Greetings!

As we continue to make our way back from Standing Rock, we recognize that there is a lot of fear and uncertainty in the air about a Trump presidency, particularly for those concerned with social and environmental justice. One of the messages of hope that we bring back from Standing Rock is from an action that we were a part of last Saturday.

In that action, the Standing Rock Water Protectors were joined by Black Lives Matter, the Brown Berets, PICO, and white allies in a human medicine wheel on Dakota Access Pipeline land. In a ceremony of stunning solidarity across races and movements, one indigenous speaker proclaimed, "I want Trump to know that we thank him for the opportunity to bring these networks together... we are no longer alone!"

This overwhelming display of unity was all the more eloquent for the roles that each group took on, each acknowledging their own power and gifts. White allies locked arms and formed a protective wall between the people of color and police. Black Lives Matter organizers, veterans of many direct actions, took the lead in organizing people to create safety during a potentially risky action.

Standing Rock may not be the end of the conversation that we are all a part of right now, but it offers a profound vision for everyone seeking a way forward in dark times.

The Standing Rock Sioux, and native peoples everywhere, have suffered near genocide and oppression beyond what most other people can even conceive of. Today, they still stand strong, with their culture and traditions intact, resisting something that most of the country has come to accept as business-as-usual. The rest of us can learn from their example.

Click here now to see our video of the Medicine Wheel action. 


Blessings,
Jesse