Coast Salish Youth Stewardship
Our Mission
The Coast Salish Youth Coalition (CSYC), established in 2017, supports intertribal Indigenous youth ages 14+ from Coast Salish Tribes with ancestral ties to the San Juan Islands. The organization hosts intergenerational cultural events, combining education with environmental stewardship, and offers employment opportunities and internships. Through collaboration with the Native FEWS Alliance, we aim to inspire Indigenous youth to pursue higher education and take on roles in natural resource management to care for our sacred lands and secure Indigenous food sovereignty.
The Coast Salish Youth Coalition (CSYC), established in 2017, supports intertribal Indigenous youth ages 14+ from Coast Salish Tribes with ancestral ties to the San Juan Islands. The organization hosts intergenerational cultural events, combining education with environmental stewardship, and offers employment opportunities and internships. Through collaboration with the Native FEWS Alliance, we aim to inspire Indigenous youth to pursue higher education and take on roles in natural resource management to care for our sacred lands and secure Indigenous food sovereignty.
The Team
Marco Hatch: AP, Western Washington University
Sam Barr: Program Director Coast Salish Youth Coalition
Erin Licata: Administrative Director at the Youth Coalition
Upcoming Events
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- May 7th – 11th 2025 – 7th Annual Traditional Camas Pit Bake, Whidbey Island, WA This four-day event includes education and ceremonies on stewarding, cultivating, harvesting, and cooking camas, a significant traditional root food from Coast Salish country. It is an intergenerational and intertribal gathering.
- Summer 2025 TBD – 6th Annual Inter-Tribal Challenge Paddle, San Juan Islands, WA This canoe journey leaves the cars behind; all participants carry their camping gear in traditional Coast Salish 10-person canoes. Practicing self-reliance and sustainability, the journey also incorporates stewardship of traditional food gardens in the San Juan Islands in partnership with the University of Washington Friday Harbor Marine Labs.
Notable Achievements
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- Hosts three intertribal intergenerational events annually with multiple participating tribes.
- Engages with over 200 participants annually, half of them being youth.
- Recipient of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition’s Forward Award.
- Acquired a Coast Salish canoe for youth programming which increases access to ancestral homelands for cultural activities and traditional natural resource management practices.
- Hosts an annual regional intertribal Camas Cultivators Conference.
Camas Bake Bulbs
Camas Pit Youth (top)
Camas Harvest Midwives
(credit NWIFC)
Challenge Paddle Celebration (top)
Camas Harvesting
(credit NWIFC)
Challenge Paddle Oyster Cooking