Final Time Confirmation for Beehive Design Collective in Durango! Black Mesa Support Caravan Fundraiser (+ flyers!)]
dirty...@riseup.net
-PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!-
(Stay tuned for flyers!)
Saturday, November 13 � 4:00pm - 7:00pm
The GroundUp Arts Collective
1051 East 2nd Avenue
Durango, CO
Join Earth First! Durango (which doubles and triples as chapters of Root
Force and Rising Tide) and the GroundUp Arts Collective for an afternoon
of education, outreach, and solidarity with the resistance communities of
Black Mesa, Arizona.
We will be joined by Black Mesa resister Louise Benally, who will talk
about the on-going struggle, and the Beehive Design Collective, who
will be presenting their True Costs of Coal graphic.
We are also seeking other relevant presenters, performers, musicians,
artists, etc. who would like to take part in the event. Contact
earthfir...@riseup.net for more information.
Admittance will be based upon a sliding scale monetary donation and/or
food drive donation, but no one will be turned away due to lack of
donations or funds.
All proceeds go to support the upcoming Black Mesa Indigenous Support
(BMIS) caravan and resister families on the ground on Black Mesa.
Indymedia event page: http://colorado.indymedia.org/node/7952
Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161950950504301
Myspace event page: http://events.myspace.com/Event/View/8425923
For more information on the Beehive Design Collective, go to
http://www.beehivecollective.org/
For more information about the Black Mesa Indigenous Support collective,
go to http://blackmesais.org/
For more on Earth First! in the Four Corners region, go to
http://southwestearthfirst.wordpress.com/
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Caravan in Support of Indigenous Resistance Communities of Black Mesa
Join the Caravan in Support of Indigenous Communities Resisting Massive
Coal Mining Operations on Their Ancestral Homelands of Big Mountain &
Black Mesa, AZ
These Front-Line Resistance Communities, in their Struggle for Life, Land,
& Future Generations, Have Always Maintained That Their Struggle Is For
Our Collective Survival. May They Be Supported Now and Always!
November 20-27, 2010
Greetings from Black Mesa Indigenous Support!
We are excited to extend the invitation from Dineh resisters of the Black
Mesa region to join BMIS�s caravan to support their ongoing struggle. On
behalf of their peoples, their sacred ancestral lands and future
generations, these communities continue a 36 year long struggle against
the US Governments forced relocation efforts, Peabody Coal�s financial
interests, and an unsustainable fossil fuel based economy. They continue
trying to halt and repair the devastating impacts of colonialism, coal
mining, and forced relocation of their communities, sacred lands, and our
planet. As one of their resistance strategies they call upon outside
support as they maintain their traditional way of life in the face of the
largest relocation of indigenous people in the US since the Trail of
Tears.
By assisting with direct, on-land projects you are supporting a broad
movement for climate justice and families right to stay on their ancestral
homelands in resistance to an illegal occupation. The oil spill in the
Gulf highlighted the dangerous and unsustainable reality of our fossil
fuels based economy. Another example of this dangerous reality comes from
Black Mesa. The recently approved carbon capture storage project will
capture the coal firing plant emissions and use clean water to pump the
carbon an estimated 9,000 feet into the ground to be stored near their
major aquifer. False solutions to climate change and large scale coal
extraction must be stopped! We propose participating in this caravan as
one small way in supporting these courageous communities who are serving
as the very blockade to coal mining on Black Mesa!
Supporting Indigenous leadership and creating models for support that are
based on the priorities and visions of their communities is a major goal
of BMIS. This year we used funds to bring organizers from Black Mesa to
the U.S. Social Forum, to San Luis Valley as well as Farmington, NM for
anti-coal organizing, and to Portland for an anarchist Christian
gathering.
This years caravan will be held at some amazing organizers� homes so we
are excited to focus on movement building, strengthening resistance
movements and support networks that will make victories possible not only
on Black Mesa, but in communities all across the world. We are creating a
space for sharing updates from �The Land� and for dialogue about the
connections between Black Mesa and various struggles in which they are
interconnected. We encourage regional organizing and fundraising to
support the participation and leadership of people most impacted by
interlocking systems of oppression. We are prioritizing the participation
from people who are deeply invested in and on the front-lines of movements
for social, economic, environmental justice in their communities, as they
will have the most to offer and gain from gathering, talking with, and
working with each other and the elders. We are also encouraging the
participation of returning supporters or those who plan to come before or
stay after the caravan, as well as anyone who�s planning to be involved
long term. We look forward to seeing how caravan participants can
integrate their work, their lessons, and of course the communities�
stories and visions into their work and life!
The U.S. Government began relocating Black Mesa residents from their
ancestral homelands in 1974 to pave the way for Peabody�s mining. Families
are in their FOURTH DECADE resisting this travesty. And, since relocation
laws have made it nearly impossible for younger generations to continue
living on their homelands, many of the residents are elderly and winters
can be extremely rough in this remote high desert terrain. The aim of this
caravan is to honor the elders� requests and, under their guidance, carry
out direct, on-land support: chopping and hauling firewood, doing minor
repair work, offering holistic health care and sheep-herding before the
approaching cold winter months arrive.
�The Big Mountain matriarchal leaders always believed that resisting
forced relocation will eventually benefit all ecological systems,
including the human race,� says Bahe Keediniihii, Dineh organizer and
translator. �Continued residency by families throughout the Big Mountain
region has a significant role in the intervention of Peabody�s future plan
for Black Mesa coal to be the major source of unsustainable energy, the
growing dependency on fossil fuel, and escalating green house gas
emissions. We will continue to fight to defend our homelands.�
Peabody Energy�s Disastrous Coal Mining Operations on Black Mesa:
At this moment, decision makers in Washington D.C. are planning ways to
continue their occupation of tribal lands under the guise of extracting
�clean coal,� with false solutions to climate change such as carbon
storage and cap and trade carbon offsets. In 30 years of disastrous
operation, Peabody�s coal mining has ravaged Dineh and Hopi communities by
forcibly relocated thousands of families, draining 2.5 million gallons of
water daily from the only community water supply, and has left a toxic
legacy along an abandoned 273-mile coal slurry pipeline. Peabody�s Black
Mesa mine has been the source of an estimated 325 million tons of CO2 that
have been discharged into the atmosphere. Coal from the Black Mesa Mine
could contribute an additional 290 million tons of CO2 to the global
warming crisis!*
As a result of hard and strategic work from the Black Mesa resistance
community, Black Mesa Water Coalition, To Nizhoni, The Forgotten People,
the Sierra Club and others, Peabody�s mine expansion project is
temporarily slowed. As a way to honor and continue that work, now is the
time to strengthen networks of direct support to the resisters, to ensure
that when they try again for the expansion, resistance communities are
prepared and resilient.
Peabody Coal Co. plans to seize another 19,000 acres of sacred land beyond
the 67,000 acres already in Peabody�s grasp at Black Mesa. Peabody Energy,
previously Peabody Coal Company, is the world�s largest private-sector
coal company, supplying 10% of U.S power and 2% of worldwide electricity.
Peabody�s coal mining will exacerbate already devastating environmental
and cultural impacts on local communities and significantly add fuel to
the fire of global climate chaos!
We are at a critical juncture and must take a stand in support of
communities on the front lines of resistance now! Indigenous and
land-based peoples have maintained the understanding that our collective
survival is deeply dependent on our relationship to Mother Earth. Victory
in protecting and reclaiming the Earth will require a broad and
multi-pronged movement.
BMIS wishes for this caravan to be an opportunity for people of all
backgrounds to listen and work with the families of Black Mesa to generate
more awareness that relocation laws and coal mining need to be stopped,
that these communities deserve to be free on their ancestral homelands. We
hope to come together to strengthen our solidarity and find ways to work
together to protect Black Mesa and our Mother Earth for all life.
Ways you can support:
Join the Caravan and Be Self-Sufficient! By connecting with a regional
coordinator and joining one of the volunteer work crews from your region,
you are expected to be adequately prepared and self-sufficient prior to
your visit on Black Mesa, which is a very remote area in a high desert
terrain. There is no electricity, no central heating, and no running
water. You must come prepared, and bring everything you will need. There
could be extreme weather, and it will be cold especially at night. Each
participant will need to bring food, water, outdoor camping gear (although
we will likely be staying inside with families), very warm clothing, and
appropriate attire for hands-on manual work. Coming equipped with
chainsaws, trucks, shovels, axes and mauls dramatically increases your
effectiveness as a work crew!
Read and sign the Cultural Sensitivity and Preparedness Guide: All direct,
on-land supporters of Black Mesa are required to thoroughly read over and
sign the Cultural Sensitivity and Preparedness Guide. This document is an
in-depth guide that contains important information that you will need
prior to and during your visit with a host family on Black Mesa. This
guide gives you crucial information about how to be adequately prepared,
background of the struggle and current his/herstory, safety and legal
issues, cultural sensitivity, code of conduct, and a suggested list of
what to bring with you. We want to ensure that each person is informed
about the agreements and basic requests from these communities, that each
person is safe and accounted for, and that we have your emergency contact
info should an emergency arise. It is of the utmost importance that each
caravan participant understands and respects the ways of the communities
that we will be visiting. Please print out and bring this guidebook with
you during your visit to Black Mesa
http://blackmesais.org/tag/cultural-sensitivity/
Pre-register: To help us estimate how many people to expect as well as to
help us make necessary accommodations for all. For participants coming
from areas with BMIS designated regional coordinators, please register
with them � see our website.
Host or attend regional organizational meetings in your area: We strongly
urge participants to attend or organize regional meetings. Caravan
coordinators are located in Prescott, Phoenix and Flagstaff, AZ; Denver,
CO; Santa Cruz, CA; Eugene and Portland, OR; and the San Francisco�s Bay
Area. The meeting locations and dates will be posted at the BMIS website
and Face Book as coordinators set them u p. This caravan will be
collaborating with the annual Clan Dyken Fall Food and Supply Run on Black
Mesa.
Raise Awareness: about Black Mesa and the caravan. You can obtain
literature from BMIS.
Organize fundraisers: At the weeks prior to every caravan, grassroots
supporters from all over throw benefits to raise the much-needed funds,
for such things as supplies, wood, and direct, on-land people-support.
Please contact BMIS for guidelines prior to any fund-raising in the name
of Big Mountain and Black Mesa.
Collect supplies: Chainsaws, axes, mauls, axe handles, shovels, tools of
all kinds, organic food, warm blankets, and especially trucks �either to
donate to families or to use for the week of the caravan�are greatly
needed on the land to make this caravan work! Check back on the BMIS
website for an ongoing list of specific requests from the land.
Donate: We are not receiving nor relying on any institutional funding for
these support efforts, but are instead counting on each person�s
ingenuity, creativity, and hard work to make it all come together. We are
hoping to raise enough money through our community connections for gas,
specifically for collecting wood and food for host families, and for work
projects.
Stay longer than the caravan with a family on Black Mesa: Families living
in resistance to coal mining and relocation laws are requesting
self-sufficient guests who are willing to give three or more weeks of
their time, especially in the winter. By coming prepared to stay longer,
you can conserve resources by making 2 trips out of one. If you are
returning for your second caravan, please consider this, as one of our
goal is to create connections between families and support. Since it is
crucial to have good help out there and not create more work for the
families, all supporters are required to read and sign the Cultural
Sensitivity Preparedness Guide. Contact BMIS in advance so that we can
make arrangements prior to your stay, to answer any questions that you may
have, and so we can help put you in touch with a family.
The communities request support throughout the year: If you cannot attend
the caravan and still want to support the resistance, please contact BMIS!
We will provide support options or help facilitate your stay with a
resisting family any time through the year!
We can�t wait to see you in November! Give back to the Earth! Give to
future generations!
Black Mesa Indigenous Support
Black Mesa Indigenous Support (BMIS) is a grassroots, all-volunteer
organization dedicated to working with and supporting the indigenous
peoples of Black Mesa who are targeted by and resisting unjust large-scale
coal mining operations and forced relocation policies of the US government
in their struggle for Life and Land.
Address: P.O. Box 23501, Flagstaff, Arizona 86002
Voice Mail: 928.773.8086
Email: black...@gmail.com
Web: www.blackmesais.org
Facebook: Black Mesa Indigenous Support
More info:
http://blackmesais.org/take_action/caravan-of-support-to-big-mountain/
