Allies to the Water Protectors #NODAPL

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The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,172-mile conduit which will carry crude oil from North Dakota to southern Illinois. The Standing Rock Sioux, a Native group whose source of drinking water will be crossed multiple times by the pipeline filed a lawsuit to block construction this summer. A spirit ride on the Standing Rock Reservation launched the protest against the pipeline in April. Since then, thousands of allies from other tribes and communities from across the country and internationally have arrived at Cannon Ball, North Dakota.

As the water protectors put their bodies on the line in direct action to pipeline construction, response from private security, Morton County Sheriffs, and other law enforcement agencies called in from other counties, escalated to use of dogs, tanks of pepper spray, and rubber bullets.

Before many people made it to the polls on Tuesday, allies of the water protectors blocked traffic at a major intersection in San Francisco. Banners read, “What they do to the water, they do to us,” which is just one of the messages allies brought back from Standing Rock.

Two women who journeyed to Standing Rock, joined me in studio: Pam Tau Lee, and Cece Carpio. Pam visited STanding Rock in late September, Cece in late October, and Barbara will be heading out there next week. Also joining us is Barbara Mumby who will be heading out to Standing Rock with her daughter next week.

There are many ways for you to engage with this struggle. As Pam mentioned, it’s getting cold out there and winter gear is needed. Also, word about an anonymous donor contributing funds to bail out the water protectors is simply not true and funds re still needed for the legal defense.

There’s also a phone calling, email letter writing campaign on November 14. Gather in community and hold letter-writing, emailing, and calling parties to urge the immediate END of DAPL.

For those who want to get involved more directly, there’s a national day of action on Tuesday, November 15. The Bay Area action starts at 6:30 a.m. at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza. This sunrise ceremony and mass nonviolent direct action is to stand together in the BAY AREA in solidarity with the peoples of Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota and against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The demands to the  US Army Corps of Engineers are to 1) Deny Permit to Bore Under the Missouri River, and 2) complete a Full Environmental Impact Statement. 

Nine Point Plan to See Party People

Party People, a high-wattage fusion of story and song that unlocks the legacy of the Black Panthers and Young Lords. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.com

Party People is a complex examination of revolutionary times up at Berkeley Rep. Artistic ensemble UNIVERSES rocks and unlocks the legacy of the Black Panthers and Young Lords through a high-enegy show featuring live video, hip hop, rock, gospel, blues, Latin rhythms and spoken word.

This segment is a 9 Points for watching Party People and features Asian American activists from the 1960s and ’70s Shoshana Arai, Ben Lee, and Pam Tau Lee.

6/2/11 Youth Voices

On tonight’s show we highlight youth voices. Marie Choi brings us a segment featuring the Chinese Progressive Association‘s delegation to the U.S./Mexico border. Ellen Choy brings us the voices of the SAFIRE young women of Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice. Karl Jagbandhansingh hosts. Tune in!

7/15/10 Apex Recaps the USSF in Detroit

Photo provided by National Radio Project

Listen:

We talk with organizers from the Chinese Progressive Association, Asian Immigrant Women Advocates, and Making Contact about their experiences at the USSF in Detroit. How are these organizations building on the momentum of the forum in the Bay Area?

We also honor and highlight excerpts from legendary Grace Lee Boggs.