Yesterday, all over the world, people gathered to speak out against the Dakota Access Pipeline and demand that the government and the Army Corps of Engineers stop the pipeline.
Here is what it looked like in Los Angeles (through polaroids.)
PHOTOESSAY: #NoDAPL Day of Action, Los Angeles
Beautiful!!
Even though the day of action was yesterday in my town we are having events today. Winona LaDuke is giving a talk tonight and I’m excited to go and support the work she is doing.
This is giving me hope.
I take from this picture this event was mostly privilege white folks who are probably cis-hetro and not in the working class? I also take this was taken place either during the week or on a Saturday where, First Nation, queer, poc, Latinx, and lower income people probably could not make it due to either working, taking care of the kids, transportation restrictions, and various other reasons. I get the point of this event in supporting the standing tribe in ND, but protesting out in Los Angeles in solidarity reeks of privilege. Why aren’t these people in DC, ND, or outside the pipeline company’s office? Why not actually do something radical vs just walking and talking? Also, why is Autostraddle approving this soft, white-washed-ish post? Why do something more useful, like go out and get an interview with total queer and totally out babe Arielle Duhaime-Ross who was at Standing Rock recently and did a video piece for Vice News? Seriously check her video out. Or better yet join her and many others there at Standing Rock trying to stop things.
Yesterday was a national day of action against the DAPL. People who could not travel to ND took part. Here in my small northern California town, the day of action was organized by the Mechoopda tribe. It went for much of the day, so many people were able to be there at different times, depending on their work schedules and commitments.
Cher I don’t know if we been looking at the same pictures, because I see POC.
True the ability to take time in the middle of the week isn’t something working class people can do easily (or at all) , but this wasn’t a random day.
It was an organized day of national action. Something a person can plan ahead for or try to.
I wanted to be out protesting in my local area as a Gulf Coast resident but I don’t have the time, the money or the energy because I’m working out a medical problem. But I know people who were able to go because they could schedule ahead and some who sacrificed to do so because this matters so much to them.
How do you know there isn’t somebody in that crowd who is sacrificing something to be there?
Oh and by the way in my local area the economy is mostly hospitality, meaning the best hours with the best tips, most customers is the weekend.
Meaning some the people I know wouldn’t be able to go if this day had been scheduled for the weekend.
Not everyone can support Standing Rock by being there. But yesterday in my community, Winona LaDuke spoke and the event was a fundraiser for Honor the Earth which is directly supporting the Standing Rock Camp. And with the huge community attendance we raised over 8,000 dollars to go directly to Standing Rock. 2,000 dollars of which were the entire profits screen printed shirts and posters that me and a group of students involved in our Native Studies programs spent all day yesterday creating for the community. I imagine most events for the day of action were also fundraisers and various forms of support.
There are so many ways to support Standing Rock and stand against the DAPL.