Stand with Standing Rock to preserve water quality, environment

I am standing with Standing Rock. I traveled to the encampment in North Dakota and met the native peoples demanding the Dakota Access Pipeline be stopped. My friends at the camp asked me to use my voice to protect “Mother Earth” and speak for water justice.

While it appears the task is too large to accomplish and going up against big oil seems incomprehensible, the requests at Standing Rock were simple. They requested blueberries, fresh, healthy blueberries to add to their diet; a young Lakota man from South Dakota asked me to hug him; and the local Sioux native wanted me to tell the story of Standing Rock and spread the message that "they are “not protesters” but “protectors, defending the water, because water is life.”

The original route of the oil pipeline was to cross close to the city of Bismarck. The path was changed when it was concluded this could potentially pose a water safety issue for residents of Bismarck. The oil pipeline was redirected to the south, directly under the water supply of the Cannonball reservation. The thousands of supporters coming to Standing Rock are united in solidarity with the Cannonball tribes who are peacefully and prayerfully taking action for climate justice, protecting their sacred tribal lands and addressing water quality. No water should be in danger of contamination.

You can lend your voice and act to support Standing Rock.

1. Contact JP Morgan to stop funding to the Dakota Access Pipeline:
JP Morgan Chase, United Methodist Women’s bank, is one of 38 banking institutions funding the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Contact JP Morgan Chase and tell them that as a UMW member you want to see justice for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and ask them to stop funding the Dakota Access Pipeline:
JP Morgan Chase
Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon: jamie.dimon@jpmchase.com, Or call 212-270-1111
Corporate Contacts: Andrew Gray: andrew.s.gray@jpmchase.com
                              Jennifer Lavoie: jennifer.h.lavoie@jpmchse.com
                              Brian Marchiony: brian.j.marchiony@jpmorgan.com
Corporate Office: 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-2014

2. Support local demands to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline:

• Sign a petition by youth of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe: https://www.change.org/p/jo-ellen-darcy-stop-the-dakota-access-pipeline
• Call the White House at 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414. Tell President Obama to rescind the Army Corps of Engineers’ permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

• United Methodist Women Social Policy #1025: Environmental Racism: Urging general agencies to become more involved with community groups working to end environmental racism.
• United Methodist Women Social Policy #1026: Environmental Stewardship: Urging all United Methodists to carpool, use mass transit, more careful management and preservation of ground water sources.
• United Methodist Women Social Policy #1002: U.S. Energy Policy and United Methodist Responsibility: Move beyond dependence on high carbon fossil fuels, managing demand through conservation and energy efficiency, support infrastructure needed for public transportation and ride sharing, conduct an energy audit.