Sign the Statement of Support for the Standing Rock Sioux from The New School Faculty
Jaskiran Dhillon, Assistant Professor of Global Studies and Anthropology, invites New School faculty to sign a statement of support for the Standing Rock Sioux, who are currently in resistance to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a project of the Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners. According to Professor Dhillon, "in many ways, this is a monumental fight that very much represents our current social and political moment. But it also signals the deeply problematic terrain of settler colonialism that continues to be ever present in the lives of Indigenous Nations and their communities -- and this includes high incidences of violence against Indigenous women and girls that are linked to extractive projects. "Dhillon has been working alongside Indigenous communities in Canada for almost two decades. Standing Rock is directly south of where she grew up on Treaty Six Cree/Métis territory in Saskatchewan. Dhillon spent the better part of a week on Standing Rock this month, where there are unprecedented numbers of tribal nations coming out in support, as well as other allies standing in solidarity from across many movements (including a strong presence from Black Lives Matter). Dhillon observed, "They have set up camp and are holding the line against the massive fossil fuel project that will directly threaten the water source for so many people. Elders, children, youth, families, singers, dancers, artists, AIM fighters, lawyers, writers, and everyday people are peacefully defending the land and water."Construction on the pipeline has been temporarily halted pending a US federal court decision that is expected to come down on September 9, 2016.Click here to read the Statement of Support for the Standing Rock Sioux from the New School Faculty, and to add your name to the signatories.