Northern Chumash Tribal Council Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker was recognized on the 2025 TIME100 Climate List for her leadership in cultural land conservation and ocean protection.
Walker led the decade-long effort to create the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, a 4,500-square-foot area rich in cultural and natural history. The designation, enacted in 2024, prohibits offshore drilling and undersea mining, according to the website.
“Our advocacy in this campaign was really about education, and all that it is is teaching people how to protect something that is vital to our existence on this planet,” Walker said. “The ocean is ultimately in charge, and we need to be good stewards of the earth while we’re here.”
As the first Indigenous-led marine sanctuary in United States history, it ensures cultural and environmental protection for the Central Coast.
“It’s great to be acknowledged and recognized, but I kind of feel like my best has yet to come,” Walker said. “The sanctuary was not the end. It was the beginning of my journey in conservation, and it has just begun.”
Walker’s family has been involved in conservation for generations — her father, Chief Fred Harvey Collins, was the Tribal Council chair and a pioneer in local and national advocacy for sacred lands, including Morro Rock, Oceano Dunes, Diablo Canyon and Avila Beach.
Born and raised near See Canyon, Walker’s family was completely self-sustaining — no plumbing or electricity, instead hunting, fishing and growing their own food.
“While the whole rest of the world was moving forward, our people were still living off the land and taking care of the land, and the land was taking care of us,” Walker said.
Growing up, Walker and her family were involved in projects including the preservation of sacred land from agricultural development in Santa Margarita Ranch and recovery after the 1992 Avila Beach oil spill.
As she continued her advocacy work, Walker received training from Emerge California, an organization that supports women in advancing their political careers.
“My training for local politics and advocacy really began when I was 12, sitting around the dinner table with family, talking about the issues going on and our projects around the county advocating for the protection of our sacred sites,” Walker said. “But the Emerge training really set me up for what came next, when my father nominated the marine sanctuary, which became a 10-year campaign.”
After her TIME Magazine recognition, Walker attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil alongside activist Sylvia Earle, Governor Gavin Newsom, Pope Leo XIV and several Indigenous leaders in November.
Walker also received the Peter Douglas Coastal Stewardship Award in October, which recognizes an individual committed to “social equity and public access for the California coast for all,” according to the website.
“The Peter Douglas Award was one of the most special things to me. He was truly a pioneer and a warrior for the coast of California,” Walker said.
Currently, the Tribal Council is undertaking several projects, including acquiring Dos Pueblos Ranch in Santa Barbara County and advocating for the removal of off-road vehicles on the Oceano Dunes.
Walker encourages everyone to find ways to protect the land they live on, including staying politically active, cleaning the beaches and recycling. The Council also offers volunteering and internship opportunities for students.
“Participation is the rent you pay for your space on Earth,” Walker said.
