Facing Race: A National Conference in St. Louis, MO — November 20-22, 2024

Thomas Dardar Jr.

Principal Chief | United Houma Nation

Thomas Dardar Jr. is the Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation Tribe located in Southeast Louisiana. In his second term of office, Thomas serves on numerous boards and councils representing his Tribe. He also proudly wears the bonnet of Indian Santa, where he and his family deliver toys to hundreds of children at Christmas time. Chief Dardar is passionate about the impacts of coastal land loss, sea level rise and subsidence that are at a crisis proportion in the UHN communities.  He is a diligent advocate speaking out on the historical and continued environmental injustices in coastal, southeast Louisiana.


Presentations from Facing Race 2014

Trailers, Tarps and Toxins - Interventions at the Intersection of Disaster Capitalism and Environmental Racism

How do disasters and disaster recovery policy exacerbate racially disparate outcomes? What are community-led policy solutions for advancing equitable recovery? In the context of accelerating climate change and environmental racism, what happens when disaster strikes is a critical front in the fight for racial justice. From hurricanes to tornados to tar sands to industrial accidents, the Gulf South has experienced a high concentration of these disasters. Panelists will share analysis and strategies in response.

Speakers: Monique Harden, Thomas Dardar Jr., Juan Parras, Yudith Nieto