Northwest Artists Against Extinction
Healthy salmon populations deliver irreplaceable benefits to the peoples and places of the Pacific Northwest. Salmon are essential to the cultures and economies of many Northwest Tribes, and they are an essential food source for critically endangered Southern Resident orcas. More than 130 other fish and wildlife species rely upon and benefit from the presence of wild salmon. In myriad ways, our unique identity and ways of life as a region depend upon protecting wild salmon from extinction and restoring healthy, resilient, fishable populations.
Northwest Artists Against Extinction (NWAAE, a project of Save Our wild Salmon Coalition) is a creative collaboration between artists and advocates to build public support and political leadership to restore the lower Snake River and its imperiled wild salmon and steelhead.
NWAAE and SOS support bold, creative action through artful advocacy! Advocacy through art is an important part of creatively cultivating a healthier future. We’re passionate about the power of art – to connect people to people, people to animals, to place, and to our shared humanity—all essential connections in the sustainable and vibrant architecture of tomorrow.
NWAAE is partnering with over 50 Northwest artists to bring art and salmon into everyday conversations and to evoke visions of free-flowing rivers with abundant salmon, ecosystems with strong orca populations, and Indigenous treaties honored.
It is with the generosity of our artist partners that we are able to bring original art, in many diverse forms, to current conversations around policy, science, and what just might be possible.
“We cannot create what we can’t imagine.” – Lucille Clifton
Evoke imagination.
Connect outside.
Be creative!
Questions about Northwest Artists Against Extinction or would you like to get involved? Check out nwaae.org or fill out this contact form!
Top photos, left to right: Volunteer with Get Out The Vote poster, Cyaltsa Finkbonner, All Our Relations, Gabrielle Wildheart, Free The Snake River. Stand with Tribes.
Bottom photos, left to right: Artwork by Eileen Klatt at Earth Day Celebration with Vashon Green School, Volunteers with Get Out The Vote poster, Salmon Lifelines artwork with Judith Le Blanc, executive director of the Native Organizer Alliance, on a Snake River canoe journey.
NextGen Salmon Collective: Empowering Youth Advocacy for Columbia-Snake River Basin Restoration
Salmon, as an ecological and cultural keystone species, play a crucial role in maintaining the health and integrity of ecosystems across the world. In the Columbia River Basin, due to scores of dams, hot, stagnant water puts salmon populations on the brink of extinction. Youth leadership in salmon advocacy is vital for the restoration of this cherished species and is imperative to foster a sense of environmental stewardship among future generations.
NextGen Salmon Collective is a space for young advocates to harness their advocacy through education, skills, and community with the goal of restoring healthy and abundant salmon in the Columbia-Snake River Basin. Our mission is to foster meaningful connections, provide educational resources, facilitate mentorship, and offer logistical support for youth-led initiatives. By empowering the next generation of environmental leaders, we aim to equip emerging activists with the skills and passion to make a meaningful impact on salmon conservation efforts.
Why NextGen Salmon Collective?
- Empower young leaders with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to advocate for Columbia River Basin salmon recovery.
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Foster collaboration and networking among youth leaders and conservation organizations.
- Implement community-based initiatives to protect and restore healthy and abundant Snake River salmon.
- Raise awareness about Snake River restoration through outreach, education campaigns, and advocacy efforts.
As part of the NextGen Salmon Collective, Save Our wild Salmon offers collaborative internships! This team-based, structured internship will allow a highly passionate and creative student to educate and mobilize their peers on the importance of Columbia-Snake River restoration. Interns will lead community outreach projects and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with other youth organizers across the region. Click here to meet the current NextGen Salmon Collective team!
Empowering youth to become leaders in salmon advocacy is essential for the restoration and protection of this iconic species and the ecosystems they inhabit. The next generation of environmental stewards is among us, and we hope they choose to safeguard the future of Columbia River Basin salmon and all the species that depend on them.
Be a part of the NextGen Salmon Collective!
Applications are open for summer 2025. Learn more about the internship opportunity here. Deadline to apply is May 8, 2025 at 5pm PT. Internship begins in June.
If you have any questions, reach out to Abby Dalke, Outreach Coordinator, at abby@wildsalmon.org.
Salmon Advocate Shoals
Calling all salmon advocates in the Inland Northwest! 
The Inland Northwest is directly impacted by the negative effects of the dams, with toxic algal blooms worsening air and water quality, and communities losing out on the economic and recreation opportunities that a free-flowing river brings. Salmon Advocate Shoals is SOS’ new Inland Northwest-focused initiative aiming to develop a network of volunteer action teams in communities across the Inland Northwest whose advocacy and education efforts are supported by SOS.
Sign up to learn more about our Salmon Advocate Shoals’ work in Inland Northwest communities, including how you can get involved to help spread awareness about the opportunities of a restored lower Snake River, engage with local policymakers, build community with other salmon advocates, and more.
Why “shoal”? 
- In biology, a shoal is a group of fish swimming together for social reasons. In this case, a shoal is a group of volunteers in a community working together to foster greater support and awareness of salmon recovery.
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As a shoal volunteer, you can create strategies that are community-specific, investing time and resources into efforts that are effective in your area. SOS works with each shoal to develop outreach activities, attend and organize events, and engage new people, all while providing resources and support.
- The shoal network connects salmon and river advocates across the Inland Northwest, making it easier to get involved and work together to build momentum forward.
If you have any questions, reach out to Abby Saks, Inland Northwest Grassroots Organizer, abbys@wildsalmon.org.
Join us in working towards solutions for salmon, orcas, and our communities.
Salmon are cultural and ecological keystone species and a critical food source for the endangered Southern Resident orcas. However, many salmon runs face imminent extinction. Together, we will build a better world with abundant salmon runs, healthy ecosystems, and thriving communities for generations to come!
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Action Teams in the Inland Northwest
Salmon Advocate Shoals is a new volunteer program that provides support and resources to volunteer action teams, or “shoals,” throughout the Inland Northwest who work to garner broad local support for salmon recovery.
Empowering Youth Advocacy for Columbia-Snake River Basin Restoration
NextGen Salmon Collective is a space for young advocates to harness their advocacy through education, skills, and community with the goal of restoring healthy and abundant salmon in the Columbia-Snake River Basin.
Art as Advocacy
Northwest Artists Against Extinction is a creative collaboration among artists to build public support and political leadership to restore the Columbia-Snake River Basin and its imperiled wild salmon and steelhead.
