Juliette A. Jackson, LLM ’24, is making meaningful contributions to the field of Tribal environmental justice with the publication of her article, Stop Killing the Klamath: Rights of Nature Protections with Tribal Law, the National Historic Preservation Act, and Collaborative Management Strategies for a Tribe on the Front Lines of Climate Change. The article examines how colonial land-use practices and Western legal frameworks have failed to protect the Klamath Tribes’ sacred fish species and ecosystems. Jackson calls for the integration of rights of Nature protections—rooted in Tribal law and federal statutes such as the National Historic Preservation Act—into existing co-stewardship and collaborative management agreements as culturally grounded and legally effective alternatives.
Her work has already attracted substantial attention, including a feature on the influential blog Turtle Talk. She has presented her research at conferences and other speaking engagements: University of Cuenca – Ecuador’s Rights of Nature Conference, Guest Speaker at Google’s Native American Heritage Month Event, and panelist at the 2025 Bioneers Conference. Her insights will soon reach even wider audiences through the Young & Indigenous podcast.
Looking ahead, Juliette is focused on mobilizing Klamath youth to co-develop a rights of Nature law—transforming her scholarship into tangible, community-driven action.
To learn more about her journey, motivations, and future plans, we sat down with Juliette to learn more about her groundbreaking work and steadfast commitment to Indigenous environmental justice.
Q: What inspired you to write this article?
A: After watching the 2021 PBS documentary Killing the Klamath, I felt a deep urgency to speak out about the environmental crisis devastating my people—the Klamath Tribes—and especially our sacred C’waam and Koptu fish. Upper Klamath Lake, the largest freshwater body west of the Rockies, looks pristine to those just passing by, but it’s dangerously toxic. The water is so polluted our sacred fish can’t reproduce, we can’t eat them, and even dogs have died from drinking it. The entire ecosystem—including the people and communities who rely on this water—is at risk. This crisis reflectss the legacy of colonization: cattle ranching, pesticides, logging, dammed rivers, firefighting foam, poor enforcement of water rights—all of it, now compounded by climate change. Our beautiful homeland is being destroyed. I knew I had to do something. But what?
Every step in my legal journey helped guide me toward an answer. During my JD, I had the opportunity to work on issues that shaped my path. At the EPA’s National Enforcement Training Institute Law Clerk Honors Program, I helped draft a national sustainability policy and wrote the section on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Later, at Earthjustice’s Tribal Partnerships Program, I researched land back and collaborative management strategies and was introduced to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). These experiences came together during my Justice Catalyst Legal Fellowship with the Center for Biological Diversity, where I started to connect the dots. I realized I had found something that could truly help myTribe—but I needed more time and space to develop it.
That’s when Dean Randall Abate reached out about the GW LLM in Environmental Law program. I saw it as an opportunity to take everything I had learned and go deeper. Through my master’s thesis, I uncovered how existing tribal and federal Indian law frameworks can support rights of Nature protections—even if those laws don’t explicitly use the term. We already have tools within our systems. We just need to recognize and activate them.
Photo credit: Klamath Tribes
Q: In what ways has your work helped to amplify the voices and practices of the Klamath Tribes in broader environmental conversations?
A: My thesis became a case study focused on helping the Klamath Tribes—and by extension, other Indigenous communities across Turtle Island. Publishing it in a respected academic law journal gave me the chance to raise awareness about the urgent crisis we face while uplifting the incredible work my Tribe is already doing. From preventing wildfires to aiding drought control, we are restoring balance to our ecosystems. I’m especially grateful to Don Gentry, our former Tribal Chairman and Natural Resource Specialist, for sharing sacred knowledge with me so I could help show the world how powerful sacred knowledge (TEK) truly is.
Q: How has the response to your article been so far?
A: It’s been incredibly encouraging! The article was republished on Turtle Talk, a leading Tribal law blog, and has already been downloaded over 300 times. I’ve heard from scholars, legal practitioners, and advocates who have reached out to share their reflections, which has sparked some powerful and energizing conversations. I’m deeply grateful for the support I’ve received—both from the mentors and organizations who believed in my work before it was published, and from those who continue to amplify it now.
Q: What does it mean to you to have your work published?
A: It means a great deal. This has been a long, deeply personal journey. The work is about protecting our land, our fish, and our people—and seeing others engage with it in meaningful ways is incredibly validating. It motivates me to keep pushing forward. This is actually my first legal publication, so hearing that people found it moving, inspiring, and—importantly—not a boring read—has been really affirming.
When I began the legal research, especially the parts focused on my Tribe’s advocacy history, I felt a lot of pressure. I worried I might overlook something important or misrepresent a detail. I kept asking myself: Am I the right person to tell this story? I’m an urban Native woman who grew up four hours away from our ancestral homelands, and my connection to our culture is different from Tribal members who still live within the former reservation boundaries.
But then I learned that my great-grandfather, Boyd Jackson Sr.—who served as Chairman and Secretary of the Klamath Tribal Council—was our delegate to Washington, D.C. during the termination hearings in 1953–1954. He fought fiercely to preserve our treaty and stewarding rights. That discovery made everything click. I realized I am meant to do this work, and that this moment is part of something much larger. It feels like everything has come full circle. The work isn’t done—there’s still more to do—and I feel the Creator is calling me home to help continue our legal advocacy.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I recently started working part-time with Henkels Law in Portland, and I’m currently awaiting confirmation from the Klamath Tribes Judiciary on a potential part-time role as either a Prosecutor or Defense Attorney. I’m also continuing my part-time work with Patterson Real Bird & Rasmussen LLP – Native Law Group.
But most importantly, my next goal is to mobilize Klamath youth to draft and pass a rights of Nature law, grounded in the legal strategies I outlined in my article. I want to take this work beyond theory and help translate it into real, community-led action. I also hope to support other Indigenous communities that are interested in pursuing similar legal approaches rooted in their own traditions, laws, and relationships to the land.
Q: What advice would you give to students or advocates working on Indigenous environmental justice?
A: There’s a tremendous amount of important work to be done in this area, and many opportunities to contribute. My first piece of advice to aspiring environmental lawyers is this: take Federal Indian Law. It’s essential. And beyond the classroom, immerse yourself in opportunities that help you understand the diversity and complexity of Indigenous communities. If you want to be an ally and truly uplift this work, you must educate yourself so you can be of service—not just in theory, but in practice.
It’s also critical to remember that Indigenous communities are not a monolith. Take the time to understand the cultural context and the diverse legal tools available within both Federal Indian law and Tribal law frameworks. Ground your work in community, cultural knowledge, and inclusion. The law is a powerful tool—but only when it reflects the values and voices of the people it’s meant to serve.
Don’t be afraid to challenge the boundaries of existing legal frameworks—especially because many of the federal and state laws we’re working within today weren’t created with Indigenous peoples in mind. If you choose to do this work, approach it with humility, mindfulness, and a willingness to collaborate. I’ve found that collaboration and building alliances are essential—they help strengthen your ideas and bring them to life. I’m especially grateful to my thesis advisors and colleagues who helped me shape and refine my research—none of this work happens in isolation.
The Environmental and Energy Law Program extends its heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Juliette A. Jackson, LL.M.
