What started as a plan for as a small prayer circle resulted in a massive show of support Saturday, as over 100 people marched through downtown Phoenix in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and activists opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The march was part of the “Phoenix Solidarity Gathering,” an event that intended to raise awareness and support for members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies who are standing up against the Dakota Access Pipeline route in protection of the Missouri River.
The Dakota Access Pipeline or DAPL, is $3.8 billion pipeline that will stretch more than 1,000 miles from oil fields in North Dakota to a port in Illinois once constructed.
The pipeline has been the source of an ongoing legal battle and protests within the Native American community since April, with tribal members and activists saying the tribe was not consulted prior to the pipeline’s approval, and the pipeline will threaten the tribe’s water supply.
Although media coverage was scarce until recently, public support and advocacy on social media has gained a lot of steam, and demonstrations of support have sparked up in several major cities across the country with Phoenix now joining the likes of Omaha, Salt Lake City and Denver.
However, the Phoenix Solidarity Gathering started with the intent of being much smaller said Michael Rossi, the event organizer. In fact, he originally intended for it to be just himself and some of his closest friends offering prayer, marching downtown and handing out flyers.
“My intention was to pray, and prayer means doing a lot of things, sharing an intention, drumming, and singing,” said Rossi. “I wanted to make sure that it was a prayerful action.”
After seeing the outpouring of support and passion on social media, he decided to broaden the scope of the event while maintaining prayer at its core. In turn, hundreds of people showed up for what turned into a full rally with singing, guest speakers, a blanket dance and drum circle — and culminating with a march into Downtown Phoenix near CityScape.
The march itself went off without a hitch, despite the 100 degree heat. It began around 1:30 p.m. at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza near 17th and Jefferson streets, as marchers then went down Jefferson heading east carrying signs such as “Water is Life” and “No DAPL.” They then wrapped around and came back down Washington Street after reaching Central Avenue, and returned to the plaza around 3:00 p.m.
Rossi, a Lakota language student, said he was inspired to take action because of the lack of awareness he has seen regarding the pipeline and the close relationship he has developed with members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Through his involvement in Lakota language revitalization movement, of which Standing Rock has been a major player, Rossi developed relationships he considers like family and visited the camp.
“When I think of the pipeline, when I think of the threat, those are the faces I see,” he said. “They’re resilient and persevering but it’s hard.”
What also made the gathering so impactful was that it was not only about the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, but other problems the Arizona Native American community as a whole face.
During the rally, the opportunity was afforded for anyone to come up and talk about a Native American issue they were passionate about, and that led to some of the most resonant moments of the day.
Dorothea Stevens spoke about the struggles of the Apache at Oak Flat where sacred land has been sold to a foreign mining company. She pleaded for people get involved through politics and activism.
“We’ve been fighting for Oak Flat for a long time,” Stevens said. “Tell your nations to vote, and please come and visit and camp out there.”
Alex Tomahawk Cook delivered one of the more fiery speeches of the day, which questioned why the water, air and crops of Native Americans are not afforded the same protection as those of non-Native Americans, though their relatives have also fought and died serving this country.
“It is because of self-regulating corporations that think they have more power than the president of the United States,” said Cook. “And that ain’t right.”
Contact the reporter at Charles.T.Clark@asu.edu.
