1) January 19th – Secwepemc Sovereignty Fundraiser
Artists: No. 1 Special, Soy Joy, Leo D.E. Johnson, Manuel Axel Strain, Kwiis Hamilton
Secwepemc land defenders and their supporters have been convicted for protecting ancestral lands while holding ceremonies in October 2020. After over 20 days in court and inhumane and unjust treatment from the BC Court system, all 8 will be sentenced the week of Feb 21st 2023. The crown prosecutor is seeking a range of 1 – 6 months of jail time. The group includes: Hereditary Chief Saw ses, Secwepemc Matriarchs Miranda Dick and April Thomas, Nlaka’pamux land protector Billie Pierre and four settler supporters; Romilly Cavanaugh, Heather Lamoureux, Susan Bibbings and Laura Zadorozny.
We will have a T-shirts for sale and food by donation. All funds will support fees for the sentencing lawyer and necessary food and travel funds for the sentencing process.
Russian Hall
6:30pm-10PM
Thursday January 19th
Organized by: Vine Arts Festival
Suggested Donation $20, no one turned away for lack of funds
2) January 20th – Climate Crisis on Nlaka’pamux Territory
WHEN: Friday January 20th
4PM-7PM
WHERE: 12666 72 Ave
KPU Surrey – Cedar – Room 1205 (A/B/C)
(Livestream on Facebook & Instagram)
We will gather to listen to Billie Pierre of the Nlaka’pamux Nation share their accounts of criminalization by the Canadian Government in their work to protect their traditional and unceded territory under threat of the TMX pipeline expansion.
Billie Pierre was one of several people who were violently arrested while in ceremony to protect salmon bearing Thompson River in Tk’emlups te Secwepemc (Kamloops BC).
In December 2022, Judge Fitzpatrick found all eight accused guilty of Criminal Contempt of Court, over two years after they were arrested in October 2020 on unceded Secwepemc’ulew. Those found guilty include Hereditary Chief Saw Ses, Secwepemc Matriarchs Miranda Dick and April Thomas, Nlaka’pamux land protector Billie Pierre and four settler supporters: Romilly Cavanaugh, Heather Lamoureux, Susan Bibbings and Laura Zadorozny.
Billie Pierre is a mother and land defender from the Nlaka’pamux nation. She has been active in and supported various Indigenous movements since the 90’s.
In the past few years, she has focused on raising awareness about the negative impacts the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion is having on the Nlaka’pamux territory, and the threat it will continue to pose in the years to come if it’s ever operational.
Through the impact from the clearcut logging to the risks of pipeline ruptures, to the impact of global warming from the expansion of the Alberta tarsands, this project is an infrastructure to support this.
The effects of climate change on Nlaka’pamux territory can be seen by everyone. In 2020, Lytton BC, the heart of Nlaka’Pamux territory was burned by wildfires, and that fall, Merritt BC, was flooded. The causes of these environmental catastrophes can be linked to climate change and logging.
Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Light refreshments will be served – Folx are welcome & encouraged to bring food to share.
KPU is situated on the unceded and ancestral territories of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt and Kwikwetlem peoples
3) Save the Dates! February 21st and February 22nd – An Invitiation to Stand in Solidarity with 8 Water Defenders Being Sentenced in TMX Trial
4) Donate to the Secwepemc Land Defenders
Donate to the GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/secwepemc-say-no-to-tmx-trial-support