The frontline groups which MUUSJA and our climate justice partner MNIPL, which organizes the Stop Line 3 Interfaith Council, are in conversation with and follow very closely, are Honor the Earth (led by Winona LaDuke); Giniw Collective (led by Tara Houska); RISE (Dawn Goodwin & Nancy Beaulieu); and Gitchigumi Scouts (Taysha Martineau); Nibiwalk (Sharon Day), and Indigenous Environmental Network. Scott Russell and Jim Bear Jacobs from MCC are also good sources (see box below for links).
BE INFORMED: Here are excellent sources of background education about Line 3:
| In case you missed it: learnings from the front linesThe Digital Rally to Stop Line 3 provided a brief, thorough, and authoritative overview of the current issues, frontline organizing, and opportunities to respond to the Line 3 Pipeline (as of 12/09/2020). The video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60IQI4OS4sY Prepare to Care, a gathering of northern Minnesota water protectors and pipeline resisters, spoke to the heart and soul of the resistance, allowing everyone to hear directly from Indigenous leaders Winona LaDuke, Sharon Day, Tara Houska, Taysha Martineau, Lyz Jaakola, Dawn Goodwin, as well as MUUSJA and MNIPL leaders Rita Chamblin, Shanai Matteson, and Katie Kline. That video is available on the UUA site, https://youtu.be/hL-jBE7Pou8 and we are very grateful to UUSC, UU College of Social Justice and UU Ministry for Earth, and to the UUA, for funding and for co-hosting this event. The interfaith Stop Line 3 coalition also includes UU supporters of MNIPL, Sierra Club Northstar and MN350 who are monitoring and responding to the pipeline construction that has begun, and with these groups we closely follow the frontline indigenous leaders including Honor the Earth, Giniw Collective, GitchiGumi Scouts, RISE Coalition (Resilient Indigenous Sisters Engaging) and Indigenous Environmental Network, and NibiWalk. Scott Russell has been posting the story of Enbridge Line 3 with frequent updates at Healing Minnesota Stories and Winona LaDuke has been writing the story at Honor the Earth. and also at The Circle News, thecirclenews.org |
The best sources of breaking news on what is happening right now are: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook video from Giniw Collective, or Winona LaDuke/Honor the Earth — for up to the minute raw video from the frontlines.
The Honor the Earth Stop Line 3 page, at http://www.honorearth.org/stop_line_3
MNIPL website is being updated almost daily with all the latest news, events, and opportunities to help, at mnipl.org
Native Roots Radio – Saturdays at 1 pm on AM950, or on their website.
HERE IS THE RESOURCE LIST — WHICH INCLUDES INFORMATION, SOME ACTIONS, AND SPIRITUAL CARE RESOURCES — from the “Prepare to Care” workshop! However, note that this was compiled just before construction began. It is still fine to call and protest but the main call at the moment is “show up if you can, and if you cannot, raise a public hue and cry … get the word out!” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ncBAIuXeiGMW1-LF-WrNBxW3sRbcRG95/view
STAY CONNECTED FOR THE LONG HAUL: The statewide climate action teams include MNIPL (Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light); Sierra Club Northstar; and MN350 — all have websites and email lists with updates. Right now all are active with Line 3 … MN350 also has an eye on Keystone XL in North Dakota. The UU-specific national climate action teams include CreateClimateJustice.net which can be used to feed action alerts and emails to your group members,
(also, on Facebook the UU Climate Action Circle.)
MORE RECENT RESOURCES FOR “HOW CAN WE HELP?”:
Direct Action on the front lines: It’s important to GET TRAINED before just showing up at the pipeline site, to help ensure your actions there do no harm and fit what is needed. One excellent way to get trained properly, and to help, is to sign up with Watch the Line. Here’s how:
| Watch the Line is an organization of volunteers who are legally monitoring pipeline construction and submitting on-line reports and photos from public right-of-way sites. Once you’re trained, you choose to go up on your own schedule. The information gathered will be shared with the public, with intent to slow or stop the pipeline construction which has already begun. (Thank you to our friend Scott Russell for this information). For more info, see the Watch the Line website. |
SHOWING UP IN PERSON, IN A NON-HARMFUL, USEFUL, RESPECTFUL WAY: A more informal way to get oriented, if you are inclined to show up in person at one of the Line 3 sites, is described in these resources from Welcome Water Protectors (from Honor the Earth) — be SURE to read and consider this information before driving north! And don’t be performative (it’s not a sideshow, it’s a travesty)… Make your presence useful by being an observer/documenter/reporter of what you see, check in using the maps and links athttps://welcomewaterprotectors.com/
DONATE MONEY: Honor the Earth channels funding into the community via donations to https://donorbox.org/honor-the-earth-donation Donations directly to frontline resisters also can be made through the Stop Line 3 website at https://www.stopline3.org/take-action
DONATE GOODS (CHECK THE LIST FIRST TO SEE WHAT IS NEEDED — nonperishable foods, frozen foods, warm clothing, camping gear are all on the list currently — also AA and AAA batteries, solar-power packs, phone chargers and cords — The MN350 Pipeline Resistance Team https://mn350.org/pipeline-resistance-team/ collects and transports stuff from the Twin Cities up to northern Minnesota water protectors several times per week. You can check their running list of what is needed and requested, at bit.ly/FLSdriveinfo