Seattle, WA – Hundreds marched for Indigenous People’s Day on October 13, this year marking the city of Seattle’s first recognition of the holiday. Starting at the city’s Henry M. Jackson Federal Building where immigration hearings are held, drummers of all ages led marchers through the streets of downtown Seattle, ending at Pike Place’s Indian Park.

Grief and pride resonated through the march, as ICE kidnappings, the genocide in Palestine, and missing and murdered indigenous peoples were mourned and honored through continued resistance.

Dakota Case, member of the Puyallup Tribe Water Warriors, spoke to the vital importance of Indigenous People’s Day. “It’s actually a step toward fighting colonialism. Stepping up and saying we're taking over a day that a white dude showed up on our land and said that he found us when there were already a 100 million people living here by that time. I mean we were already metalworking; we were already advanced. And the Spanish influenza and everything that came with the invaders nearly knocked us out. So this is the step in the direction of finally defeating colonialism and actually saying, ‘this is our territory,’ and what enforcing our sovereignty actually means.”

The event highlighted solidarity among national liberation movements. Black, Chicano,and indigenous oppressed nationalities united to uplift each other's struggles. Ovunayo X of the Black Panther Party of Washington expressed the need for multinational solidarity, stating, “Our struggle is a mutual interwoven survival for Black, Brown, indigenous, Caribbea, and other oppressed peoples. And we will have our liberation. All power to the people by any means necessary.”

Sol Jesus Ozuna, member of Climate Alliance of the South Sound (CASS) and Tacoma DSA, stated, “Today we not only commemorate our indigenous siblings from the past, we gather to ignite the new generations of warriors. This administration of colonizers continues to take what does not belong to them. Even with the removal of Indigenous Peoples Day from federal calendars, we show up in sovereignty. Loud, fearless, and very much a living, united force. Unwilling to see these lands and our siblings being erased and mistreated. Always grateful for the continued generosity offered. May we all continue to honor, protect, and learn from the indigenous people of these lands.”

#SeattleWA #WA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples

Tacoma, WA – On Saturday, April 26, several dozen people performed a prayer walk through a Sustainability Expo. The prayer walk was led by local indigenous organizers to show solidarity between indigenous people and immigrants, as well as to fight the horrific attacks on immigrants happening all around the country.

The prayer walk started on the University of Washington-Tacoma (UW-T) campus, where government organizations, community groups and vendors gathered at the expo to promote environmental sustainability. Indigenous leaders beat drums and sang songs of many indigenous tribes, including those of the local Puyallup Tribe. The city of Tacoma was built on the land stolen from the Puyallup people. About 20 people joined the walk from the UW-T campus to Tollefson Plaza. At the end of the walk, members formed a circle to share more songs and speeches.

When discussing the importance of standing in solidarity with immigrants, Patricia Gonzalez of the Puyallup Tribe and Water Warriors said, “Pretty much every issue, every movement that we are involved in effects my life directly, on a daily basis. It’s more than just a movement; it’s literally my kids’ future. It’s their livelihood.” Gonzalez added that her family includes both immigrants and people indigenous to what is now the U.S., but her children have not been able to meet their Mexican grandfather because he was deported.

There was a common theme throughout all of the speeches: that the attack on immigrants was an attack on everyone. Other speakers also highlighted that success of various movements can be attributed to the unity of their members. Willard Bill Jr. of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe said, “The main goal right now is unification – our tribes need to stand together. All of our communities need to come together and say that [federal agents taking people off the streets to deport them] is not OK.”

The prayer walk was a collaboration of indigenous and non-indigenous members through the “All My Relations” coalition. It included members of the Puyallup, Standing Rock Sioux, Muckleshoot and Osage tribes, as well as members of organizations like 350 Tacoma, Climate Alliance of the South Sound, and Black Panther Party.

The coalition is planning another prayer walk to support immigrant justice in Seattle on May 3 at 12 p.m. The walk will include a Coast Salish water ceremony followed by food and dance at the Daybreak Star Cultural Center.

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples

San Jose, CA – 30 community members gathered at the San Jose Peace and Justice center, February 22, to celebrate the release of Leonard Peltier from prison and his return home.

Peltier, a leader of the American Indian Movement, had been the longest-held political prisoner in the U.S. After five decades of constant advocacy from activists worldwide calling for his release, Peltier finally returned home on February 18 after former President Biden commuted his sentence just before leaving office.

Members of the community gathered to watch a video of Peltier's welcome home celebration, hosted by the NDN Collective on the Turtle Mountain reservation, in North Dakota. After the video, the crowd assembled outside to watch a series of spoken word, dance and musical performances to celebrate the occasion.

Donna Wallach, a leading organizer with Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley, said, “I’m so happy. I won’t say I never gave up but I always had it in my mind that he was going to get free. If he could struggle from inside for all that he’s been through then who am I to give up on his freedom? He sacrificed 50 years for unity and for freedom for indigenous people and their sovereignty.”

Wallach continued, “I think he will be a force to unite all the tribes together to lead the land back movement. Even with this horrendous administration we have right now – this is the struggle for sovereignty, land back and indigenous recognition.”

Bob Jung of Vigil for Gaza said, “This is great, people fight for social justice and it seems like there’s very few times we win and it’s time to really savor this.” Jung continued, “I’d like to see all the allies coming to support each other – whether it’s the American Indian Movement, immigration, or what’s going on in Palestine.”

Drusie Kazanova of San Jose Against War, which is a member organization of the International League of People’s Struggle, read the ILPS statement on Peltier's release. “While Biden was the one who signed the act to commute Leonard’s sentence, it is not due to any goodwill from the former president who poured endless amounts of money into the genocidal war on Palestine, sold off indigenous lands to fossil fuel corporations and led a campaign of massive state repression against peoples’ movements in the U.S. and abroad,”

Kazanova continued, “It was the mass movement that held high the demand to free Leonard while exposing the imperialist system for keeping him imprisoned unjustly for a crime that was widely known to have been charged under falsified evidence.”

After the performances the event included a open mic segment for community members to speak their mind in honor of Peltier’s freedom.

Wallach expressed the desire to continue organizing to shine a light on other political prisoners such as Mumia Abu Jamal, The Holy Land 5 and many others.

#SanJoseCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalPrisoners #LeonardPeltier

San José, CA – Alrededor de 20 miembros de la comunidad se reunieron en el Centro de Paz y Justicia de San José, el 10 de diciembre, Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, para honrar a Leonard Peltier, líder del Movimiento Indio Americano y prisionero político por casi 50 años.

El evento fue presentado por Donna Wallach, presidenta del Grupo de Apoyo a Leonard Peltier de Silicon Valley y una firme organizadora comunitaria de toda la vida. Dan Battaglia, miembro activo del Grupo de Apoyo a Leonard Peltier de Nueva York, y Paulette Dauteuil, miembro de la junta del Movimiento Jericó y el Comité Ad Hoc Oficial por Leonard Peltier, ambos asistieron por llamada al evento. Ellos describieron la mala conducta del FBI que llevó al arresto, juicio y encarcelamiento ilegal de Peltier desde 1978. También enfatizaron la importancia de la lucha continua por su libertad.

Julie Dominguez, embajadora de la Tribu Muwekma Ohlone, lideró un reconocimiento de tierras de parte de la tribu. Dominguez dijo que la Tribu Muwekma Ohlone está viva, yéndole bien, y continuando la lucha por el reconocimiento federal.

Philip Nguyen de San José Contra la Guerra habló de uno de los pilares de la organización siendo la solidaridad con la resistencia indígena en contra del colonialismo y el robo de tierras. Nguyen mencionó que la continua supervivencia de Peltier estando encarcelado ilegalmente es la resistencia misma y una “señal para endurecer nuestra determinación para luchar como el infierno por los vivos – por Leonard, por los palestinos y por todos los otros pueblos oprimidos.”

John Paul Amaral, presidente de la Organización Estudiantil Nativo Americana en la Universidad Estatal de San José leyó un poema que escribió llamado, Ternura en Humo, que describía su rabia y pena por el descubrimiento a principios del anterior año de fosas comunes sin nombre de niños nativo-americanos que fueron forzados a entrar a internados, una práctica común para oprimir y borrar culturalmente a los nativos americanos.

Brian M. Smith, miembro del Grupo de Apoyo a Leonard Peltier de Silicon Valley, leyó la declaración de Peltier del Día Nacional de Luto.

John Duroyan de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad resaltó que “el encarcelamiento es una de las muchas herramientas que la clase dominante usa para reprimir nuestros movimientos, sabotear nuestros líderes, e intimidar a la gente en todas partes donde debemos resistir con fuerza,” y continuó, “la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad se solidariza con Leonard Peltier y su lucha por libertad y justicia.”

Después del programa, Wallach dio el llamado a la acción para llamar al presidente Biden para que perdone a Leonard antes de que deje el cargo. La comunidad nacional continuará movilizándose para liberar a Leonard Peltier, solidarizarse con las comunidades indígenas en todas partes y resistir la represión política.

#SanJoseCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #InJusticeSystem #LeonardPeltier #AIM #FRSO

San Jose, CA – About 20 community members gathered at the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, December 10, International Human Rights Day, to honor Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement leader and political prisoner of almost 50 years.

The event was emceed by Donna Wallach, chair of Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley and a staunch and lifelong community organizer. Dan Battaglia, an active member of Leonard Peltier Support Group of New York City, and Paulette Dauteuil, board member of the Jericho Movement and Official Leonard Peltier’s Ad Hoc Committee, both called in to the event. They described the FBI misconduct that led to Peltier’s wrongful arrest, trial and imprisonment since 1978. They also emphasized the importance of the continued struggle for his freedom.

Julie Dominguez, ambassador of Muwékma Ohlone Tribe, led a land acknowledgement on behalf of the tribe. Dominguez stated the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe is alive, doing well and continuing the struggle for federal acknowledgement.

Philip Nguyen of San Jose Against War spoke about one of the organization’s pillars being solidarity with indigenous peoples’ resistance against colonialism and land theft. Nguyen mentioned that Peltier’s continued survival while wrongfully imprisoned is resistance itself and a “signal to steel our resolve to fight like hell for the living – for Leonard, for the Palestinians and all other oppressed peoples.”

John Paul Amaral, president of the Native American Student Organization at San Jose State University read a poem that he authored called, Tenderness in Smoke, which described their rage and sorrow upon the discovery early last year of the unmarked mass graves of Native American children who were forced into boarding schools, a common practice to oppress and culturally erase Native Americans.

Brian M. Smith, member of Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley, read Peltier’s statement from the National Day of Mourning.

John Duroyan of Freedom Road Socialist Organization highlighted that “imprisonment is one of the many tools that the ruling class uses to suppress our movements, sabotage our leaders and intimidate people everywhere that we must strongly resist,” and he continued, “Freedom Road Socialist Organization stands in solidarity with Leonard Peltier and his fight for freedom and justice.”

After the program, Wallach gave the call to action to call President Biden to pardon Leonard before he leaves office. The national community will continue to mobilize to free Leonard Peltier, be in solidarity with indigenous communities everywhere and resist political repression.

#SanJoseCA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #InJusticeSystem #LeonardPeltier #AIM #LeonardPeltierSupportGroupSiliconValley #JerichoMovement #MuwékmaOhloneTribe #SJAW #NativeAmericanStudentOrganizationSanJoseStateUniversity #FRSO #Feature

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Wisconsin District denounces the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) decision to reroute Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline through the lands of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. We call on all progressives and revolutionaries to oppose this move and demand the immediate shutdown of Line 5. Motivated by profit, this decision infringes on the sovereignty of the Bad River Tribe and puts the ecosystems of the Great Lakes region as a whole in danger. The DNR, state, and federal government have made it clear that they are only paying lip service to indigenous people while upholding the interests of the ruling monopoly-capitalist class.

The U.S. government and those seeking to make a profit have continuously trampled on the sovereignty of indigenous peoples. Today, the DNR did this on behalf of Enbridge Inc., the company with the largest oil export pipeline network in the world. This decision by the DNR shows exactly what the U.S. ruling class thinks about indigenous peoples and their lands – they see nothing but dollars signs and markets.

In 2019, Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Tony Evers passed a repressive law meant to prevent protests at property owned by “energy providers”. This was primarily in response to the mass protests against Enbridge Inc. Today, Evers’ policies of upholding private interests and ignoring the will of working and oppressed people remains the same. Evers and the Democratic Party at large have doubled down on their support for extractive industries, especially fossil fuels. Along with support of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ran on a platform of support for fracking in their failed campaign. At best, the Biden administration has a dubious track record with environmental issues the last four years. October 2024 was the hottest October ever recorded, with temperatures being nearly 60 degrees Fahrenheit, 5 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than averages in the 20th century.

The U.S. empire’s involvement in Israel’s genocide in Palestine has resulted in CO2 emissions greater than that of dozens of countries put together. As the rest of us deal with the consequences, the DNR is upholding the interests of those who are driving the world further into the climate crisis. The incoming Trump administration only plans to exacerbate all these issues and make life harder for everyone except for the rich. Every day, it becomes more obvious that the capitalist parties do not take the needs of the masses of people into account.

FRSO supports the struggle for full sovereignty and national development for indigenous peoples. The Bad River Tribe and all oppressed nationalities in the U.S. have a proud history of fighting for liberation. We see the struggle against Line 5 as connected to a wider process of imperialist struggle and national liberation. Imperialism is the highest and final stage of capitalism, and the movement to take it down is growing. It's becoming more clear that the U.S. is an empire in decline and is grasping at straws as its worldwide dominance dwindles. We need to continue building up the movement to bring this backward system to an end. Those exploiting natural resources and casting oppressed people aside won’t be defeated unless we organize and fight back.

We encourage our friends and allies to call demonstrations in solidarity, organize protests in their city, or join upcoming protests called on by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Full sovereignty for indigenous peoples now! Down with the black snake! Fight capitalism, build socialism!

#WI #Environment #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #Line5

Long Beach, CA – On September 28, a crowd of about 20 people, including faculty, students and community members gathered near the Walter Pyramid at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) while the school started an event to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The protesters chanted “land back!” and made chalk art to advocate for the protection of Puvungna, a 22-acre site located on campus, sacred to the Acjachemen and Tongva peoples of California.

The university is bound by a 2021 settlement with the tribes and its representatives to return the land to indigenous custodianship by September 2023, but the administration failed to do so and refuses to make progress towards this goal.

Organized by Orange County Environmental Justice (OCEJ) and Friends of Puvungna, the protesters learned about the history of Puvungna from Michelle Castillo, an elder of Acjachemen descent. The 10,000 year old site is the setting for the Acjachemen/Tongva creation story, and is the birthplace of Chinigchinich, lawgiver and god. Villages once covered over 500 acres in the area, and the shared territory includes all of CSULB’s campus.

Many modern structures exist over archaeological sites and the school itself displaced ancestral burial remains in the 1990s. In 2019, CSULB dumped 6400 cubic yards of soil containing arsenic on the remaining 22 acres while lying to the indigenous organizations, stating that they simply wanted to build dirt berms to block out noise. When discussing the significance of the space, Castillo stated, “Puvungna is our church, and we are out here to protect it.”

Protesters marched and chanted along the border of the school’s event, demanding “Land back!” for indigenous custody of Puvungna, drawing support from people driving by and informing curious attendees who approached. Protesters wrote slogans with chalk demanding that CSULB honor their word, and emphasizing that Puvungna is sacred indigenous land.

One faculty member arrived to show their support and asked to remain anonymous to avoid the consequences being handed down by school administrators. They stated that the Chancellor’s Office of the Cal State system has been aggressively discouraging professors from taking part in activism, not only for Puvungna but across movements, including the fight to free Palestine. Some faculty have been harassed for their involvement with student-led protests, with punishments including suspension and dismissal.

The fight to protect Puvungna is part of a greater movement to restore indigenous power over indigenous lands and demand that treaties and agreements be upheld. While Palestine and Puvungna are separated by thousands of miles, both have a history of genocide and land theft but also a history of strong resistance against their oppressors. Despite the repression that protesters, professors and others face, this resistance will continue until indigenous land is returned.

#LongBeachCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples

San Jose, CA – Over two dozen people gathered in San Jose to demand the freedom of political prisoner Leonard Peltier on the 49th anniversary of the shootout at Pine Ridge, June 26. Peltier is a leader of the American Indian Movement who has been wrongfully imprisoned since 1978 after being framed for the killing of two FBI agents during the shootout.

Donna Wallach of the Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley began the program by describing the details of Leonard Peltier’s story. She recounted the brutal oppression that the Oglala Lakota people of Pine Ridge faced during the “Reign of Terror,” a period of intense violence, exploitation and attempts at land privatization during the years before the shootout. She spoke about how Leonard Peltier, as a leader of the American Indian Movement, resisted such oppression and organized his people to fight for their liberation. As a result, the U.S. government targeted him with political repression, as it so often does to leaders of national liberation movements.

The program continued with a land acknowledgement by Julie Dominguez, Muwekma-Ohlone tribal ambassador. The Muwekma-Ohlone are the indigenous people native to San Jose and the surrounding areas. She spoke about the oppression that her people have faced, from missionization by the Spanish up through their present-day struggle for federal recognition by the U.S. government.

Brian Smith of the Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley next read the statement written by Leonard Peltier for this year’s commemoration of the shootout.

Peltier wrote, “Oppression is rising, running like black mold through every facet of society. We must stand together and let society know that Indigenous lives are not cheap. The lives of our oppressed brothers and sisters are not cheap. All people are worthy of basic human dignity,” and “Colonialism has all but destroyed us. We must do nothing less than transform society into a place where human beings are not disposable.”

The next speaker was Dolly Robideau, Peltier’s aunt. She spoke about the ongoing repression that Peltier faces within the criminal justice system, from denial of parole to the withholding of medical treatment. She said, “I may be naive, but it recently occurred to me and seems abundantly clear to me that this is all about revenge with a capital ‘R’. It seems quite evident that justice has very little, if anything, to do with the criminal justice system’s treatment of Leonard.”

Tim Matson from South Bay Indigenous Solidarity then read dozens of names of those killed during the Reign of Terror on the Pine Ridge reservation. Trujillo Miguel Angel Vazquez and Patricia Vazquez performed songs and poetry about Leonard Peltier and Wounded Knee. Sharat Lin performed a dance in honor of Leonard Peltier and indigenous resistance around the world.

Next, Salem Ajluni, local Palestinian American activist, spoke about the ongoing struggle of the Palestinian people for national liberation against brutal oppression by Israel and its U.S. backers. He drew parallels between the struggles of Palestinians and the indigenous peoples of the Americas, in facing land theft and genocide.

Drusie Kazanova of Freedom Road Socialist Organization then gave a speech about the political repression faced by national liberation movements and their leaders. “As the crisis of imperialism sharpens, the U.S. government and its proxies have responded by cracking down hard upon national liberation movements and their leaders, from Leonard Peltier, to former Black Panther Mumia Abu Jamal, to General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Ahmad Sadaat,” she continued, “Freedom Road Socialist Organization stands in solidarity with all peoples fighting for national liberation – both within the U.S. and abroad. We demand the release of all political prisoners that are part of the movements demanding self-determination for their peoples.”

Several members of Malaya South Bay also spoke about political repression within the Philippines, particularly targeting those resisting the Marcos-Duterte regime and fighting for Philippine national liberation against U.S. corporate and military interests.

On July 2, the United States Parole Commission announced that they once again failed to recommend Leonard Peltier, who is 79 years old, for release. In a statement released by Peltier’s lawyers, they pledged to appeal the decision, and quoted the words of Frederick Douglass: “What have those [that] I represent to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?”

#SanJoseCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #InjusticeSystem #PoliticalPrisoners #LeonardPeltier #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – Residents of the East Phillips neighborhood and organizers with the Climate Justice Committee rallied outside of Smith Foundry on Tuesday, June 4, after an announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it had reached a settlement with Smith, with the most significant provision requiring that the heavy-polluting foundry shut down its furnace within 12 months.

The rally showcased the results of a steadfast commitment to environmental justice. At the rally, every speaker emphasized that, while the ruling from the EPA is a huge step in the right direction, the Shut Down Smith Coalition, East Phillips residents and their allies are not finished.

Residents who spoke drove home the point that their collective effort is leading to results – that they are building an environmental justice fighting-machine that takes on the system in the streets, in the courts and in political offices. The Smith rally was a time to celebrate a major success, and to motivate organizers and neighbors for the next phase of the fight: demanding a total closure.

After the rally, the Climate Justice Committee circulated the following statement, summarizing these developments, the present state of the struggle, and where it goes from here:

“After a long campaign by community organizers in the East Phillips neighborhood, the EPA finally announced on Tuesday, June 4th, that they had reached a partial settlement with Smith Foundry, requiring that the facility permanently shut down its furnace within 12 months, immediately shut down two of their pouring lines, and pay an $80,000 penalty. Still, the settlement allows Smith to continue to operate as a metal finishing shop.

“This represents a major advancement in the East Phillips and Little Earth communities’ struggle for environmental justice, which is in direct continuity with the significant and hard-won victories at the Roof Depot and Bituminous Roadways. Every inch of ground gained thus far is the result of a tireless, multi-pronged struggle by a broad coalition of activists and community members who were willing to fight for the air we breathe by any means necessary.

“However, this fight is NOT over. Twelve more months is far too long for the neighborhood to continue to endure Smith Foundry’s reckless pollution. And, there are unknown ramifications of operations as a metal finishing plant.

“If Zynik Capital, the EPA, or the MPCA—whose commissioner, Katrina Kessler, was recently granted new powers by the MN State Legislature to shut down polluters like Smith—really treated public health as their top priority, Smith could be shut down today.

“Furthermore, we will continue to loudly demand that all Smith Foundry workers affected by the shutdown be afforded everything they rightly deserve, including generous severance packages, compensation for negative health impacts caused by working at Smith, and a just transition to new employment in a healthy and safe workplace.

“Finally, we demand that the MPCA—and Zynik Capital—issue apologies to the residents of East Phillips and Little Earth. This agency has steadfastly refused to use its enforcement powers, and instead has delivered decades of negligence, lies, and utter disregard for neighbors’ complaints about the epidemic of industrial pollution in their community. MPCA and Zynik must also provide reparations to the neighborhood in whatever form the residents see fit.

“As we enter a new phase in our efforts for environmental justice, we are determined to continue heightening the level of struggle and raising the bar for what communities can achieve when they are prepared to fight. Until East Phillips, Little Earth, and all communities across Minnesota have the power in their hands to build a future free from environmental injustice, the Climate Justice Committee will stay in the streets.

“When we fight, we win!”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Environment #EnvironmentalJustice #EnvironmentalRacism #SmithFoundry #CJC #EPNI #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples

Minneapolis, MN – On March 20, over 30 people rallied across the street from Smith Foundry in East Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis. A miniature factory replica named Little Smith Foundry stood in front of the “Shutdown Smith Foundry” banner. Community members expressed anger at impact of the foundry’s pollution on the community of East Phillips and Little Earth which is allowed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

The Climate Justice Committee (CJC) organizers Tracy Molm and Michael Wood gathered the crowd. Little Crow Bellecourt of the Crane Clan and director of Indigenous Protectors Movement, stated, “We’re all about our community, and our native people, and also our neighbors and our allies which is up here.” Then directed his disgust across the street, “Can you hear us out here, Smith Foundry? Goddammit! We’re sick and tired of you over here!”

Adjacent to the foundry is a neighborhood Day Care Center where Allison Lind sends her two-year-old son. Lind stated that her son “has significant respiratory issues.” Lind continued, “Like many of you I’ve frequently called the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and 311 and their response has been frustratingly inadequate.”

Speakers from the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute and other groups talked about the lead emissions from the foundry, and that no lead emissions are safe for humans.

Then Little Earth Protector Director Jolene Jones stated, “We have kids with asthma. We have kids missing school. All of that is going on because of this foundry. The governor can shut this place down with a signature. We need to make sure this happens. 'Cause this about our future! Our children! They’re sick all the time.”

The Climate Justice Committee is committed to continuing this fight and is going to put pressure on the Minnesota governor, who has the power to oversee the MPCA and also support legislation that would end permits that limit oversight on polluters like Smith Foundry.

The CJC will also continue to pressure the MPCA directly and Smith Foundry. Several days before the rally the asphalt manufacturer that is next door to Smith Foundry confirmed that they were shutting down permanently because of increased MPCA regulations. Organizers pointed out that closure of Bituminous Roadways, the asphalt manufacturer, was a direct result of pressure from the community.

#MinneapolisMN #TwinCitiesMN #MN #Environment #MNCJC #SmithFoundry #LittleEarth #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #EPNI #MPCA

Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of February 7, residents of East Phillips confronted the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) at a community meeting and then held a press conference regarding the Smith Foundry.

East Phillips is a primarily oppressed nationality neighborhood and home to the Little Earth indigenous community. East Phillips has the highest rates of asthma in all of Minnesota, with many residents suffering from COPD among other respiratory health issues.

The double-dealing of the MPCA was on clear display by trying to break the community meeting up into smaller, fragmented groups at “answer” tables. The East Phillips community and their supporters refused to cooperate, ignoring the “answer” tables and demanding that the MPCA address the community as a whole.

This was a follow-up meeting after the federal Environmental Protection Agency found, in a surprise inspection, that Smith Foundry was polluting the neighborhood and it required an outside agency to come to test the facility again.

The Smith Foundry has been releasing lead and other pollutants into the air on a permit they received in 1992. This permit does not monitor for lead. On Tuesday this week, the MPCA went out of their way to announce via Twitter that they found “The Smith Foundry is meeting their permit requirements. The facility emits low levels of lead.” The MPCA proudly shared this information, despite the fact there is no safe level of lead.

At the meeting on Wednesday night, residents pointed out that Smith has been poisoning the neighborhood for 120 years, while MPCA denies this and claims the foundry is in compliance with its permits. Brian Dickens, an Environmental Protection Agency employee named on Wednesday night, said that last year the Smith Foundry was in complete violation of their permits, but he states that “things have improved a lot.” 20-year Phillips resident Steff Yorek responded, “How can we trust you to maintain that they’re in compliance with the permit after you’ve allowed them to poison our air for decades?”

The MPCA is aware that this residential neighborhood is flooded with polluters and did not express any interest in changing that. As stated by MPCA representative Frank Kohlasch, “Bituminous Roadways is next door to Smith Foundry. Considering all sources of pollution around Smith Foundry is critical to the process for meeting permit requirements, we have to consider all the polluters. What are all of the other sources of air pollution that can be quantified?” Kohlasch did not respond when a neighbor pointed out that this is a residential neighborhood, not an industrial wasteland. The attendees of the neighborhood made their point clear: Smith Foundry does not belong in a residential neighborhood.

At the press conference called by the Climate Justice Committee, the MPCA was exposed for protecting the polluters like Smith Foundry, and not the community of East Phillips. A question-and-answer chant showed the community’s understanding of the role of the MPCA. The question to the community was, “Who keeps us safe?” The answer by the community was, “We keep us safe!” and “What do we want? Shut it down!”

#MinneapolisMN #Environment #EnvironmentalJustice #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #EPA #SmithFoundry #CJC #EastPhillips #EnvironmentalRacism

Minneapolis, MN – The city of Minneapolis announced their intent to close down Nenookaasi Ikwe Healing Camp in the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. Nenookaasi is an encampment of primarily indigenous people and has been a safe space for over three months.

Because of the steadfast support of local indigenous elders and other local volunteers, the camp has been home to up to 200 people. Because it provides a stable base, residents have been able to access government services, 74 people have gotten stable housing, and the camp has had zero overdose deaths.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who campaigned on ending homelessness in Minneapolis, has been playing a deadly game of whack-a-mole, where encampments of the unhoused are violently closed down, with no place for people to go. Despite many pointing out the cruelty of this approach, Frey has continued this policy.

Nenookaasi recently won their fight to get portable toilets to aid in keeping the site sanitary for the residents. One day later, an eviction notice was issued.

Lead camp organizer Nicole Mason said, “Eviction is violence and results in overdose, disease spread, assault, and the deaths of our relatives.”

Organizers called for a rally on Wednesday December 13, where hundreds of people assembled at The Wall of Forgotten Natives , the site of a former encampment that was violently shut down several years ago. Rallygoers chanted “Who’s land? Native land!” and “Land back” as they marched to the Nenookaasi encampment.

Residents of the encampment were visibly touched to see the massive support for the site that has meant so much to them.

At the rally, a 19-year-old resident of Nenookaasi encampment spoke of the safety and security she had, even as one of the youngest amongst older people. Nenookaasi gives her a place where people do not judge her, something she wished others would take note of and follow. Another Nenookaasi resident spoke if being “outside for a year” and “how that became so isolating.” New to Nenookaasi, he spoke of the welcome and warmth he receives there. The comments from these residents show Nenookaasi is not simply a location, it is home with the attributes of safety, security and support.

Community members, joined by organizations like the Climate Justice Committee, are committed to support Nenookaasi Ikwe Healing Camp. The city of Minneapolis has already moved the date of eviction once and may be moving a second time.

Meanwhile organizers and residents continue to demand no evictions until there is stable, safe housing for all residents, and that the city continue to meet with Nenookaasi representatives to coordinate next steps.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #OppressedNationalities #IndigenousPeoples #Housing #Homeless #CJC

San Jose, CA – On August 4, around 70 people gathered to celebrate the removal of the Thomas Fallon statue that had stood at the corner of West Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue in San Jose for over 20 years. Fallon was a captain of the U.S. military during the Mexican-American War and captured San Jose in 1846. In the 1850s, he returned to the area and began a political career, culminating in a one-year term as mayor of San Jose in 1859. His time in public office took place during a period of genocide against the indigenous peoples of California, as well as the oppression and disenfranchisement of Mexican people in California.

The removal celebration was hosted by the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, the indigenous people of the San Francisco Bay Area, and Centro Aztlan Chicomoztoc, a community organizing center that focuses on the Mexican, Chicano, and indigenous communities of San Jose.

The celebration began with a cleansing ceremony at the removal site, including prayer songs. Julie Dominguez, Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Ambassador, read a Tribal Land Acknowledgment. Community members spoke about the 30 year long community struggle against the statue, beginning with the original commissioning of the piece in the 1980s and culminating in the successful removal of the statue on April 24, 2023.

The group then proceeded to the corner of Almaden Boulevard and West San Carlos Street, also known as the historic Holiday Inn site. Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh spoke about how ancestral remains of the Muwekma Ohlone people were uncovered at the site during the construction of the Holiday Inn in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her mother, former Tribal Chairwoman Rosemary Cambra, was arrested in the 1980s while protesting for the respectful repatriation of the remains to the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.

Next, the procession moved to the Plaza de Cesar Chavez, before finally gathering at Saint James Park. Omar Torres, San Jose city councilmember for District 3, which includes the site of the former statue, gave a speech about how the Fallon statue symbolized genocide and oppression. Citlalmina Ortiz from Centro Aztlan Chicomoztoc spoke about how the Mexican-American War was an act of aggression by the U.S., launching a period of oppression for Mexican, Chicano and indigenous people in San Jose that continues through the present day.

Tribal Chairwoman Nijmeh spoke about the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s ongoing fight for federal recognition, including their efforts to get the San Jose City Council to pass a resolution in support of federal recognition. She encouraged those gathered to continue fighting for what is right, as the campaign to remove the Fallon statue was only successful due to the tenacity and organizing power of the people of San Jose.

#SanJoseCA #IndigenousPeoples #IndigenousRights

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, March 17, over 50 students and community members gathered outside the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and braved the bitter winds to demand the University of Minnesota expand the Native American Promise Tuition Program and fund the American Indian Studies department. University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) collaborated with the American Indian Student Cultural Center (AISCC) to organize this protest to fight for native students’ rights.

Emcees from AISCC and SDS led chants and introduced the first speakers of the action. “The U of M is a land-grant institution that was part of the Morrill Act of 1862. It was built on stolen Dakota land,” explained Taryn Long, secretary of the AISCC. “Today these universities, including the University of Minnesota, continue to profit off of indigenous homelands.” As Bryce Riesner of SDS explained, despite the revenue and funding generated from this land, “the university established this program to make up for the sins that it has been complicit in since its founding, yet it has only helped 18 freshmen.”

Laila Gourd, outreach coordinator of the AISCC stated, “Our demands include expanding the Native American Tuition Promise Program. Currently it does not include students that were enrolled last year, and we would like the tuition program to expand to include all undergraduate, graduate and professional-level students, as well as including transfer students from any college, not just the tribal colleges.” Gourd also raised the demand for transparency on statistics from the university, and highlighted the need to include all native students, both enrolled and descendants from any and all federal and state-recognized tribes, as currently the program only applies to native students enrolled in a Minnesota tribe.

“The notion of confrontation politics arose part-and-parcel to American Indian Studies in this city. In 1969 the American Indian Studies Department was founded; it is the oldest department in the country, and we’re in the basement of Scott Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus,” explained Nick Estes, a professor in the American Indian Studies Department. Estes went on to encourage students and faculty from across the University to support the fight, “This isn’t an Indian problem, this is everyone’s problem.”

Speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, David Gilbert-Pederson, who is also an AFSCME organizer said his union “fought really hard over the last year in bargaining with the university for paid time off for Juneteenth and paid time off to participate in tribal elections. The U fought us every step of the way, but we won, and we know that that wouldn’t have happened without struggle. We know that increasing the tuition promise isn’t gonna hap