The American Association of University Women, AAUW, is celebrating its seventy-fifth year in Port Townsend, and this year, they are recognizing women of the global majority who live and work here and add to our rich community culture.

For the month of November, the AAUW is recognizing Rosalee Walz, chairperson of the Chemakum Tribal Council. Walz grew up in Port Townsend and earned her Master’s degree from the University of Washington in whole systems design, which means “understanding human interactions to identify, design, develop, and manage resilient human habitats that yield perennial abundance and enduring value.” 

While living in Seattle, she was a board member of the Indian Health Services Commission. As an award-winner from Roots of Resilance, it was stated that she “works to reclaim, restore, and promote Chemakum history and culture, and preserve their sacred link to the land for cultural and sustenance purposes through seven generations and beyond.”

Walz says she was most influenced by her “father’s love of nature and his attention to details from tiny to huge,” and her love of nature is evident in her storytelling. As the tribal chairperson, she is working with others to re-learn the almost-lost original language of her tribe, as well as creating a Chemakum dictionary.

Walz will be the featured speaker at the November AAUW meeting on Saturday, Nov. 18 at the Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St, Port Townsend. The public is invited. Doors open at 9:30 and meeting starts at 10.