by Morgan Brings Plenty, and BJ McManama

Apetu Was’te Yuhanye (good day, everyone),

For the past month, Indigenous Youth has been working hard to keep in touch with communities of Oceti Sakowin Territory around the different pipeline issues as well as the most recent project proposals that may pose a threat to land within our traditional and tribal reservation lands, and that violate our treaties. 

Across Indian Country tribal grassroots and organizations are analyzing, organizing, and determining what are the options and opportunities in the coming four years as the new administration is being formed with a few questionable appointments being announced. 

Community members continue working to build a strong base by reestablishing roles, and responsibilities, gathering the latest facts and data on the issues, and composing powerful narratives to emphasize the reality of what’s at stake for everyone. 

We’re coming together – Elders, youth, and in between to plan for new threats we know are coming, to analyze and strategize. There is an urgency and momentum is building within our communities to prepare the younger relatives to be leaders, protectors, and land defenders as their time approaches to lead. 

We continue to work through the responses from internal and external sources that cause emotional and social obstacles from multi-generational trauma. Still, as we deal with this reality we are also coming together as a whole across Turtle Island. The work continues in our communities to fight against pipelines that threaten our Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth). There will be additional challenges as the legislative, executive, judicial, and agencies are once again overly influenced by corporate raiders inside and outside these government entities that will take continued collaboration, training, and sharing our stories in all the elements of our work. 

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Join us in pushing the Biden Administration to SHUT DOWN  the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) during the Lame Duck period!

From  November until inauguration day, we will hold President Biden and his Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to STOP DAPL.

Stand with us in solidarity to advocate for the protection of the Standing Rock (SRST) and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes (CRST) against the Black Snake. Click here to read more, and grab a few graphics to amplify this call to action on your social media feeds. We anticipate there will be updates and more to share with your networks as the days fly by before January 20, 2025 – so stay up to date on our social platforms, newsletters, and website.