CJA Support for Louisiana and Actions against Dakota Access

Dear CJA Family

Many of you have likely heard about the two struggles going on in North Dakota and Louisiana.

In North Dakota, Indigenous leaders from the Standing Rock Stone Tribe are fighting a pipeline that will jeopardize their land, water, and future generations. If completed, the pipeline will carry up to 570,000 barrels of oil everyday from North Dakota to Illinois, directly threatening the Missouri river and countless acres of sacred land. Protesters have continued to resist construction peacefully, despite surveillance and intimidation from the state.

In Louisiana, trillions of gallons of rain have resulted in floods that have killed at least 13 people and damaged tens of thousands of homes. Leaders on the ground are mobilizing to get resources to those impacted on the frontlines. CJA member organization Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy is supporting the cleaning and rebuilding of homes that have been affected by this disaster, as well as getting crucial resources, such as water and organizing training, to communities that have been impacted.

While both of these events are happening hundreds of miles away from each other, they both have the same root causes. As an alliance of organizations on the frontlines of climate change and injustice, we know that our communities will be hit first and worst by disasters and extractive industries. We also know white supremacy, capitalism, and other systems of oppression will challenge our ability to react and resist.

CJA will be granting $10,000 each to two member organizations leading work on the ground. The Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy and the Indigenous Environmental Network have both been critical anchors of resistance in these two struggles. We urge our members to also respond with political and material support

Louisiana

What We Can Do

We have asked members on the ground in Louisiana how CJA can best support relief efforts. Based off these conversations, staff has come up with several recommendations as to how the alliance can support those in Louisiana.

• Donate Funds – We encourage members if they are able to donate to these sites:

  • Foundation for Louisiana

  • Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN)

  • Bold Louisiana

• Donate Supplies – to our members. Supplies requested include:

  • Gently used clothing, socks, shoes, towels, bedding and blankets, books and toys.

  • Non-perishable food items..

  • First aid kits, tents, mosquito netting and spray, soap, and hygiene products

  • Tools to gut houses (volunteers have also been requested)

Send supplies to:

ATTN: Disaster Supplies

Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy

620 Oak Harbor Blvd., Ste. 203

Slidell, LA 70458

• Resources

  • Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy website

  • Gulf South Rising website

  • FB: Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy, Gulf South Rising, Vanishing Earth, Bold Louisiana, Another Gulf is Possible,

  • Twitter: Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy, Gulf South Rising, Bold Louisiana, Another Gulf is Possible

  • No New Leases webpage

  • From Epic Fires to a 1,000-Year Flood: The Climate Change of Here and Now

• Sign this petition

  • Tell Pres. Obama & FEMA: Send Emergency Disaster Relief to Rural LA

North Dakota

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe filed an injunction to halt construction of the Dakota Access pipeline. Last week, the judge in charge of the case decided to postpone his decision until September 9. Indigenous leaders will continue to fight the pipeline. Here are a couple suggestions for how we can support:

What We Can Do

1. Donate Funds

   • Sacred Stones Camp GoFundMe

   • Legal Defense Fund for Sacred Stone Spirit Camp

   • Honor the Earth donation page

   • Indigenous Environmental Network

2. Sign this petition to stop Dakota Access

   • White House petition

3. Donate Supplies – The Sacred Stones camp has a list of supplies they are requesting:

   • Epipens

   • Batteries

   • Fem Hygiene products

   • Exterior, latex paint – white, black, red, blue, yellow

   • Benadryl

   • Tents

   • Sleeping bags

   • Blankets

   • Propane heaters

   • You can see another full list here

Send supplies to:

Sacred Stone Camp

202 Mainstream,

Fort Yates, ND 58538 

1. Resources:

   • Camp of the Sacred Stone

   • FB: No Dakota Access in Treaty Territory – Camp of the Sacred Stones, Indigenous Environmental Network

   • Twitter: Sacred Stone Camp, Indigenous Environmental Network, Rezpect Our Water, Urban Native Era, Honor the Earth

   • ReZpect Our Water website

   • Indigenous Environmental Network website

   • “Pipeline opponents committed to ‘long haul’ after judge puts off lawsuit decision for weeks”

   • “Kandi Mossett on Native American Pipeline Protests”

   • Statement from Indigenous Environmental Network on pipeline protest

   • Historic Resistance to the Dakota Pipeline – Telesur

   • Native Americans Fight Against the Dakota Access Pipeline – Fusion

   • We are Water Defenders – Fusion

   • Urgent Appeal for International Observers

In solidarity,

CJA Staff