On Water Protectors
In the spring of 2016, a group of young, Native activists began protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Their decision to protect their local waters set off one of the most impactful protests in recent history. I don’t know where you were during that time, but for me, as a college freshman, I was deeply inspired by their actions and compelled to learn more about their cause. Years later, while teaching at Vanderbilt, I showed the documentary about the protests, Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock, to my students, who I could tell were also moved by the fearlessness of this movement. As this episode brings to light, the fight for water is just as prescient now as it was in 2016, and it continues to be courageously led by Native activists, artists, writers, and thinkers. I hope that as you listen to this episode (our final episode of Season 1), you might also be inspired by their words, and find ways to get involved with the worldwide effort to protect water.
Maren
Please rejoin us for ten new episodes of Art of Interference in April 2024.
