“We are thrilled that many major presidential contenders came to Indian Country to court our votes and are addressing our key issues, both in-person and in their platforms.”
To see what they had to say, you can view full videos of several of the candidates here.
As a 501(c)(3), we cannot endorse any one candidate or party. That said, we do believe it’s essential to share the information we have and to empower people to vote with as much knowledge as possible. We pushed back hard last November against vote suppression in North Dakota for that very reason, highlighted by this ABC Nightline episode featuring my colleague, Phyllis Young.
I am constantly inspired when working alongside President Julian Bear Runner. He is the second-youngest president in the Oglala Nation’s history, and as a fellow water protector at Standing Rock in 2017, he was arrested by my side. At the Forum, he used his panel appearance (with NY City Mayor Bill De Blasio) to challenge candidates to resist pipeline construction in Indian Country, combat meth use on the rez, and free Leonard Peltier.
I’m pretty sure this will be the only moment during the 2020 campaign when a candidate for president will have been asked to openly endorse Leonard’s release—and, to his credit, De Blasio didn’t hesitate. I encourage you to watch that exchange and the rest of the candidates in action.
It’s an exciting time, and I hope you will continue to stay informed and stand by us!
Wopila — Thank you, as always, for your friendship.
Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project
Water is Life 