"The Runners of Indigenous Youth Urge Biden for Pipeline's Closure: 'It's a Matter of Sacrifice'"
Indigenous Youth Continue Fight Against Dakota Access Pipeline
The ongoing struggle against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) has been spearheaded by Indigenous youth, who remain steadfast in their resistance and advocacy efforts.
William Brown Otter, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, was once a high school cross-country runner. Today, he is a water protector, using his endurance and determination to fight for the preservation of his people's land and water.
Joye Braun, a frontline community organizer with IEN, shared the harrowing history of the Wounded Knee Massacre survivors with a reporter. The U.S. military killed up to 300 Lakota people on December 29, 1890, including women and children. Many of the survivors were children, much like the youth who are now leading the fight against the DAPL.
AnnaLee Yellow Hammer, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and vice president of the Standing Rock Youth Council, began her efforts to stop the Dakota Access pipeline in middle school in 2016. She was joined by Morgan Brings Plenty, a descendant of Wounded Knee Massacre survivors and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Together with other Indigenous youth, they ran from North Dakota to Washington, D.C., to deliver a letter expressing their concerns about the potential environmental impact of the pipeline.
The youth see their efforts as a sacrifice to make life easier for future generations. They continue to organize and run, demanding an end to Enbridge's Line 3, a crude oil pipeline cutting through Anishinaabe lands in Minnesota that's set to expand.
Despite legal and activist pressure, the DAPL remains operational as part of the Bakken Pipeline System, one of Enbridge’s major crude oil infrastructure assets. The pipeline was ordered closed and emptied in July-August 2020 pending an Environmental Impact Statement, but an administrative stay allowed it to continue operating after appeals. The federal court process is ongoing, with the last major filings occurring in July 2025.
Indigenous youth remain actively engaged in ongoing resistance efforts. They warn of continued vigilance against corporate influences like Energy Transfer (the pipeline operator) and emphasize protecting Indigenous rights and lands. However, as of now, there are no concrete details on new protests, campaigns, or legal filings announced for the immediate future.
Celebrities like Kerry Washington, Mark Ruffalo, and Ava DuVernay have signed a letter asking President Joe Biden to shut down the Dakota Access pipeline. Yet, during Rep. Deb Haaland's confirmation hearing, Republican lawmakers asked her if she supports shutting down the pipeline, but she did not offer an answer.
The youth will continue to organize and run in their efforts to shut down the Dakota Access pipeline until President Biden's stance on the issue becomes clear. They dream of a future where their lands and waters are protected, and where a seven-year-old daughter of a water protector can grow up to become a mayor or president. Their memories of running alongside Indigenous-led pipeline resistance groups are "the best times of their life."
The day the youth ran, a hearing was set to decide the pipeline's fate but was delayed until April. On April 1, 2022, the fifth anniversary of the birth of Sacred Stone Camp, the youth plan to take their fight against the Dakota Access pipeline to Washington, D.C. They will continue to demand justice and protection for their lands and waters, standing as a testament to resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
[1] Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. United States Army Corps of Engineers [4] Indigenous Youth Continue Fight Against Dakota Access Pipeline
- The Indigenous youth leading the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) are now working on ways to prevent the expansion of Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota, an environmental concern they see as crucial.
- The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, one of the communities directly affected by DAPL, has been a center of community organizing, with members like AnnaLee Yellow Hammer advocating for environmental science and climate-change awareness.
- In a recent newsletter from the environmental-science community, there was a piece on the politics surrounding the DAPL, highlighting how celebrities are raising their voices against the pipeline to President Joe Biden, while awaiting his stance on the issue.
- As the court process for DAPL continues, with the last major filings scheduled in July 2025, the community-made magazine Art Now is encouraging people to learn more about climate-change issues and support Indigenous rights, with relevant articles and documentaries on the subject.
- While discussing the role of community organizing in fighting for environmental causes, Joye Braun keynoted a conference on climate-change news and policy, addressing the significance of Indigenous youth's efforts in shaping the future and protecting the environment.
