Hearts Gather to Protect the Earth

by Trinity Willis, SanDiego350

On February 14th, a day celebrated by many in the name of love, people gathered early in the morning to advocate love for our planet. In front of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in San Diego, we wrote out our unconventional love letters on cardboard for passersby to read. Our signs expressed the following feelings: “Keep It In The Ground,” “Protect Our Climate, Water, and Health,” and, a favorite, “This Is Reality”. While it was an early start, honks of acknowledgement from the passing traffic invigorated us. We rewarded each supportive honk with instant cheer, not for the driver vigorously waving at us, but in affirmation of our cause.

Sometime in the second hour of our occupation, we moved into the parking lot, directly in front of the building. A handful of speakers lined up opposite us, voices amplified by a microphone, determined for those inside to listen. Among them: a proud and outspoken mother, whose speech grounded us in the knowledge that clean water for all families is a fundamental right. A professor from City College talked us through the cultural connection and obligation to Mother Earth. Also there: two brave people from Standing Rock, sharing with us their experiences on the frontline and solidarity with the Water Protectors back in North Dakota. When they had spoken their pieces we formed a wide circle at the entrance to the parking lot and began praying. Drums boomed and voices rose; we sang for hope, for peace, for our Earth. The Lakota language stirred a sense of pride, and we swayed in the spirit of the rhythm.

Mni wiconi! Water is life! This phrase was the heart of our stand that day. This is why we had gathered on an early Tuesday morning in February. We were driven by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recent presidentially-ordered violation, which granted a private corporation (Energy Transfer Partners LP) the easement needed to complete the Dakota Access pipeline. This environmental setback is all the more impassioning to us, as it was made prematurely, before the completion of the pipeline’s Environmental Impact Assessment, which was to be completed on the 22nd of the month. Injustice is what planted our feet in front of their building that day, as well as hope that the voices of the people would be heard on the subject. We cannot accept silence in response to this infraction of the environment’s right to health: we cannot allow this abrogation of the people’s right to clean water. So together we gathered, spoke our minds, and did so peacefully.

Near the end of our time there, a water truck pulled up, delivering barrels of clean, bottled water for their employees to drink. Some San Diego Water Protectors appreciated the irony of the situation, and posed in front of it while snapping a few pictures. In its presence, we wondered to what extent the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would act differently if it was their water supply that was polluted.

Trinity Willis is a recent UCSD graduate with a focus on journalism and a background in San Diegan urban gardening. Currently she is honing her efforts on ecological justice and hopes to enter a graduate program in the same field.