The West is known for its spectacular outdoor recreation. But for Indigenous communities, access to many of those activities has been difficult due to factors like climate change and discrimination. Our Living Lands Producer Daniel Spaulding spoke to Treston Chee, a Navajo filmmaker, about his new film documenting one camp’s work to connect Indigenous and Hispanic youth with the environment.
Rooted Waters is a film that highlights the work of the camp as well as the natural beauty of Indigenous lands in New Mexico. The film premiered on May 23rd, 2025, at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. “It really instills that conservation mindset into these kids and into ourselves,” Chee said. “We need to protect these landscapes more than the way we have been.”
