Nick Estes (Lower Brule Sioux) and Melanie Yazzie (Diné) of The Red Nation, respond to the prompt: What lies beyond dystopian catastrophism, and how can we cultivate radical futures of social justice and ecological flourishing?

Welcomed by Chairman Valentin Lopez (Amah Mutsun)

Moderated by Mayanthi Fernando and T. J. Demos

Nick Estes is Kul Wicasa from the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. He is an Assistant Professor of American Studies at the University of New Mexico, the author of Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Resistance (Verso, 2019), and the host of The Red Nation Podcast.

Melanie K. Yazzie, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Native American Studies and American Studies at the University of New Mexico. She specializes in Navajo/American Indian history, political ecology, Indigenous feminisms, queer Indigenous studies, and theories of policing and the state. She also organizes with The Red Nation, a grassroots Native-run organization committed to the liberation of Indigenous people from colonialism and capitalism.

Valentin Lopez has been the Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band since 2003, one of three historic tribes that are recognized as Ohlone. Valentin is Mutsun, Awaswas, Chumash and Yokuts. The Amah Mutsun are comprised of the documented descendants of Missions San Juan Bautista and Santa Cruz. Valentin Lopez is a Native American Advisor to the University of California, Office of the President on issues related to repatriation.

Beyond the End of the World comprises a year-long research and exhibition project and public lecture series, directed by T. J. Demos of the Center for Creative Ecologies, bringing leading international thinkers and cultural practitioners to UC Santa Cruz. Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation John E. Sawyer Seminar on the Comparative Study of Culture. For more information visit beyond.ucsc.edu