The Native American Student Association of LCC, also known as NASA, is planning a conference on environmental racism against indigenous peoples.
The event will highlight issues such as the Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas and the Dakota Access Pipelines. NASA students Carolee Hefner (Lakota Sioux, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Kaukiutl) and Jordan Harrington (Klamath Modok) say the discussion of these conflicts is also important due to their wide impact outside of native communities.
“It’s not just a native issue, it’s a people issue. Pipelines are a people issue when they burst,” says Harrington.
“Yeah. They’re protecting their land and their water but if that pipeline were to burst and get into the water up there, it would go down all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and effect millions of people throughout that whole chunk of the United States,” says Hefner. “They’re not just standing up for their rights, they’re standing up for everybody.”
The event will take place sometime during LCC’s Winter Term. NASA is currently coordinating an ongoing donation drive for the Sacred Stone Camp at the Standing Rock Water Protection Site. Desired supplies include winter jackets, tarps, ready to eat meals and sleeping bags. For more information contact the LCC Native American Student Association.