Standing Rock Reflections

I am home, held within the sweet caress of my husband. I am warm, I am resting, and I am grateful. I am overflowing.

It all feels a bit like a dream. Standing Rock. My brothers & sisters there are now living within a winter that has arrived with a fury. Just 24 hours after our departure, a foot of snow covered the ground, and the cold there will bite you to the bone.

I have much on my mind and in my heart. Overflowing. Much to share, and not exactly sure where to begin. Many who are headed to Standing Rock are asking for advice - and I think it makes sense to write a blog post specifically geared towards addressing those questions - not as any voice of authority - but only to share what I experienced, and to aid other allies in their preparations to the best of my ability. Expect that soon. xo

The situation on the ground there is changing daily. The Army Corps of Engineers has issued an evacuation notice for the main camp, known as Oceti Sakowin Camp, for December 5th. There are currently thousands of people camping there, and they have no intention of moving. There are over 2100 unarmed Veterans arriving on December 4th to Stand in Solidarity with the Water Protectors, and to act as a "human shield" between the lawless law enforcement and the Water Protectors. Various authorities in North Dakota have 1) asked local shops in neighboring towns to refuse service or supplies to anyone who is a part of the camps, 2) stated that emergency services will not be available to anyone in the main camp after December 5th, and 3) stated that law enforcement will be ticketing & fining people upwards of $1000 for delivering supplies the main camp. 

Whether or not you like pipelines, whether or not you drink water, regardless of how you feel about this whole situation, at the most basic human level, this is WRONG. Peoples lives are in danger. This winter can kill. Cutting off supplies in the dead of winter. Forceful eviction. Violent attacks during prayer and ceremony. Treating human beings this way is wrong on every level, and unfortunately this treatment is nothing new for our Native Americans. It's time we stand up. It is time that we Listen, Learn, and Lend a Hand, in whatever way we are able.

As members of the human race, we have a right to protest. We have a right to free speech. And our Native Americans most definitely have every right to pray, on their own land, to hold ceremony, and to peacefully assemble. They are standing up for YOU. They are praying for our Mother Earth, for our water, and for YOU. If there is no clean water, there is no life. They are asking us to listen, to forge a new path, to build a new future.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for joining me on this journey. Thank you for listening as I process. Thank you for divesting your money from banks funding this madness. Thank you for calling those responsible for these crimes against humanity. Thank you for being you. 

If you would like to follow the story, as it progresses on the ground, I recommend following any/all of these folks.... Dallas Goldtooth, Kandi Mossett, Indigenous Environmental Network, Indigenous Rising Media, John Wathen.

More to come. Much Love, y'all. xo

Standing Rock : Nov 27

"It's like being ripped from the womb", she said, and I think she was right....

Amidst tears, we packed up and drove away from Standing Rock today. I left a piece of my heart by that river. I prayed by that river. Sang songs to that river. Met people who are willing to die for that river.

The coming days, for me personally, will be full of driving and reflection. And I will share what I can as it comes to me. The coming days, for the tribes and their allies in North Dakota, will be full of prayer, of ceremony, of biting cold wind & snow, and an uncertainty about the future. 

For now what I want you to know is this... there are beautiful people all over the world, and an impossibly huge number of them are gathered at Standing Rock. 

I have been touched in ways I cannot yet explain. I am grateful. And I will do all in my power to get these voices of our Native People out into this great big world. Heart to heart. Human to Human. 

The shortest distance between a human being and the truth is a story, and I am honored to have been trusted with so many stories to share. 

Much Love, my friends. Much more to come. xo

Standing Rock : Nov 26

I am humbled and grateful for the time I have spent here at Standing Rock. The people I have met, the stories I have heard, the wisdom that has been shared - I have truly learned so much, and I don't imagine that life will ever quite be the same. 

In the face of ongoing oppression, the Native people of these lands stand strong and brave. United. Peaceful. Prayerful. Building a community like no other. This is a beautiful movement, my friends, and I hope you will support it in whatever ways you are able. Come here. Stand with them. Divest from banks funding the Pipeline. Call the White House. Call the Governor of North Dakota. Sign petitions. Send money or supplies. Talk to your neighbors.

The coming days will be challenging, and the winter unforgiving. The camps are growing every day. The Army Corps of Engineers has issued an eviction notice for Oceti Sakowin Camp for December 5th. Hundreds of unarmed Veterans are arriving to stand with the Water Protectors on December 4th. Your prayers and your support will be needed.

Tomorrow we will hug our new friends, and begin the journey home. All your donations have been put to good use, and have been tremendously appreciated. Water is Life. And these Indigenous People, from over 300 tribes, along with their non-Native allies, are standing up for your drinking water and mine. For our Future. For the future of all life.

Water is life. Water is sacred. Water is everything. They know this, and it's time that we listen.

Standing Rock : Nov 25

I have been collecting stories all day today, and I cannot wait to share them with you... truly... heart to heart... the people I am meeting out here are inspiring.

The ups and downs out here are constant. After a beautiful day of sunshine, music, stories, and supper - A statement was issued by the Army Corps of Engineers that they will be removing people from the camp on the north side of the Cannonball River on December 5th. There are currently over 8,000 people camped on the north side of the Cannonball River, my friends. This is the entire Oceti Sakowin Camp that we are talking about here. 

We are all waiting on an official statement from the Elders, and I'll share more when I know more. Hundreds of unarmed Veterans are due to arrive on December 4th to stand with the Water Protectors, and I imagine that the days ahead will be tense for camp, and particularly for those planning to stay through the winter, "until this is done".

I look forward to tomorrow morning's sunrise prayer ceremony. I am honored to be here, standing with these beautiful people, standing up for life. These people have been mistreated, and continue to be mistreated, in ways I cannot fully comprehend. To be honest, I'm embarrassed to be a citizen of a country that treats is Native People this way. It's way past time the original inhabitants of this land are treated with respect, and this forced removal on Dec 5th is not the way. Please send your love and prayers. They are needed now in a huge way.

Standing Rock : Nov 24

To be honest, I've never been so afraid for my life as I was today...

The law enforcement here has been targeting blonde female journalists. And today I found myself filming a peaceful protest. Unarmed Water Protectors vs. Militarized Law Enforcement. They dotted the hilltop. Riot gear. Guns. Hoses. So many of them. 

Things remained peaceful today - no tear gas, no mace, no rubber bullets, no water cannons - but amidst it all was a discomfort I couldn't ignore. I felt safest filming from behind parked vehicles with a long lens, and so I did. I was genuinely afraid I'd be shot by law enforcement for doing my job, and this was a new, and terrifying, experience for me.

I expressed my discomfort and fear to the Elders, men I've only known for two days, and in response they said "If they start shooting, get behind one of the Grandfathers." 

My heart swelled up inside my chest. Tears of gratitude. These men, I realized in that moment, were willing to die for me, for you, for their children, for your children, for water, for our Future. And I had the honor of standing by their side today, on a day we call "Thanksgiving". A day that, from this point forward, will never be the same....

I am grateful. For this time. This place. These people. This family. This sacred land. And for the opportunity to stand together, and to eat together, on a day that calls for deep healing. Much Love, my friends. Let's be grateful, always. xo

Standing Rock : Nov 23

I'm not sure that I have words for today, but I'll try.... and I'll begin with gratitude. Gratitude for the invitation to come here, to be able to answer the call for "moccasins on the ground", to stand with these brave and Peaceful Water Protectors. Gratitude for the opportunity to learn about a history that has been hidden, erased. Gratitude for Rosebud camp, for the sacred fire and for the Elders who graciously share their wisdom and stories. Gratitude for this community. Gratitude for life, and water, and friends, and the opportunity to stand here and stand up for future generations. Gratitude.

I am exhausted. In the best way possible. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and most of us in the United States will give thanks and feast on beautiful food. Gratitude is important, and knowledge is power. I am beginning to learn how dark a day Thanksgiving is for our Native Americans. And I challenge you tomorrow to dig deep, seek knowledge of erased histories, seek answers, talk about the hard stuff, and practice compassion - on yourself and others - on a day that, for our Native Americans, is quite different from the one that we, as non-Natives, are accustomed to.

I am truly amazed at the power of this place and this sacred ground. Community is the answer, my friends. Our shared future depends on our shared present. We must work together, every day, to foster Love, and to create a world in which there is room for all of us, not just some of us. I am gathering stories here, I am crying, I am praying, I am humbled, and I cannot wait to share these moments with you. 

I miss my sweet husband and my family terribly, but I cannot think of a better place to spend Thanksgiving of 2016 than right here. Right here - alongside a movement like no other. Over 300 tribes have gathered here in solidarity - to stop the black snake - to protect our water, our lives, and our future. This is huge, my friends, and I am honored for the opportunity to share this time and this space with such beautiful people. Truly. 

With all my love & gratitude. Water Is Life. Mni Wiconi.

Standing Rock : Nov 22

Our first full day at Standing Rock was absolutely that - very full. We've been here for just over 24 hours, and time moves slowly out here. The community is beautiful, inspiring, full of love and prayer and beautiful intention. Your donations are being sorted, gifted, accepted, and appreciated. And with the cold months ahead, your donations may literally save a life. 

I'm all checked in, I officially have my media badge, and I look forward to documenting life here in camp, and sharing stories with you all as I am able. Cell service is spotty, so I will update as I can. And for those of you who are prone to worry, instead of worrying, please pray. However that looks for you. Please pray for the health and safety of the Peaceful Water Protectors.

And please - stay tuned-in to what is going on here at Standing Rock. Share all the news that you can. Speak up. Speak out. Federal laws are being broken, human rights are being violated, and people's lives are in danger. All to protect a PIPELINE. Let that sink in.

This is all very, very real. Indigenous Lives matter, and this moment, right NOW, is our opportunity to build a new legacy, to honor and respect our Native Americans, to acknowledge the suffering they have (and continue to) endure, and to stand up with them for what is right. 

We've been reminded here that "We are responsible for what we do, and what we do not do." I challenge you to hold that in your heart. Water is Life. Mni Wiconi. Much Love, y'all.

Discrimination in Real Time

We are en route to Nouth Dakota, still....  I'm sitting in a small theater in Spearfish, South Dakota. Taking a deep breath as a goddess strums her banjo on the stage. Serendipity arrived today, again, and my mind is blown. In a way I'm not sure I've experienced yet.

Our van was feeling little crunchy this morning, so we made a couple of phone calls and pulled over... to visit the one and only mechanic open on a sleepy Sunday in small town South Dakota. He sounded nice enough on the phone, like he may turn out to be our road angel for this unfortunate situation we were finding ourselves in. Our experience in person, however, was quite different....

"Where you headed?" he asked
"North Dakota" we answered, trying to keep it neutral.
And then immediately he fired back... "You going there to protest?"

We felt the tension. And it was strange - unexpected - everyone else we'd encountered thus far had been so lovely - grateful even - literally thanking us for our pilgrimage to Stand with the Water Protectors. So we didn't quite know how to respond....

"We're delivering some supplies" seemed like a neutral-ish answer, not realizing that his mind, at this point, had already been made up. He was going to refuse us service, and silently inside of himself he was calculating exactly how he was going to deliver this message. He looked over the van, and got busy typing things up on the computer. When he finally walked around the counter, he was shaking. "Here's what you will need," he said, "but I will not work on your van."

....wait, what?!

"I don't agree with what's going on there, and I don't agree with what you are doing, so I won't be working on your van."

There was no budging his stubborn and bruised heart. No human-to-human empathy. Nothing.

Unbelievable.

For a couple of white women, alone on the road, and accustomed to the privilege that comes along with being born into this skin, this was a discomfort unfamiliar to us. And a powerful one.

Discrimination. Let's talk about it.
It's very real, my friends. And in a way, I am grateful for this opportunity to feel the sting. There are many people among us who feel this sting every single day. Who always have. There are many people who have *never* been treated equally - because of their beliefs, their trajectory, their skin color, their religion, their identity, their gender, and beyond.

We cannot continue this way as people...
This is not the way of love.
This is not the way towards a future where there is room for everyone.

So now we know what it feels like to be refused service for our beliefs. And I can tell you this, as you may already know far better than I, it doesn't feel good. 

My heart, today and every day moving forward, is open. Compassion expanded. Complexities revealed. Gentle footsteps laden with intention. Onward. Together. In Love.