waterprotectors

For thousands of years Indigenous North Americans drank some of the world's purest drinking water. Then came colonization and government neglect. First Nations' water quality fell and, with it, their health. But as Jay learns, change is coming thanks to Indigenous Water Protectors, like Deon Hassler, a teacher of water treatment plant operators for the File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council, and helpers, like Bob Patrick, a water expert at the University of Saskatchewan.

-Our guest in this episode is Summer Blaze Aubrey, a lawyer who is a descendant of the Blackfeet Nation and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation who is pursuing her Master of Laws while helping the Water Protectors Legal Collective fight corporations pursuing major pipeline projects

-She shares her story about joining friends in confronting a white professor and majority white student group on campus when they attempted to hold an event on federal law and Native issues without including the Native law students in the school. Imagine someone telling you that you're not qualified to speak to your own experience... 

-Summer walks us through how she knew at a young age that she was meant to become a lawyer and fight for her people

-We discuss the links between pipeline projects, missing and murdered indigenous women and children, sexual assault, water pollution, foreign banks, and ineffective regulations

-She shares her ideas on how you can stand in your power and become a strong ally to Native people

Links mentioned in this episode:

Summer's Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Summer.Aubrey 

Native News Sources:

https://turtletalk.blog

https://indiancountrytoday.com

http://www.tinyhousewarriors.com 

Rebecca's Website:

https://www.rebeccaredondo.com 

Rebecca's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/standinginherpower/