Proactive and Reactive Actions

As I fight for environmental justice, I don't want to create a "band-aid" solution, I want to institutionalize change. This made more sense to me as I learned more about transformative justice in chapter 6 of Social justice: Theories, issues and movements because I am not only trying to “respond to the immediacy of the conflict or harm but also to situate it in a broader framework addressing structural issues” (Capeheart & Milovanovic, 2007, p. 61). For this social justice action project, I plan on being both proactive AND reactive to environmental injustices.

In terms of being proactive, I plan on monitoring how much trash I generate on a weekly basis and donating clothes and other items to charity. By doing these two things, I am limiting the amount of waste that ends up in low-income communities on a small scale. I am being reactive by engaging in protests that target the land and resources of marginalized communities because I want to fight against those in the government (and elsewhere) who think it is okay to engage in environmental racism and target those who do not have power and/or the voice to advocate for clean natural resources.

Over the last 2 weeks, I decided to get more engaged with the Dakota Access Pipeline protest in North Dakota. I stand in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in protesting this oil pipeline because it presents a threat to their lands, scared sites, water, and would destroy their way of life.

Unlike in the past, distance does not stop me from joining this protest despite the fact that I live in Seattle. I have been involved by signing the Move On online petition, and by checking in at Standing Rock on Facebook to confuse the local police officers who are using Facebook check-ins at Standing Rock to target protesters in attempts to disrupt the prayer camps.

While these passive behaviors often feel unimportant or unable to create real change, at the least I feel as if I am keeping the conversation about the Dakota Pipeline Access Protest alive. Many of the major U.S. news channels are refusing to cover the protest, so I believe this makes it even more important for me to continue to talk about it. I carry the belief that one person CAN make a difference, even if it takes a long time for anyone to listen, so I will continue to use my privilege and my voice in situations where others are not able, and in this case, it is the Sioux Tribe.

References:

Capehart, L., & Milovanovic, D. (2007). Social justice: Theories, issues and movements. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.