Eriel deranger biography

Eriel Tchekwie Deranger (born 1979) is a Dënesųłiné indigenous rights activist and climate activist.
Eriel was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, after her family's ancestral lands near Uranium City were forcibly taken for mining and other extraction activities.
Eriel Tchekwie Deranger is a Dënesųłiné member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (Treaty 8) and mother of two.

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Biography

Eriel Tchekwie Deranger is a formidable advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental justice, deeply rooted in the traditions and heritage of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), a Dënesųłiné Nation in northern Alberta, Canada. Her commitment to environmental protection is profoundly personal, shaped by the rich cultural legacy of her people and the existential threats that have imperiled their land and way of life.

Eriel was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, after her family’s ancestral lands near Uranium City were forcibly taken for mining and other extraction activities. Her deep connection to her heritage and homeland has been a guiding force throughout her life and work, inspiring her to advocate fiercely for Indigenous rights and environmental justice in the face of continued industrial encroachment.

“My family has been challenging these industries for decades, citing the risks and dangers to the land, water, animals, our way of life, and ultimately our inherent and treaty rights,” she said.

In 2015, Eriel founded the Canada-based Indigenous

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Last updated: October 20, 2020

Eriel Tchekwie Deranger is a Dënesųłiné member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (Treaty 8) and mother of two. Deranger is the Executive Director and co-founder of Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) - an Indigenous-led climate justice organization empowering communities and inspiring Indigenous-led climate solutions. ICA develops educational multi-media and contemporary climate change resources for Indigenous communities, amplifies stories and supports Indigenous rights to sovereignty and self-determination.

In addition to her role at ICA, Deranger is an active member of the UN Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change participating in UNFCCC COP and preparatory meetings; was also a founding member of the Global UN Indigenous Youth Caucus; and she sits on the boards of Bioneers, It Takes Roots Leadership Council, Climate Justice Resiliency Fund Council of Advisors, the UK Tar Sands Network and WWF Canada.

Deranger has written for The Guardian, The Yellowhead Institute, The National Observer

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Eriel Deranger

Indigenous climate activist; executive director of Indigenous Climate Action

Eriel Deranger
Born	Eriel Tchekwie Deranger 1979 (age 45–46)
Nationality	Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Canada
Occupation(s)	Indigenous rights and climate change activist
Employer	Indigenous Climate Action

Eriel Tchekwie Deranger (born 1979) is a Dënesųłiné indigenous rights activist and climate activist. She is executive director of Indigenous Climate Action.

Career

Deranger worked as communications coordinator for the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation beginning in 2011.^[1] She has also worked for Rainforest Action Network and Sierra Club Canada.^[2] Her work and activism has focused on the recognition of the sovereignty of the indigenous people of the Treaty 8 area of Canada.^[3]

Deranger organized activism and indigenous protests against the expansion of the Athabasca oil sands in Alberta, Canada.^[4]^[5] She was a founder of the Tar Sands Healing Walk, an annual ceremony from 2010-201