#NativeAmericanActivist

2025-02-18

BREAKING! #LeonardPeltier Left Prison on Tuesday Morning

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, Feb. 18, 2025

"Leonard Peltier will be welcomed home today, and greeted with signs along the roadway and a community feast. 'In The Honor Of' meal will be held at the Sky Dancer Casino Event Center in
#BelcourtNorthDakota, on February 18th, 2025. The meal will start at 6:00 p.m.
'Let's celebrate Leonard with the honor and glory that he deserves,' Peltier's family said.

"'As Leonard arrives on home to the Turtle Mountains, supporters of Leonard's are welcome to come and join the celebration in giving Leonard a warm welcome home by holding signs, honking, cheering and clapping with cars lined up starting from the reservation line coming from Rolla stretching into Belcourt. Please stay safe, no standing on the highway and stay on the shoulder. Please do not leave any signs behind, take them with you.'

"'As Leonard passes through, we are not allowed to follow him, please respect this. Following Leonard's welcome home at the reservation line everyone is welcome to gather for a meal in the honor of Leonard at the Sky Dancer Casino Event Center for stew, bangs and gullet as this is the first meal that Leonard requested for when he returns home.'

"'We do not know yet as of this post of Leonard's restrictions if he will be able to attend the meal.'

"Leonard is an 80-year-old elder with health problems and his first day of being released after nearly 50 years of incarceration will be a lot for Leonard to comprehend. If Leonard cannot attend, we are trying to set up for him to be on FaceTime or a phone call during the meal.'

"'The exact time of Leonard's arrival to Belcourt is still unknown.'

"'Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate this historical day of honoring our elder Leonard Peltier,' Peltier's family said today.

"Please check back for the livestream on Censored News on Tuesday."

bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2025/02
#LeonardPeltierIsFree #AIM #NativeAmericanNews #NativeAmericanActivist #ReaderSupportedNews

A photograph of Leonard Peltier, who now has white hair, standing with friends and relatives. He is wearing a traditional shirt and black jeans, and is smiling.
[Photo credit Gina Buenrostro]
2025-01-22

HT and congratulations to the @uraniumfestival! Thanks for doing all that you do!

2025 #NuclearFreeFuture Award laureates announced

January 14, 2025

"The 2025 Nuclear-Free Future Awards will this year honor individuals from #Brazil, #India, #Navajo country, the United States and #Zimbabwe for their achievements in working for a #NuclearFree world.

"The Award laureates are chosen by an international jury of their peers and are offered in three categories: #Resistance, Education and Solution. The 2025 laureates are: #SPUdayakumar (India) for Resistance; #MárciaGomesDeOliveira and #NorbertSuchanek (Brazil) for Education; and #EdwickMadzimure (Zimbabwe) for Solution.

"Honorary Lifetime Achievement awards will be given to teacher, author and #AntiNuclear activist, #JoannaMacy, and posthumously to #NativeAmericanActivist and musician, #KleeBenally.

"The Nuclear-Free Future Awards will be held on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at The Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York City (7 E 7th St. NY NY.) A reception at 6pm will be followed by the awards ceremony starting at 7pm. Both events are free admission and open to the public. Media are welcome.

"The Nuclear-Free Future Awards were founded by German journalist, filmmaker and activist, Claus Biegert, in 1998 and were first held in Salzburg, Austria. Since then, the Awards have traveled the world, honoring the largely unsung heroes of the Nuclear Age who work to end uranium mining and rid the world of nuclear weapons, nuclear power and uranium munitions.

"The event is a co-presentation of #BeyondNuclear and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Germany, an affiliate of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization #IPPNW.

"The 2025 Awards event takes place during the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of #NuclearWeapons March 3-7 at the United Nations."

beyondnuclear.org/2025-nuclear
#NoUraniumMining #UraniumFilmFestival #NoNukes #NoWar #RadioactivePollutionKills #ItsTimeToCleanUpTheMines #NuclearFreeFuture #NuclearWeapons

2025-01-20

#LeonardPeltier is finally going home!

“It’s finally over–I’m going home,” said Peltier in response to the news. “I want to show the world I’m a good person with a good heart. I want to help the people, just like my grandmother taught me.”

Breaking news!

#CensoredNews: "With just moments left before he leaves office, President Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier. Biden said Peltier is to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement."

Leonard Peltier (from 2015): "I have been a resister to the attempted genocide of my people ever since those days, and for this I will more than likely die in a prison. On February 6th, 2015, I will have served 40 years in a federal prison, even after the prosecutor said in 1984 in a high court, the government doesn't know who killed their agents and have no proof against me, because there is none. I was sentenced to 2 life sentences to run consecutively. When I was indicted a life sentence was 7 years, which means I have served 5 life sentences and 4 years, for resisting genocide against Native people. I am only guilty of being Indian."

bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2025/01
#FreeLeonardPeltier #LeonardPeltierFree #AIM #ReaderSupportedNews #NativeAmericanActivist

2025-01-19

Miami State Rep asks #Biden for clemency to handful of people, including survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking

By: Mitch Perry, January 18, 2025

"With just two days left in his presidency, Miami-Dade Democratic Rep. #DotieJoseph is calling on Joe Biden to extend clemency and pardons to a handful of individuals and groups who she says represent critical cases of injustice and unfairness.

"She’s calling for clemency for #LeonardPeltier, the #NativeAmericanActivist who was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of two FBI agents in a 1975 shooting on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Peltier has been imprisoned for more than 48 years, with dozens of members of Congress urging his release. Peltier, 79, has maintained his innocence throughout his time in prison.

"She wants a presidential pardon for #MarilynMosby, state attorney for Baltimore from 2015 to 2013. Last May she was sentenced to 12 months of home confinement as part of a 36 month sentence of supervised release for making a false mortgage application and two counts of perjury.

"Joseph described Mosby in her letter as 'the courageous State Attorney whose politically motivated prosecution was pay-back for her efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the inexcusable death of #FreddyGray, who was killed while handcuffed in custody.'

"Joseph seeks a pardon for #StevenDonziger, an environmental and human rights attorney. Donziger won a $9.5 billion judgement against Chevron in an environmental lawsuit in Ecuador. He was sentenced to six months in jail in 2023 for failing to comply with a judge’s order to surrender all of his electronic devices, according to CNBC.

"Rep. Joseph is calling for a pardon for #survivors of #DomesticViolence and #HumanTrafficking who are 'incarcerated for desperate acts of #SelfDefense against their abusers, and doing so would redress the system’s failure to protect them and end their cycle of continued victimization.'

"Biden’s tenure in office ends at 11:59 am, Monday, Jan.20.

"Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses on Friday morning."

islandernews.com/news/miami/mi
#FreeLeonardPeltier #FreeStevenDonziger #AmnestyForLeonardPeltier #ClemencyForLeonardPeltier

2025-01-18

President #Biden: Let boarding school survivor #LeonardPeltier finally return home

Leonard Peltier is the longest-incarcerated Native political prisoner in American history, and one of the oldest people currently in federal prison

by Nick Tilsen, January 18, 2025

"The people of the #PineRidgeReservation see #Peltier as our respected elder, and we have purchased and prepared a house for him on his homelands in #TurtleMountain. We are ready to welcome him home with open arms, to show him the care and support he deserved for his whole life. He deserves to live out his last days with dignity and surrounded by loved ones.

"#PresidentBiden, we implore you one last time: please have mercy. Please let Leonard Peltier come home and heal from the systems that stole his innocence as a young boy and lasted a lifetime."

ictnews.org/opinion/president-
#FreeLeonardPeltier #AmnestyForLeonardPeltier #ClemencyForLeonardPeltier #BringLeonardHome #AIM #AmericanIndianMovement #NativeAmericanActivist #FBI #ACAB

2025-01-17

Will #Biden Grant #LeonardPeltier Clemency? #Indigenous Leaders Plead, “Don’t Let Him Die in Prison”

#DemocracyNow, January 17, 2025

"After commuting the sentences of over 2,500 people imprisoned for nonviolent drug offenses, Joe Biden has set a record for most pardons and commutations by a U.S. president. But Indigenous political prisoner Leonard Peltier remains behind bars. Over 120 tribal leaders are calling on Biden to grant clemency to Peltier as one of his final acts in office, warning this may be the last opportunity Peltier has for freedom. Peltier is 80 years old and has spent the majority of his life — nearly half a century — in prison despite a conviction riddled with irregularities and prosecutorial misconduct. In December, tribal leaders, including the #NDNCollective’s Nick Tilsen, met with a pardon attorney at the Department of Justice to prepare a recommendation on Peltier’s case for Biden. With only a few days left in Biden’s term, #NativeAmericans are eagerly anticipating his decision. 'All of us see a little bit of ourselves in Leonard Peltier, and that’s why we fight so hard for him,' says Tilsen. 'This is about paving a path forward that gives us the opportunity to have justice and begin to heal the relationship between the United States government and Indian people. And so, this decision is massive.' "

Listen / watch / read transcript (available after 1pm EST): democracynow.org/2025/1/17/fre
#ClemencyForLeonardPeltier #AmnestyForLeonardPeltier #FreeLeonardPeltier #AmericanIndianMovement #AIM #NativeAmericanActivist #FBI #ACAB #TruthAndReconciliation

2025-01-09

#Taos #ReggaeBand #IrieBellion Releases Powerful Single Advocating #ClemencyForLeonardPeltier

By Native News Online Staff
January 07, 2025

"Six-piece reggae band IrieBellion, based in #TaosNewMexico, has released a new single to advocate for the release of #LeonardPeltier, a #NativeAmericanActivist who has been imprisoned for nearly 50 years.

"'Leonard Peltier’s Song' features Grammy-winning flutist #RobertMirabal of Taos Pueblo and a traditional drum group composed of singers from several Indigenous nations. Through this collaboration, the band hopes to amplify calls for President Joe Biden to grant clemency to Peltier.

"The song blends IrieBellion’s reggae-inspired rhythms with Robert Mirabal’s signature flute playing and the traditional Indigenous drumming and singing of #JohnSwiftbird (#Lakota), #ChaskePacheco (#Dakota / #SantaDomingoPueblo), and #BrysonSanchez (Dakota / #SanFelipePueblo).

"The song makes a direct #PleaForJustice, with Davis crafting a chorus —'Do the right thing, let freedom ring/ ​It's been so long, let's right this wrong' — that appeals to #PresidentBiden to take action and right what the band views as a longstanding wrong.

"The musical advocacy for Peltier's case has a rich history in popular music. #RobbieRobertson (Mohawk), the legendary guitarist and songwriter of The Band, created a particularly powerful statement with his song 'Sacrifice', which incorporated Peltier's own voice through a recorded prison phone call with Robertson. Little Steven (#StevenVanZandt), known for both his work with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and his solo career, also contributed to this musical legacy with his own 'Leonard Peltier,' which, like IrieBellion's new release, used Caribbean rhythms to carry its message of justice.

"Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of #Chippewa Indians, became involved in the American Indian Movement (#AIM) in the 1970s, a time of tension between Indigneous communities and the U.S. government.

AIM advocated addressing issues such as police brutality, treaty violations, and systemic inequality affecting Native Americans.

"Peltier’s case comes from a 1975 shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, where two FBI agents and a young Native man were killed. The shootout occurred during a period of violence on the reservation, often referred to as the '#ReignOfTerror,' when residents faced threats and attacks for their ties to AIM.

"Peltier was convicted in 1977 of killing the agents, but his trial has been widely criticized. Key evidence was withheld by the prosecution, including ballistics reports that could have supported his defense.

"Eyewitness testimony used to extradite Peltier from Canada was later recanted, with the witness stating they were coerced by the FBI. Even the U.S. attorney who handled the case has since admitted that no one knows who fired the fatal shots.

"Peltier has maintained his innocence for nearly five decades, and his case has been condemned by numerous human rights organizations, including #AmnestyInternational. Calls for his release have grown in recent years, with Peltier now in his late seventies and facing health challenges.

"'Leonard Peltier’s Song' is available on streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, and can also be found on IrieBellion’s HearNow page. The band encourages listeners to not only enjoy the song but also take action by learning about Peltier’s case, signing petitions, and contacting officials to advocate for his release.

"For those who want to learn more, organizations such as the International #LeonardPeltierDefenseCommittee provide resources and updates on efforts to secure his freedom."

nativenewsonline.net/arts-ente
#ACAB #FBI #AmericanindianMovement #PineRidge #FreeLeonardPeltier #AmnestyForLeonardPeltier #ClemencyForLeonardPeltier

2025-01-09

#JoeBiden is #LeonardPeltier’s last hope

The imprisoned #NativeAmerican is long overdue for clemency. Joe #Biden is probably the last president who can give it to him

Rose Styron and Alex Matthiessen
January 7, 2025

"As Joe Biden prepares to leave office, he has a chance to do something singularly honorable in the name of American justice and basic human rights. With a grant of clemency to Leonard Peltier, Biden could ameliorate a half-century-old injustice not just against Peltier but, in effect, against Native peoples everywhere, many of whom consider Peltier an enduring symbol of racism and state-sponsored oppression in the US.

"For those Americans who may not have heard of him, Leonard Peltier is known around the world as the US government’s number one political prisoner. A member of the Chippewa and Lakota Nations, Peltier was convicted in 1976 for the deaths, the year before, of two FBI agents killed during a shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. While he was in the area at the time of the shootout, Peltier, who maintains his innocence, has served nearly 50 years and counting for a murder he was never proved to have committed – or even to have aided and abetted.

"It is widely understood that the federal government railroaded Peltier into prison by withholding and falsifying evidence, coercing witnesses and forcing a change of jurisdiction, among other acts of prosecutorial misconduct and malice. The US attorney James Reynolds, whose office handled the prosecution and appeal of the case, issued a public apology in 2021, acknowledging that the federal government failed to “prove that Mr Peltier personally committed any offense on the Pine Ridge Reservation”. Reynolds has since called on Biden to release Peltier.

"Reynolds’s statement alone should have been grounds for granting Peltier parole and ultimately clemency. Yet, despite multiple pleas over many decades, Peltier – who just turned 80 and is suffering from multiple health crises including diabetes, kidney disease, heart issues and near blindness – continues to languish in a high-security prison in Florida called Coleman 1."

Read more:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/
#FBI #ACAB #FreeLeonardPeltier #AmnestyForLeonardPeltier #ClemencyForLeonardPeltier #NativeAmericanActivist #AIM #AmericanindianMovement

2024-12-24

#Grijalva, Sen. Schatz Lead 34 Lawmakers Urging #PresidentBiden to Pardon #NativeAmericanActivist #LeonardPeltier

From U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Dec 19, 2024

WASHINGTON – "U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman #BrianSchatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a letter signed by 34 Members of Congress to President Biden urging him to grant clemency for renowned Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier in the final weeks of his term. Mr. Peltier was convicted of murder in 1977 following a controversial investigation and trial, which many civil rights leaders and legal experts have called unjust, including the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case.

"In their letter, the lawmakers cite Mr. Peltier’s advanced age and illness, and stress that a presidential pardon is the last remaining hope for his freedom.

"'Despite the grave concerns surrounding the continued imprisonment of Mr. Peltier, who is now 80 years old and suffering from severe health conditions, including increasing vision loss, the Bureau of Prisons denied Mr. Peltier a compassionate release or reduction in sentence in April of this year; and in July 2024, the U.S. Parole Commission denied him parole. These recent denials mean only you have the unique ability to grant him clemency and rectify this grave #injustice that has long troubled #HumanRights advocates and #NativePeoples across the globe,' the lawmakers wrote.

"The lawmakers highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s unprecedented record of addressing the country’s history of injustices against Indigenous communities and urge President Biden to cement this legacy by commuting Mr. Peltier’s sentence.

"The letter was also signed by Representatives Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Daniel Kildee (D-Mich.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Ohio), Erica Lee Carter (D-Texas), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), #AlexandriaOcasioCortez (D-N.Y.), #IlhanOmar (D-Minn.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), #RashidaTlaib (D-Mich.), #JillTokuda (D-Hawai‘i), and #NydiaVelázquez (D-N.Y.), as well as U.S. Senators #MazieHirono (D-Hawai’i), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), #BernieSanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), #ElizabethWarren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D- Vt.), and former U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

BACKGROUND

"In 1977, Leonard Peltier was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of two FBI agents. His trial and conviction have been widely criticized by civil rights leaders and legal experts; key evidence was withheld, witnesses were coerced, and critical ballistics information was misrepresented. Mr. Peltier was an active member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), a grassroots movement founded in the late 1960s to organize activism around systemic poverty, discrimination, and police brutality against Native Americans. At the time of Mr. Peltier’s arrest, AIM was under deep scrutiny by the U.S. government.

"Last year, Ranking Member #Grijalva led a bipartisan, bicameral 33-member letter calling on President Biden and the U.S. Department of Justice to grant clemency to Mr. Peltier, as well as in October 2021 and February 2022. Grijalva spoke with Mr. Peltier in 2022 and recounted his description of harsh and often inhumane conditions in federal detention, including long periods of solitary confinement and major challenges in obtaining adequate medical care for his declining health."

Source:
charkoosta.com/news/grijalva-s
#FreeLeonardPeltier #AmnestyForLeonardPeltier #ClemencyForLeonardPeltier #AmericanIndianMovement #AIM #FBI

2024-12-20

So, again, it's okay for the #BorderPatrol (#MurderPatrol) to assassinate an unarmed #NativeAmerican man (#RaymondMattia) and a #LithiumMining employee to run over a #NativeAmericanActivist (#MyronDewey), but those acts aren't #Terrorism? I guess it's all about how much MONEY and CLOUT the victim has, eh?

2024-08-07

Who was #MarvinManypenny, #PeggyFlanagan's father? He was someone I could get behind -- in a lot of ways. He called out tribal police when they were #ACAB, and advocated for #LandBack. If this is the direction we're going in, I'm thinking there's some hope. #KamalaHarris knew who she was picking with #Walz, and who would govern Minnesota if they win...

Marvin Manypenny, #Minnesota American Indian activist, dies

Jon Collins
January 28, 2020

"American Indian land rights and sovereignty activist Marvin Manypenny died in #WhiteEarth Sunday at the age of 72. Friends and family remember him as a tireless advocate for his people, as well as a fierce critic of tribal and U.S. governments.

"Fellow activist Raymond Bellcourt grew up with Manypenny on the White Earth Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. He said Manypenny was attending seminary in the Twin Cities when long-simmering disputes over the fate of White Earth’s lands drew him back to the reservation.

"White Earth members had lost hundreds of thousands of acres of land through deception, confiscation or unfair laws since the late 1800s. To push for the return of some lands, Manypenny and other activists in the early 1980s formed the group #AnishinabeAkeeng, which translates to 'the people’s land.'

"'We were all of one mind that we wanted our lands back,' Bellcourt said. 'White Earth is not for sale is one of the slogans we had.'

[...]

"In 1999, Manypenny argued that the creation of the White Earth tribal police force violated the tribe’s constitution and could be 'turned into a goon squad.' He also criticized tribal councils and courts for what he saw as a lack of accountability and independence.

"Bellcourt described Manypenny as a 'scholar; of the tribe’s constitution and treaties, and said he was respected throughout the #Sixbands of the Minnesota #Chippewa Tribe."

mprnews.org/story/2020/01/28/m

#NativeAmerican #NativeAmericanActivist

2024-06-30

‘We were birthed from the Earth’

#TwoSpirit #activist stands up for #Native #reproductiverights

"We were birthed from the Earth. We have become the protectors of the sacred, the protectors of this land, the protectors of our lives — and that means we get to choose what is best for our lives.
It is our choice, our bodies, our rights, our lands that have been stolen. Our elders and ancestry, our culture, our language has been stolen, and now our Indigenous sovereignty has been stolen when you take our reproductive rights from us,"
-- Candi Brings Plenty (they/she).

Tuesday, June 25, 2024
By Acee Agoyo

"A chaotic and heated scene played out here in the nation’s capital as a #NativeActivist advocated for tribal #sovereignty on the steps of the highest court in the land.

"Candi Brings Plenty (they/she), a Two Spirit #WaterProtector and land defender from the #OglalaSioux Tribe, opened an event marking the unprecedented loss of women’s reproductive rights with remarks in the #Lakota language. But several counter-protesters — all of them non-Native — repeatedly tried to disrupt the gathering that was held on the second anniversary of the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Yet #BringsPlenty, who was a prominent figure in the movement against the #DakotaAccessPipeline, stood their ground. Holding an eagle feather fan and a sign in defense of tribal rights, they able to acknowledge the ancestral lands of the #Nacotchtank and the #Piscataway peoples who have lived in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas since time immemorial — even as one non-Native went so far as to try and block others from witnessing the Women’s Strike event."

indianz.com/News/2024/06/25/we

#RoeVsWade #NativeAmericanActivist #Activism

2024-02-02

#Lakota #MamaJulz Locked Down, Arrested, in Jail, Fighting Appalachian #Pipeline

"Without water there in no life. Violence against #MotherEarth is violence against our sisters."

By Brenda Norrell, #CensoredNews, Feb. 2, 2024

"'Find your Warrior Spirit,' said Mama Julz, Lakota, who locked down, was arrested, and is now in jail, for fighting the pipeline in #Appalachia."

Read more:
bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/02

#MountainValleyPipeline #MountainValleyPipelineLLC #NoPipelines #WaterIsLife #NativeAmericanActivist #SilencingDissent

2024-01-03

TY to @peterjriley2024 for making me aware of this website.

Donations Accepted for the Family of #KleeBenally

Published 7 hours ago

on January 2, 2024

"The family extends their appreciation for the fierce outpouring of support. We cannot thank you enough. Ahééhéé.

"If you would like to make a donation, we are currently accepting them for a few immediate needs. These donations will ensure that he is returned to the earth through our cultural protocols and that the projects that he was recently working on & volunteering with can be financially eased.

- Donations for family expenses

Family expenses will be utilized for burial expenses.

- Donations for #TaalaHooghan expenses

Property related costs and utilities are due at Táala Hooghan. Donate here to help offest those costs.

- Donations for #HaulNo!

Klee was deeply involved in Haul No! to stimulate actions of resistance against #EnergyFuels#PinyonPlain / #CanyonMine #UraniumMine, Energy Fuels’ #WhiteMesaMill, and related transport.

- Cash donations can also be accepted in person.

"#IndigenousAction will continue the protection and fight for #MotherEarth & #HumanRights that Klee passionately fought for."

indigenousaction.org/donations

#UraniumMining #FirstNations
#IndigenousAnarchist #KleeBenally #MutualAid #Dineh #IndigenousActivist #NativeAmericanActivist #FirstNations #Resistance #ClimateJustice #BigMountain #ClimateWarrior #LandDefender #MutualAid

2024-01-03

#KleeBenally, #CulturalAdvocate and #LandDefender, dies at 48

By Kianna Joe | Dec 31, 2023

KINŁÁNÍ-DOOK’O’OOSŁÍÍD – "Klee Benally died the morning of Dec. 31, 2023. He was 48.

"Benally’s family will be having a family meeting later today to share a formal announcement of Benally’s life, according to an #IndigenousAction social media post.

"Benally was from #Dziłyíjiin, Arizona. He was from the Tódích’íi’nii and #WanderingPeople clans. He relocated to #Kinłání, where he proudly stood tall with Dook’o’oosłííd.

"In his last interview with the Navajo Times on Dec. 7, Benally credited his father, #JonesBenally, a respected and known #hataałii, who shared the #Diné traditions and culture with him.

"Klee Benally’s teachings growing up laid a foundation for who he was as a Diné and led to him fighting for the sacred Dook’o’oosłííd.

"'For Diné people, it represents a part of our cosmology and being,' Benally said on Dec. 7.
'Each mountain is a part of our creation account set forward for our boundaries, Diné Bikéyah, where we walk around.'

"Benally described the mountains as leaders that hold and share teachings for Diné.

"Countless comments from people who knew and followed Benally shared their sudden sadness but described Benally as a 'one-of-a-kind' wise son, brother, uncle, or grandpa.

"Along with fighting for sacred elements, Benally was an #artist in many mediums, writer, musician, and filmmaker.

"On Thursday, Dec. 21, Benally launched his book, '#NoSpiritualSurrender,' released in November.

"The book delves into Benally’s experience fighting for sacred places and why he does it to protect #nahasdzáán.

"Benally recounted the many times he had been #arrested in the Dec. 7 interview, along with tying himself to heavy machinery to send a message that he wasn’t going anywhere for the land’s sake.

"Benally’s work reflected his dedication and understanding of fighting for land and its #IndigenousPeoples.

"Benally worked endlessly for the community and land, which are grateful to have been protected by a dedicated Diné."

navajotimes.com/reznews/klee-b

#Dineh #BigMountain #IndigenousActivist #NativeAmericanActivist #FirstNations #IndigenousAnarchist #Resistance #ClimateJustice #ClimateWarrior

2024-01-03

This hits home for me. I worked with Klee's family and provided #MutualAid when I was reporting on #BigMountainResistance years ago. My heart goes out to the Benally family and all those whose lives he touched. #RestInPower Klee. Link to fundraisers via #IndigenousAction at the end of the post.

Warrior #KleeBenally Never Surrendered: A Life of #RevolutionaryLove, Resounding '#RegainYourPower

by Brenda Norrell, #CensoredNews, January 2, 2024

"Our hearts are broken by the sudden passing of our friend Klee Benally. Reflecting on Klee's life, we remember the words of #CheGuevara that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.

"Klee never surrendered, he never surrendered to #capitalism, the media, or the forces of conformity that sought to change who he was.

"Ultimately, Klee taught us to regain our power, regardless of the road that led us to the present.

"#LouiseBenally, #Dine' of Big Mountain, said, 'Klee was our spokesman and leader. His departure only means we have to rise and carry on the work for justice for #nature and humanity. I will miss him Greatly and Honor him highly.'

"His roots come from Big Mountain, grandson of the late #RobertaBlackgoat.

"'He was an honorable young leader, well respected and moved with a lot of compassion. My nephew brother and my leader. A truly beautiful and amazing person who really lived up to his beliefs, and was not driven by money but by needs and concern, a real warrior.

"'He was our shining Star, he will continue to shine on us from the other side.

"'He always honored me, I will miss that,' Louise said.

"#MichelleCook, Dine', said, "We are deeply saddened and shocked by the news of the passing of our beloved warrior Klee Benally. We ask for prayers for his family during this time. For decades Klee led an uncompromising position, for the liberation of our peoples and lands developing and synthesizing an embodied praxis of #Indigenous-based political, economic, and social resistance against all forms of #SettlerColonialism that degrades people and the planet.

"Klee was our North Star guiding with his heart and mind. While some may not have shared his positions, no one can question his dedication, determination, and sheer drive to protect his people despite the risks and danger.

"He risked his life through forms of #CivilDisobedience and #DirectAction to protect our Dook’o’oosłiid, #HolyMountain, from development to maintain our ceremonial practices and way of life.

"Klee taught us all to be brave to fight against #genocide, the co-optation of our movements by the non-profit #IndustrialComplex. To be steadfast in what is right and wrong. To honor our ancient law and the sacred teachings of our ancestors and Grandmothers. His departure leaves a void in #DinehNation and #IndianCountry," Michelle said.

"Now with his absence from this material plane, we have no choice but to pick up his work, pick up the slack, carry on, and continue our journey as Dineh in a beautiful way.

"Klee's development and articulations of Indigenous peoples and archaism remain relevant for social movements within and outside of #TurtleIsland.

"He will forever remain in our hearts and minds as a guiding light and a growling voice, screaming freedom, for our earth and peoples. We love you Klee.

"Rest now our sacred warrior. Your work is done. We are so proud of the legacy you cultivated and left for this world. Journey well our sweet warrior until we meet again in the great Star Camp beyond," Michelle said.

"Klee passed to the Spirit World on Sunday, after being hospitalized.

"We send our sincere condolences to his family, his wife Princess, family Jones, Berta, Jeneda and Clayson, and all those who knew and loved him.

"From locking down in U.S. #BorderPatrol headquarters in Tucson, to chaining himself to equipment in defense of Sacred San Francisco Peaks, to battling the auctioneers of the sacred ceremonial items in Paris, and leading the #HaulNo movement to protect the #GrandCanyon region from #UraniumMining, to feeding the #unsheltered in Flagstaff, and standing strong for #Palestine, Klee's powerful actions remain a moving force to resound, and rivet us all, to struggle for a world without compromise.

"Klee recognized that the non-profit industry was designed to water down the resistance and turn the sacred movements into an ATM machine for a select few.

"Fly high, my sweet friend."

bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/01

indigenousaction.org/donations

#Dineh #IndigenousActivist #NativeAmericanActivist #FirstNations #IndigenousAnarchist #Resistance #ClimateJustice #ClimateWarrior

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