John,

I know the last week has been a lot to process. So many communities are feeling the fear and anxiety that persisted throughout his last term. At Washington Conservation Action (WCA), in times of setback or triumph, we look for the glimmers of hope among our communities and in nature to inspire us to keep going.

In early 2024, the Bullitt Foundation entrusted Washington Conservation Action Education Fund to continue the Bullitt Prize legacy in perpetuity. WCA aims to broaden, strengthen, and diversify the current and future leadership of the environmental movement by investing in emerging academic, professional, or grassroots leaders in the Pacific Northwest. The prize comes with $100,000 awarded over two years. 

I am honored to announce that Washington Conservation Action will award the 18th annual $100,000 Bullitt Prize to Free Borsey and Raven Borsey, of the Lummi Nation. They dedicate themselves to nurturing and passing on traditional ecological knowledge, to resisting projects that harm people and the natural environment, and to telling those stories to a wider world. 

The twin brothers, 27, plan to use funds from the prize to revive the Lummi Youth Canoe Family, reinvigorating an institution that centers Tribal tradition, supports youth at risk, and serves as a year-round conservation non-profit.

The 2024 Bullitt Prize Selection Committee was impressed with Free and Raven because their work is focused on a generationally and historically impacted community. They are born leaders. Their connection to their community and culture, and their passion for change inspired the committee and our team. The committee believes they will become a force for profound impact in the Pacific Northwest. Their work and their promise exemplifies the spirit of the Bullitt Prize.

We will share more about the winners in our biannual magazine, Convene, in December, on our blog, and during an award ceremony on December 6 in Seatac, Washington.

A special thank you to the 2024 Bullitt Prize Selection Committee: Rob and Jessie, former Bullitt Foundation board members; EJ and Melissa, current WCA board members; and Dante, Naghmana, and Teresa; three community members working to advance environmental justice from Central and Eastern Washington. 

We’re excited to invest in these young environmental justice and cultural leaders. Like their ancestors, Free and Raven persevered through hard times. They give me hope. May they give you hope as well.  

With eyes trained on the future,

Ken Lederman (he/him)
Board Chair, Washington Conservation Action

Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters are now unified under one brand, Washington Conservation Action.