September, 23 2021, 06:23pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jennifer K. Falcon, Indigenous Environmental Network, jennifer@ienearth.org
Stop Line 3 Indigenous Leader Taysha Martineau Declines National Award Citing Fossil Fuel Sponsorship Conflict
Statement from Line 3 Indigenous Leader Taysha Martineau on Declining #ClimateWeek 30 Under 30 Climate Activists Award Citing Line 3 Funder’s Bank of America and Wells Fargo Sponsoring the Event
WASHINGTON
Today, Taysha Martineau, an Indigenous leader and founder of the Line 3 resistance camp Camp Migizi declined to accept an award for Climate Week's 30 Under 30 Climate Activists. Her decision is based on the fact that Wells Fargo and Bank of America are top sponsors of the event. In the most recent Banking on Climate Chaos Report- these banks rank in the top five institutions financing fossil fuel projects across the world.. Bank of America specifically has invested $3.16B into the Line 3 project, the tar sands pipeline that Martineau, along with many water protectors and Indigenous communities have been protesting against in northern Minnesota.
Statement from Taysha:
Boozhoo Aniin, I want to take this time to thank everyone for being here today as the climate issue rages and Indigenous issues go overlooked, the fact that you are here shows your good intent and I am thankful for all of the allies who take time to know our voices and learn our stories. I am humbled and honored to have been given this opportunity, to have been nominated by none other than Winona Laduke is a great honor. The work that we all do to fight the climate issue and draw awareness to our issues is hard work, and we must remain vigilant and stand strong. As Indigenous people our word means more then word set to paper, as an Indigenous Mother I know that my actions are watched closely not only by my own children, but as someone with a now national platform, all that I do is seen by hundreds and thousands of beautiful amazing people, some of whom I have never even met. I owe it to those young ones, to always do my best, to do things in a good way, though I will often stumble and fail, I must always do my best, so though I am grateful for this opportunity, I must take the time to set aside ego, acknowledge where and how idol culture can be harmful and take this moment to speak truth, as this event is sponsored by Bank Of America and Wells Fargo, I must humbly decline any award, as both these banks fund the very pipeline that is harming my people, in order to truly acknowledge and uplift the people being harmed by these corporations we must be brave, defund and decline the banks supporting these corporations in order to do our due diligence to defend the sacred. Thank you, Miigwetch and Wopila.
Established in 1990 within the United States, IEN was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues (EJ). IEN's activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.
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