WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the third anniversary of the world famous police water-hose assault against Dakota Access Pipeline resisters at Standing Rock, ongoing unrest over oil pipeline construction across the Northern Great Plains culminated in Native grassroots involvement at the occupation of the Democratic National Committee Headquarters here on November 19.

The event melded support from Native and other organizations nationwide into a coalition pressuring President-elect Joe Biden to make good on his campaign promises to act on stemming global warming and on halting construction of the Keystone XL Canadian tar-sands crude pipeline across unceded Lakota treaty territory.

“We have passed the tipping point to stop climate change. We must act quickly to mitigate the climate chaos we are experiencing for the sky, land and water,” the Indigenous Environmental Network said.

“The people demand President-elect Biden move to a just transition centered in Indigenous knowledge so that Mother Earth can heal. We can’t afford to continue to fight climate change with false solutions and carbon mechanisms that allow big polluters to pollute,” the national non-profit said in a prepared statement at the 24-hour occupation.

The action, led by youth, frontline activists, and artists — representing a range of identities from Black, Indigenous and brown leaders in communities across the United States — was joined by members of the U.S. Congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who noted she worked with the Biden campaign to develop a $2 trillion budget plan that takes on the climate crisis.

During the sit-in, prominent participants included members of the Eagle-Butte-based Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective Joseph White Eyes, Danny GrassRope, Rhea Le Compte, and TaSina Sapa Win, who was the first speaker in the diverse lineup.

“It breaks my heart every day to watch it happen and watch TC Energy dig up the earth and go under our rivers and waterways,” she said of the Canadian company seeking KXL permits, formerly known as TransCanada Corp.

“Biden, with or without your support, this pipeline will be stopped by the indigenous communities and allies on the path!” declared the collective she co-founded.

“We have been fighting the KXL Pipeline since 2008 and intend to push Joe Biden until he keeps his promise to cancel the KXL pipeline. We need the President-elect to take bold action to mitigate climate change, our communities depend on it. We demand a just transition grounded in Indigenous knowledge so we can divest from fossil fuels and create a regenerative economy that treats workers with care,” the collective stated.

Many occupation participants demanded a Presidential Administration dedicated to the components of a Green New Deal.

“This includes a corporate-free Cabinet and Administration staffed with personnel committed to addressing the climate threat, as well as following through on promises made during the campaign,” the organizers said.

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Contact Talli Nauman at tallinauman@gmail.com

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