Join SVMoA, filmmaker Jessie Sears of Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Hayley Stuart of Rios to Rivers for an evening exploring the story of the Klamath River and the movement to restore rivers across the West. The program includes a screening of First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath, a 30-minute film following Indigenous youth on the historic first source-to-sea descent of the Klamath after the removal of four dams. Following the film, Sears and Stuart will discuss the journey, the making of the film, and their roles in the project. Framed in connection with Lucy Raven's work and its attention to landscape, environmental change, and systems of pressure and release, the discussion will expand to the larger context of dam removal and river restoration, as well as the speakers' current and future projects.
Jessie Sears is a proud member of the Karuk tribe, a producer, a director, and a cinematographer based in Portland, Oregon. She is currently a full-time producer director for Oregon Public Broadcasting, producing stories for Oregon Field Guide, Oregon Experience, and Art Beat. She focuses on the experiences and voices of Indigenous communities across the region, with her recent film, First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath winning the 2026 NW Regional Emmy Award for Topical Documentary and best Indigenous short at the 2026 Bend Film Festival. Jessie is the co-producer for The Caldera, a documentary examining the complexities surrounding a proposed lithium mine in southeastern Oregon. Her previous works includes collaboration on Undamming Klamath, a film celebrating the Indigenous-led movement behind the largest river restoration in history.
Hayley Stuart is a filmmaker, river advocate, and Director of Global Campaigns and Engagement at Ríos to Rivers, where she works at the intersection of river conservation, Indigenous leadership, and climate advocacy. Hayley supported the Paddle Tribal Waters program, helping to amplify the story of the Indigenous youth who trained for years to complete the first descent of the newly undammed Klamath River, and is involved in the development of an upcoming Ríos to Rivers feature-length documentary about their journey. Her work also extends to the Bolivian Amazon, where she collaborates with communities working to protect threatened river systems. As a coordinator of the Rivers for Climate Coalition, Hayley advocates for free-flowing rivers at the United Nations and works to ensure that hydropower's climate impacts and the value of healthy rivers are better reflected in global climate policy. She holds an MSc in Water Science, Policy, and Management from the University of Oxford and is passionate about the power of storytelling and community-led action to protect rivers and the people who depend on them.
The film screening and talk will take place in the museum from 5:30-6:30PM.
