In Memoriam: Ellen Lutz, executive director of Cultural Survival

We are deeply saddened to report that Cultural Survival’s executive director, Ellen Lutz, died on Thursday, November 4, after a long battle with breast cancer, surrounded by her husband, Ted Macdonald, and her children, David and Julia. She was 55.

Ellen’s contribution to Cultural Survival is beyond measure, and we all had enormous affection for her personally and respect for her professionally. She will be sorely missed, but her influence will shape all our work for many years to come.

Ellen’s six-year tenure at Cultural Survival was part of a lifetime of human rights work that included positions with the Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution and Human Rights Watch, teaching at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and books on subjects that ranged from consequences of torture to trying heads of state for human rights violations. It would be impossible to put a number on the thousands of people helped by her efforts, but small measure of her impact is found in the flood of emails from every continent that have been pouring into Cultural Survival’s offices since news of her passing has spread.

She faced her death as she lived her life: with unbending dignity and unflinching courage. Even while suffering the depredations of cancer she continued to work at Cultural Survival until three months before her death, and after stepping down, she continued to be engaged with the organization from her bed. That level of dedication is emblematic of her whole life, which she spent making this world more like the one she assuredly now occupies.

Cultural Survival is planning a fund in Ellen’s name to benefit Indigenous rights; if you would like more information about that fund or would like to make a donation, please contact Polly Laurelchild-Hertig at polly@cs.org. —

As always, we welcome your comments. Please send your feedback and suggestions to agnes@cs.org.

Cultural Survival is a global leader in the fight to protect Indigenous lands, languages, and cultures around the world. In partnership with Indigenous Peoples, we advocate for Native communities whose rights, cultures, and dignity are under threat. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, we are a membership organization whose board of directors includes some of the world’s preeminent Indigenous leaders, as well as lawyers, anthropologists, business leaders, and philanthropists. For more information go to www.cs.org

Jodi Rave