Thanksgiving Reflection

Photo credit: Joe Catron

While gratitude is a vital and beautiful aspect of the human experience, Thanksgiving is first and foremost an opportunity for us to reflect on the horrific history of settler colonialism in the U.S., and to express solidarity with our indigenous brothers and sisters in their ongoing struggles for justice. We recognize our own status as settlers on Native land, and we pledge to stand against the continued loss of sacred lands to developers and oil companies, the spoliation of water sources, and the exploitation of communities. We also stand with the brave Water Protectors who are now serving federal prison sentences for defending their land and livelihoods at Standing Rock.

While the situation in the U.S. two years into the Trump administration remains bleak, and the situation in Palestine is as bad as ever, we take hope from the significant gains made by the movement for Palestinian rights, and we are grateful for the opportunity to defend our rights to work towards freedom and justice for all, from Standing Rock to Palestine.