In the weeks that followed this years presidential election, the fear for what was to come grew in the lives of those who may be affected. Now look where we are; in the midst of a battle for equality, environment, and peace. I personally am struck by what is happening in our country. People are fearing for their freedom in a country they came to in order to gain just that. Land is being ripped away from those who know how to care for it the most. And most importantly, our planet is suffering and will continue to as actions are ceased to be taken.

Of all the freedom we are allowed and guaranteed, it seems ironic that the Dakota Access Pipeline is continued to be built. The land of the Standing Rock Sioux Indians is being destroyed in front of their eyes. This is land that they have fought for numerously as they got shoved into small reservations just so the greed can spread. 

Not only is this pipeline affecting the lives of the Sioux tribe, but also all of our lives. The environmental impact this pipeline will cause is exactly what America doesn’t need. This is time and money we should be using to find out how to move away from our dependency on fossil fuels, not deepening it. The likelihood and chance of this pipeline bursting is scarily high. An oil spill will affect the animal and plant life, soil, and water. Is it really worth the risk to deprive nearly 2 million people of water?

In light of these things, these happenings give us the perfect opportunity to fight back. Although I would love to be taking action with the people in Standing Rock, I have to accept that I have to help from afar. So many organizations are raising money and awareness for this cause, and that is where I have started. I encourage everyone to do the same, and find a way to take action.