Earthworks supports anti-racist organizations

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By Raquel Dominguez, Anaïs Peterson, Brytnee Laurette, Kaitlyn Joshua, Jennifer Krill

Last week, Earthworks made donations to six organizations that fight against white supremacy and advance reproductive, immigrant, Indigenous and environmental justice.

Descriptions of these organizations are below, along with the Earthworks staff who named each one. Our financial contributions are part of our commitment to dismantle white supremacy, patriarchy, transphobia and other systems of oppression both internal and external. This is the second year Earthworks has donated to organizations doing anti-racist work (you can find our 2020 blog here).

Our work to protect communities from the impacts of oil, gas and hard rock mineral extraction is guided by the work of many black, indigenous and colored scholars; this year, we have been particularly briefed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, creator of the theory of intersectionality, and the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (SNEEJ), creator of the Jemez Principles.

Environmental and climate justice is only possible through the abolition of systems of oppression. The organizations we have donated to all help build a better world by dismantling the old one. We express our gratitude to these organizations for all they do and pledge to act in solidarity with them as we try to do the same.

Abolitionist Law Center – Campaign against toxic prisons nominated by Anaïs Peterson

ALC is a public interest law firm that organizes an end to mass incarceration based on race and class. The ALC has ongoing campaigns to free political prisoners, fight toxic prisons, and advocate against solitary confinement and death by incarceration (life without parole). The campaign to end toxic prisons draws inspiration from both the abolitionist movement and the environmental justice movement. Low income and communities of color are most often at the forefront of violence, pollution and incarceration. You can donate to the ALC Toxic Prisons Campaign here.

O’odham Anti-Border Collective nominated by Brytnee Laurette

O’odham Anti-Border Collective is a grassroots collective of members and descendants of the Akimel O’odham, Tohono O’odham and Hia Ced O’odham tribes committed to the unification of all O’odham peoples, the regeneration of O’odham himdag (traditions, spirituality, language and culture) and the protection of the Jewish O’odham (homelands) through the dismantling of colonial borders. Amber Ortega, a member of the O’odham Anti-Border Collective, is on trial for defending her ancestral lands (Quitobaquito Spring) against border militarization. You can donate to the O’odham Anti-Border Collective via Paypal here – when you log in you can find them at @antibordercollective.

Support network for trans asylum seekers appointed by Brytnee Laurette

The Trans Asylum Seeker Support Network is a collective of direct action and mutual aid abolitionist borders. It focuses on supporting transgender asylum seekers crossing the border to exit detention and ensure housing, legal assistance, health care and transport. This organization provides comprehensive daily financial and material support, building prosperous lives and communities and winning asylum claims. You can donate to the Trans Asylum Seeker Support Network here.

Celina Indian Center supported the families named by Anaïs Peterson

Last November, the Celina Indian Center in southwest Ohio closed its doors after 45 years of supporting local Indigenous families. The center supported 30 SWOH families with meals and last year provided toys to 200 children for the holidays. Especially with the closure of the center, these families need support this holiday season with meals and toys this year. You can donate to Celina Indian Center via Heartbeat Gardens here with a note that the donation is to be assigned to “WETU” (a Lakota word meaning “when the life force flows”).

Another Gulf is Possible Collaborative nominated by Kaitlyn Joshua

The Another Gulf is Possible Collaborative is a grassroots collaboration led by women of color that focuses on cultural organization, arts-based healing, direct action, advocacy, transformative justice, education and training locally led capacity building. They operate from Brownsville, Texas, to Pensacola, Florida. You can donate to Another Gulf is Possible Collaborative (by check) here.

Southern University Student Coalition nominated by Kaitlyn Joshua

The Southern University Student Coalition is the Sierra Club section of Southern University and is also known as the 771 Alliance. They are led by black and brown students and do mutual aid and disaster relief work throughout Louisiana. You can donate to the Southern University Student Coalition via @ SUSC771 on Paypal here, or by sending a check to the Sierra Club Foundation at the linked address, please direct the check to the “Southern University Student Coalition”.

Longtime abolitionist organizer and writer Mariame Kaba says anything worthwhile is done with other people. Fighting capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression means engaging in work the beginning of which you have not seen and the end of which you will not see. It is not only important to work collaboratively with others, but crucial for every aspect of these struggles. While we may not collaborate with these organizations on a daily basis, we share their commitment to a world free from injustice.

We invite you to stand in solidarity with them, by providing financial support, by discovering their work and by joining their campaigns for justice.

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