Let it be writing an open letter urging one of the 38 banks providing capital for entities building the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), to withdraw their funding out of this unlawful project that, if completed, will contaminate the water source for 18 million people including Indigenous communities in North Dakota!
"It's hard to keep in mind something as simple as water, but it's important," reads the 2017 wall calendar published by Do1Thing, a non-profit organization on a mission to build more disaster resilient communities. As a U.S. citizen, you have the privilege of knowing that water -- an area of focus in Do1Thing's twelve-step emergency preparedness program -- is always there; for your drinking, cleaning and cooking needs….but what if you wake up one day and find out that the water stopped flowing, or it wasn't clean. What would you do?
This is a question Native Americans living on the Sioux Reservation in North Dakota are praying they won't have to answer, as they struggle to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) from being built under Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.
Since Spring 2016, the Indigenous led #NoDAPL movement has been working tirelessly to resist the pipeline on many levels including spiritually, legally, financially (#DefundDAPL) and through peaceful direct actions, some of which is chronicled in the short documentary film Mni Wiconi: The Stand at Standing Rock directed by Lucian Read.
Not only do I encourage movie lovers to watch this 8-minute film because it may help you get a better understanding of what's at stake for Native Americans and the earth we all share as human beings, it is the main point of reference for the Mni Wiconi (Water is Life) Blogathon hosted by yours truly with Shannon at The Warrior Muse and Misha Gericke at The Five Year Project, running now through Saturday January 7th.
In addition to gathering Do1Thing for calendars friends and family during the holiday season, I set a few aside for a GIVEAWAY following this Blogathon.
That means five lucky Mni Wiconi Blogathon participants will Win a 2017 Do1Thing Calendar with step-by-step water emergency plans and a swag bag filled with all sorts of goodies that can get you started on building your emergency supply kit!
A STAR WARS surprise is to be included in one of these packages as well. More details can be found in the Mni Wiconi Blogathon Announcement post.
What are YOU doing to prevent a water crisis at Standing Rock?
Have YOU watched the Mni Wiconi: The Stand at Standing Rock' film yet?
Is YOUR money is funding the genocide of Indigenous peoples?