Water is life: Lucille Contreras shares testimony in Convening of the Four Winds series by Movement Rights

Lucille Contreras speaks on Indigenous water sovereignty in Convening of the Four Winds series

We’re honored to share that our founder and CEO, Lucille Contreras, was recently featured in the Convening of the Four Winds water testimony series, a powerful video project by Movement Rights. This series uplifts Indigenous voices from across the continent who are on the frontlines of protecting sacred water sources—and Lucille’s voice is a vital one.

In this episode, Lucille shares insights from her work as a Lipan Apache woman, rancher, and water protector—speaking on the ancestral relationship between the people, the land, the buffalo, and the waters that sustain us all. Her testimony emphasizes the deep spiritual and ecological significance of water in Indigenous traditions and calls for a renewed responsibility to protect and defend water as a sacred relative—not just a resource.

Key topics covered in the video:

• Indigenous water rights and sovereignty

• Buffalo land rematriation and stewardship

• Environmental justice in Texas and the Southern Plains

• Cultural revitalization through food, language, and ceremony

• Native-led climate resilience and sustainable ranching