Native Sun News Today: Native activists hold Joe Biden to campaign promises

Indianz.Com > News > Native Sun News Today: Native activists hold Joe Biden to campaign promises

WATCH: A coalition of grassroots advocates, Black, Indigenous and brown leaders from across the United States, occupied Democratic National Committee Headquarters in Washington for 24 hours to demand that President-Elect Biden and his administration follow through on a bold agenda to address the climate crisis. We were joined by members of congress as well. We are have passed the tipping point to stop climate change. We must act quickly to mitigate the climate chaos we are experiencing for the sky, land and water. The people demand President-elect Biden move to a just transition centered in Indigenous knowledge so that Mother Earth can heal. We can't afford to continue to fight climate change with false solutions and carbon mechanisms that allow big polluters to pollute. It's time to divest from fossil fuels and invest in a regenerative economy that allows us to thrive. This action is led by youth, movement leaders, frontline activists, and artists collectively representing a range of identities and communities confronting the interlocking crises in front of us. Against great obstacles during this pandemic, people across the country turned out in record numbers to pick new leaders who will care and govern for all of us. As a result, Joe Biden has been elected president on the most ambitious climate platform of any nominee for a major party in history. The people have spoken, and we are demanding a climate champion in the White House. Thanks to all our partners who shared this space Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective, Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy – GCCLP, BLM Philly General Body Meeting, ARM in ARM 4 Climate, It Takes Roots, Right To The City Alliance, Sunrise Movement, Climate Justice Alliance, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Working Families Party, People's Action, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman for Congress, Ilhan Omar, Senator Edward J. Markey, Ro Khanna.
Posted by Indigenous Environmental Network on Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Indigenous Environmental Network: Occupation of Democratic National Committee Headquarters – November 2020

Natives occupy Democratic National Committee Headquarters

Monday, December 7, 2020

By Talli Nauman

Native Sun News Today Health & Environment Editor

nativesunnews.today

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the third anniversary of the world famous police water-hose assault against Dakota Access Pipeline resisters at Standing Rock, ongoing unrest over oil pipeline construction across the Northern Great Plains culminated in Native grassroots involvement at the occupation of the Democratic National Committee Headquarters here on November 19.

The event melded support from Native and other organizations nationwide into a coalition pressuring President-elect Joe Biden to make good on his campaign promises to act on stemming global warming and on halting construction of the Keystone XL Canadian tar-sands crude pipeline across unceded Lakota treaty territory.

“We have passed the tipping point to stop climate change. We must act quickly to mitigate the climate chaos we are experiencing for the sky, land and water,” the Indigenous Environmental Network said.

“The people demand President-elect Biden move to a just transition centered in Indigenous knowledge so that Mother Earth can heal. We can’t afford to continue to fight climate change with false solutions and carbon mechanisms that allow big polluters to pollute,” the national non-profit said in a prepared statement at the 24-hour occupation.

tasinasapawin — TaSina Sapa Win holds her son as she stands against oil pipeline construction in Native treaty territory with other members of the Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective during their intervention at a coalition occupation of the Democratic National Committee headquarters intended to make sure President-elect Joe Biden keeps campaign promises for climate justice. Photo courtesy TaSina Sapa Win

The action, led by youth, frontline activists, and artists — representing a range of identities from Black, Indigenous and brown leaders in communities across the United States — was joined by members of the U.S. Congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who noted she worked with the Biden campaign to develop a $2 trillion budget plan that takes on the climate crisis.

During the sit-in, prominent participants included members of the Eagle-Butte-based Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective Joseph White Eyes, Danny GrassRope, Rhea Le Compte, and TaSina Sapa Win, who was the first speaker in the diverse lineup.

“It breaks my heart every day to watch it happen and watch TC Energy dig up the earth and go under our rivers and waterways,” she said of the Canadian company seeking KXL permits, formerly known as TransCanada Corp.

“Biden, with or without your support, this pipeline will be stopped by the indigenous communities and allies on the path!” declared the collective she co-founded.

“We have been fighting the KXL Pipeline since 2008 and intend to push Joe Biden until he keeps his promise to cancel the KXL pipeline. We need the President-elect to take bold action to mitigate climate change, our communities depend on it. We demand a just transition grounded in Indigenous knowledge so we can divest from fossil fuels and create a regenerative economy that treats workers with care,” the collective stated.

Many occupation participants demanded a Presidential Administration dedicated to the components of a Green New Deal.

“This includes a corporate-free Cabinet and Administration staffed with personnel committed to addressing the climate threat, as well as following through on promises made during the campaign,” the organizers said.