Ecological Justice

An Indigenous Perspective as Understood by the Dine' Renowned Elders and Cultural Experts

Abstract

Dr. David Begay, Associate Research Professor at the University of New Mexico's College of Pharmacy, specializing in Environmental Health Disparities, provides an Indigenous perspective on social and environmental justice. A member of the Navajo Nation, Begay discusses global worldviews, comparing Indigenous beliefs with that of “hard” science. He also explains the differences between Euro-American language and culture versus the Dine and says that a language shift is necessary for a mindset shift; we must understand that the Earth and humans are part of a much larger interconnected system, and act accordingly. This is the third presentation of a six-presentation series titled “Toward Environmental Justice: Transition to a Sustainable Future.”