Students Gather to Support Standing Rock

By Samantha Alsina on November 10, 2016

On November 7th, a group of 30 or so students gathered at the quarry to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

Last September, security workers clashed with peaceful protesters. Images showed many natives being pepper sprayed and attacked by dogs. Since then, the violence has continued with the presence of militarized police to the extent that many have compared their presence to a standing army.

A timeline of the Dakota Access Pipeline outlines the progression from the permit approval to Dakota Access to the eventual charges brought against Dakota Access by the Sioux at Standing Rock.

Students gathered together with signs that read “Keep the Oil in the Soil” or “Water is Life” emphasizing the environmental impact of the pipeline’s construction.

Others passed out flyers to highlight the ways students can support those at Standing Rock. The overall feeling was determined, focused, and passionate. The gathering circled around and did a speak out. One student burned sage as others spoke through a microphone.

A student holds up a sign in support of Standing Rock at the Quarry Plaza on November 7th.

Many spoke words of encouragement and to continue praying for Standing Rock. Others voiced the urgency to bring these issues to resolution by addressing how it intersects with environmental racism and sustainability.

One student who identified as being apart of the student organizations, The Third World and Native American Students Press Collective (TWANAS) and Student Alliance of North American Indians (SANAI), expressed gratitude for everyone coming out and called out the media’s lack of coverage.

“Mainstream media doesn’t cover this. They want a lot of folks to stay blind…So, spread the knowledge and awareness.”

What followed was a series of chants such as “You can’t drink oil!” and “Life is water!”

Standing Rock is especially relevant to the UCSC community because of the land’s history. As one student notably points out, “every day, we’re on sacred Ohlone land.”
The Ohlone natives used to inhabit a majority of California’s central coast stretching from what is now Salinas Valley to the San Francisco Bay
While the images of brutality continue to stream out of Standing Rock, many students feel like spectators to the same violence that many natives have faced before. On the other hand, a couple of students gave testimonies that expressed their own personal link to the same pain.
student wears Water is Life on shirt

A student wears a shirt saying No to the Dakota Access Pipeline

One individual described the experience of seeing a factory built on top of a lake that was coveted deeply by family and the community.

“When I heard about the Dakota Access pipeline, it made me feel so connected because I saw the same pain on my people’s faces….It’s something I can’t ignore.”

By now, the fight for water is a widely universal concern and the most recent events concerning another pipeline blast in Alabama and the Flint water crisis brings extra urgency towards the issue.

The gathering seemed primarily focused on the large profits reaped by large oil companies but one female student adequately summed up another significant aspect of the Standing Rock crisis.

“This isn’t just about profit. This is about oppression. This is about telling groups of people that because of their skin color, of where they live, of where they were born, of who they are, they do not have the right to clean water and safe land and that is unacceptable. That’s why I’m here.”

Students also shared the many possible ways that students can contribute or get involved in the next upcoming weeks.

November 15th is the planned National Day of Action in solidarity with Standing Rock including a planned UC wide action. There is also high hopes in getting the UCSC Student Union Assembly (SUA) to pass a resolution that declares solidarity or support with Standing Rock.

If you are interested in supporting Standing Rock, you may donate to them directly or donate to their Sacred Stone Camp Legal Defense Fund. You may also contact your officials by going to usa.gov to voice your support in ceasing the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline.

You can also donate needed supplies from the list on Sacred Stone Camp to be mailed directly to the camps.

Note: All quotes used have been edited for conciseness and brevity.

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