Rise: Sacred Water, Standing Rock

Michelle Latimer/2017/44 min/People-Culture

CHICAGO-AREA PREMIERE. FILM DESCRIPTION: As the people of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation of North and South Dakota fight to stop a pipeline bringing tar sands oil from Canada through their land, this film chronicles their efforts. One of the most destructive fossil fuels in the world, tar sands oil uses an intense amount of resources during extraction and processing. The Dakota Access Pipeline would snake its way across four states, bisecting sacred Indigenous sites and burial grounds along the route. The tribe fears that a leak could contaminate the Missouri River and spell disaster for the Great Sioux Nation. But youth are standing up in unprecedented numbers. They want to preserve their way of life for future generations and to defend their sacred water.   

THE LOCAL SPIN: The Dakota Access went live in May 2017, carrying tar sands oil through North Dakota southeast to Patoka Illinois. Many other pipelines already snake through the Midwest, including several aging ones that dangerously run through our fresh water supply, the Great Lakes.

Teens and young adults are encouraged to attend.
May contain heavy themes and graphic images.

Saturday, March 3, 3 p.m. [Downtown]
Columbia College, Music Center, 1014 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

Join us for an engaging discussion about environmental and social justice with Janie Pochel and youth from the Chi-Nations Youth Council, as well as youth from the Sacred Keepers Sustainability Lab. Plus, learn about exciting ways young people and others are getting involved in advocacy by chatting with Caeli Quinn of Climate Ride, Marcelo Caplan of Columbia College’s Scientists for Tomorrow program and Jeff Spitz and his students from The Doc Unit at Columbia College. Facilitator: Toni Anderson of the Sacred Keepers Sustainability Lab.

Doors open 30 minutes before start time. Arrive early to avoid lines and get best seats. ADA compliant accessible venue.

Sunday, March 4, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. [Pilsen]
National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago

Join us for a celebration of unity and resilience, including a conversation about environmental justice issues with Troy Hernandez of Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (PERRO), Food and Water Watch, Sierra Club, and Dan Andries, Senior Producer at WTTW. An interactive dance performance, “Global Water Dance,” led by Rachelle P. Tsachor of the University of Illinois’ School of Theatre and Music, will close the event. Facilitator: Vincent Gomez, Manager of Horticultural Therapy Services at Chicago Botanic Garden.

Doors open 30 minutes before start time. Arrive early to avoid lines and get best seats. ADA compliant accessible venue. Refreshments available.