My name is Melino Gianotti, and I am a Bloomberg Fellow and the Emergency Coordinator for the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, which houses the Environmental Public Health Program serving the 43 federally recognized tribes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Every day, our team works to address health disparities and improve quality of life for tribes across the region. Emergency preparedness in Indigenous communities is essential to safeguarding lives, preserving culture, and protecting the natural environment, and the most effective strategies blend Western science with Indigenous knowledge so they can be adapted to fit the needs of each tribal community. Tribes have long been leaders in addressing climate change, as their traditional lands, livelihoods, and cultural practices are closely tied to the natural world, all while ensuring access to safe food, clean water, and both modern and traditional medicine. Through the Board, my work focuses on providing tribes with environmental health services and ensuring they have access to critical federal and local resources. The Bloomberg Fellowship has given me valuable insight into what strong emergency planning looks like and connected me with a network of collaborators I can rely on whenever new challenges arise. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to learn from and support the tribes of the Northwest.
