a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies at the University of California Santa Cruz. (You will see the Stanford campus and the Portland skyline in the book’s background illustrations.) Seeing the effects of climate change as a kid and learning that we can help find solutions through going to school is a more relevant theme than ever for kids today. The book I Love Salmon and Lampreys shows my journey from a kid witnessing early climate change effects to being a part of the solution as an adult studying science.
The text font is notable in this book. Looking closely, you will notice that the bottoms are thicker than the top of the letters. The book’s font is called OpenDyslexic, and it was designed for those with dyslexia to read easier. The thicker bottoms of the letters makes it more difficult to turn or switch the letters around in a dyslexic person’s mind. Dyslexia is a condition I have struggled with my entire life. In elementary school, I would try to fit in during quiet reading time by picking up a book, moving my eyes back and forth, and then every few minutes I’d turn the page to give the impression I was reading. I learned later that even as an adult, I read slower than 99% of people my age because of my learning disability. I created this book so dyslexic kids could have an opportunity to feel more confident reading. I also want kids to see that a neurodivergent person like me, who has AuADHD and dyslexia, can accomplish their dreams despite potential difficulties in school.
Growing up, I never saw a Native American girl like me portrayed in books unless it was an historical narrative about Sacagawea or Pocahontas. Growing up, I knew no Native American scientists or those pursuing college degrees. I want to be the role model I wish I had as a kid, and my book is one way of illustrating how, despite my dyslexia, I became an engineer! Does your classroom bookshelf contain any books about Native scientists or engineers? I hope to not only inspire Native children but also to reframe all kids’ understanding that Native Americans are not only people who existed in the past but are current-day community members and part of the solution to climate change.
Topics of family, connection to the environment, love for fish and water, resistance in the face of adversity, hopefulness, and the importance of education are all present in I Love Salmon and Lampreys. There is something for everyone through telling the true story of the largest dam removal project in the world through my lived experience. Have a wonderful Earth Day!
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Text and images are courtesy of Brook M. Thompson and may not be used without express written consent.
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