This was written by Stephanie Klein, Moms Clean Air Force Washington, DC coordinator:
This summer, the House of Tears Carvers of the Lummi Nation have been transporting a 24-foot totem pole from Washington State to Washington DC. As the pole has traveled, it has been visiting many sacred and cultural places to draw lines of connection — honoring, uniting and empowering communities working to protect all sacred places. It carries the spirit of the lands it visits and the power and prayers of communities along the way — ultimately delivering these prayers, power and demands to the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress in Washington DC.
The cross-country tour, called the Red Road to DC, has connected twenty of the country’s Native-led struggles where sacred lands, waters, and wildlife are imperiled by dams, climate change, and extractive industries.
On July 29th, the tour reached Washington, DC, where its leaders delivered the totem pole from Lummi carvers, and the messages from the many communities visited along the way, to the Biden-Harris Administration. They held a blessing ceremony and rally on the National Mall, and Moms Clean Air Force was proud to be there. Speakers shared a message of hope as they discussed their shared need to be respected as sovereign decision makers for their lands.
