Jan 19, 2017 - Beyond the Hashtag #Warrior by Curtis Ray Yaz

How many times have we seen this photo of a Native with their fist up with the hashtag “#warrior” on the post???

Photo taken 1/18/2017 at the Dakota Access pipeline drill site along the Cannonball River.

But how many have been taken at this point in this fight? It’s easy to come out and take this photo when there is thousands of people in amazing conditions at a hope filled camp, when the tribe supports you and all the hype gets you all the likes in the world for it. It was easy when the feds weren’t putting meth and child molestors and ex-native-oil-workers into camp to create chaos. It was easy when the tribe wasn’t holding tribal council meeting on how to stop actions and find ways to remove protectors. It was easy when there was millions of dollars in camp, and unlimited donations, to camo up and take a fist up #WATERISLIFE photo. It was easy then.

But now the wolves are out and all that has left, the money, the hype, the warmth, the news coverage, the numbers of “warriors.”

So If you look closer at this photo of this Native with their fist up, you will see who our ancestors spoke of when they said the 7th generation is coming.

Look closer and see what resilience and strength is.

If you look closer you will see what it means to be a leader.

Look closer you will see what it really means to Protect.

Look closer and see a #warrior

by Curtis Ray Yaz

Curtis Ray Yaz (Yupik, Diné and Blackfeet amskapiipikuni) is a community organizer and a hip hop artist and has been active in the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Check out Curtis aka YAZ Like JAWS athttps://soundcloud.com/yazlikejaws/tracks