Southern California Communities Rally for Standing Rock

Southern California communities rally for Standing Rock

Written by Terria Smith

Tribal people from across Southern California are showing their support for the Standing Rock Sioux Nation’s movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline in a series of demonstrations that have taken place across the region.

As has been internationally publicized, the community members of Standing Rock along with thousands of tribal members and supporters from all over the continent as well as the world have spent several months at the Sacred Stone camp and other encampments along the Missouri River in efforts to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. If the project goes through, the pipeline would span 1,100 miles and carry crude oil underground through four states. Opponents of the pipeline fear that the river water may become contaminated if the pipeline were to rupture. The Standing Rock reservation community as well as an estimated 18 million people depend on the Missouri River for drinking water.

In Los Angeles, a benefit concert was followed by a weekend of direct action in late August at major television news networks. The concert raised more than $3,000 to help with the efforts to defeat the Dakota Access Pipeline. While the demonstrations called for the mainstream media to start covering Native American issues nationally.

One of the actions was a rally that brought about 100 people together in front of the CNN building in Los Angeles. The event opened with a welcome from Tongva elder Gloria Arellanes and was MC’d by KPFK’s American Indian Airwaves talk radio host Larry Smith (Lumbee). Featured speakers included Cody Hall, spokesperson for the Red Warrior Camp and “Magnificent Seven” actor Martin Sensmeier.

The Quechan community of Fort Yuma gathered 100 people of their own when they hosted a rally and march to support Standing Rock in early September.

In downtown San Diego, a demonstration in early September at the federal courthouse brought together about 150 people from the local tribes as well as others from across the country to voice their concerns against the pipeline. Singers and dancers from Kumeyaay, Desert Cahuilla, Cupeño, and other communities shared bird songs. There was also hand drumming and Aztec dancing. Bobby Wallace from the Barona Band of Mission Indians Reservation hosted speakers including Sylvia Sherbert (Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel), Deedee Ybarra (Rumsen Ohlone), and Harry Paul Cuero Jr. (Campo Kumeyaay Nation).

More Southern California tribes supported the efforts of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation with letters of support and resolutions against the Dakota Access Pipeline project. Tribal governments that sent in letters include the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. Further, members the Barona Band of Mission Indians, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians and others traveled to North Dakota to deliver donation items as well as offer songs and prayers.

To learn more about the efforts against the Dakota Access Pipeline, visit http://sacredstonecamp.org/