'We Are Water Protectors' - Read and Rise

"We Are Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade is an absolutely beautiful story illustrating the Native American - especially Ojibwe - love of and relationship with water as well as their protest to protect the waters on their land from oil contamination.

The protests spoken of in "We Are Water Protectors" are those which took place in Standing Rock, North Dakota back in 2016. A US-based energy company was going to install a pipeline to transport crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The pipeline would cross through Sioux lands and under the Missouri River - any leaks in this pipeline would cause devastating damage to the waters, animals, and plants nearby. Unfortunately, the protestors were ignored and the project went ahead, leaking oil even before the completion of the pipeline. 

However, in the summer of 2020, a judge ordered the Dakota Access Pipeline to be shut down while a full review takes place on the environmental impact of the pipeline! This decision can't undo the damage that has already been done, but it is still a victory and will hopefully prevent more contamination.
 

Featured Story: "We Are Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade.

**I just had to mention that I think the illustrations done by Michaela Goade in this book are absolutely stunning and beautiful and powerful.

Activity: Become a water protector! Download the Water Protector Activity Kit from Carole's website to take the Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge (also found at the back of the book) and learn many ways you can support your pledge.

Also check out these other stories about the importance of water:

Thank you for helping to protect our planet. Mni wiconi - water is life.