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Announcing the Mni Wiconi Blogathon - #DeFundDAPL
Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at 9:00AM 
UPDATE: Mni Wiconi Blogathon is Extended until JANUARY 7th!On a number of occasions I've written about the ways movies help us further understand the role we play as a society when addressing complex topics including water pollution, climate change, poverty, clean water, human rights and the power of people working together to make a positive difference.
In response to one of these writings, Michele Truhlik hailed the importance of documentary filmmakers because they "bring light to subjects and incidents that would otherwise go unnoticed." Lucian Read, whose 8-minute short film Mni Wiconi: The Stand at Standing Rock highlights the struggle for clean water and Native sovereignty, is one such documentarian.
After watching Read's film, it bothers me that many of the same banks that brought us the 2008 financial crash are destroying the earth and bankrolling genocide and it seems like no one is talking about it.
Together with Shannon at The Warrior Muse and Misha at The Five Year Project, we invite YOU to stop the censorship and corporate media whiteout of the #NoDAPL movement, by participating in the Mni Wiconi Blogathon.
PLEASE READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE SUBMITTING BLOG POSTS.
How To Participate:
1. Write an open letter to a bank of your choosing, in response to the film Mni Wiconi: The Stand at Standing Rock and publish it on your blog between Dec. 27 - Jan. 7. (e.g. Dear Wells Fargo, Why Are You Funding Water Contamination? or Dear Chase Bank, You Can't Drink Oil)
- You can watch the film at the bottom of this blog post.
- Must be written to one of the 38 banks involved (17 are directly funding DAPL.)
- A $1.4 billion loan is on hold while the Army Corps permit for drilling under the Missouri River is suspended. This means there's still time for the banks involved in this loan to cut their line of credit.
- Only submit NEW posts. Previously published posts will not be eligible for the Giveaway (see details below). If you do not have a blog, consider doing a guest post for another blogger or posting your entry on Medium.
2. Add the blogathon badge to your post
3. Send us your post by filling out the form below:
One entry per person, not per blog.
Must be received by Monday January 2 Saturday January 7, 2017 12:59pm EST
4. Promote your post on social media using the hashtags #WaterisLife #Blogathon #DefundDAPL #BankExit
LINK-UPS
I will post a list roundup of the participating blogs here, as they are received and compiled, throughout the week and share the lists on social media.
**GIVEAWAY**
*courtesy of @MadlabPost & Do1Thing
On Tuesday January 3rd Monday January 9th, I'll randomly select five participants who will receive a 2017 Do1Thing wall calendar and an emergency swag bag filled with a water bottle, first aid kit, KIND granola, flashlights and related goodies. The first gift recipient who responds to my notification will also receive a Star Wars themed surprise.
Let's demand the banks to #DefundDAPL because Water is Life!
December is a global month of action in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, as indigenous led communities unite to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), also known as the Bakken Pipeline from crossing the Missouri River. So today I'm closing my account with HSBC -- one of the 38 banks funding (and profiting off) a project that violates sacred lands of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and threatens the air and water supply for millions of people.
Reader Comments (3)
I don't have a bank account with any of these banks, but I think it's fantastic that you're taking a step like this!
Nicole, this is a fabulous blogathon and I just posted about it on my site. Hopefully these posts will shine a light on this important issue and move people to take part in taking a stand.
Thanks for the mention! :)
Michele at Angels Bark
Shannon,
Thanks. Your involvement as Co-Host is what's fantastic and while my account is with one of these banks, there are others among the main 17 banks that I've had experiences with in some capacity. Because of this, I plan to address those banks and their contributions to the pending clean water crisis, treaty violations, etc. as well. I believe everyone who lives on the earth and drinks the water it provides can do something to help protect it as well as the rights of fellow human beings.
Michele,
Hey I figure since we in the blogging community are no strangers to blog hops for recreation, it might be nice to have a blogathon that helps do some good in the world, maybe?! The #DefundDAPL movement makes it clearer that, at least from an investment or financial standpoint, a lot of people are already taking part, albeit unknowingly in many cases, in the Stand at Standing Rock sitiation by allowing banks to lend out their money for terrible purposes. The difference comes in deciding how we want to take part in this Standing Rock situation, what that means and acting on those decisions in a way that helps the future of humanity rather than hindering it. Thank you for reading, commenting and posting about the Mni Wiconi blogathon on your blog.