Valerie Casimir is a Lummi Nation community member and a member of the Class of 2026 at Whatcom Intergenerational High School. She is also Tsimshian and Tlingit and a Sealaska member. She serves as a 300-hour Americorps Team Leader with Whiteswan Environmental, supporting youth engagement through train-the-trainer and classroom-to-place-based learning programs. Through this work, Whiteswan Environmental supports her as she learns how an academic and career pathway can be rooted in her culture while strengthening her connection to land, community, and identity. She shares her perspective to reflect on the impact of these programs and their role in shaping future generations.
