We are writing to share with you the story of our winter journey to Standing Rock, which the community made possible.

Our goal was to support the water protectors at Standing Rock, and although our journey had an unanticipated trajectory, we feel that our, and your, support has been felt.

We acknowledge that this may feel belated, and we hope you understand that we have done our best. Many of you were a part of this journey through buying bandanas and contributing financially.

In addition, Lehani’s donated food and organized refreshments for our fundraiser, Pane d’Amore donated bread, and the Trinity United Methodist Church hosted our fundraising event.

Like in November, the amount of energy and wealth of resources that this community gathered in support of the water protectors illuminates our incredible collective power.

The most poignant moment of the trip was after we learned that all the roads leading into the camps had checkpoints preventing buses of people and supplies from entering.

Sitting at a Flying J restaurant in Spokane, we crowded around a phone and listened to the song that was being sung for us at the Sacred Stone camp.

The singers remembered the PNW delegation from November, the salmon and the cedar, and rejoiced that another group from the same community was en route. Their song was an affirmation of our trip and the November one, and of this community’s part in the Standing Rock story.

Although we didn’t get our bodies to Standing Rock, we hope to continue supporting their efforts by passing along the remaining funds to water protectors fighting legal battles.

Once again, the PNW winter Standing Rock crew thanks the community for its commitment to the water, indigenous sovereignty and collective action.

JUSTINE GONZALEZ-BERG

Port Townsend