Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

January 23, 2008

Longest Walk 2, Let's walk

By Brenda Norrell
Photo credit Longest Walk 1978

www.longestwalk.org
Photo 2: Bello K. Sausbier


ALCATRAZ -- The Longest Walk 2, led by Dennis Banks, is gearing up to take off, on foot across the continent. The northern route is a grassroots effort, traveling on foot to Western Shoshone, Colorado, Kansas, Pennsylvania and on to DC on the five month journey. These walkers will brave the snow and ice in February and March to begin the walk, with 40 to 75 walkers expected.

The Southern Route, which already has 100 walkers signed up for the entire route, will set out on foot down through southern California. This route goes through Flagstaff, Navajoland, Four Corners, Oklahoma, down Louisiana to New Orleans, and on to DC. Navajos at Dooda (NO) Desert Rock power plant are excited and welcoming the walk in New Mexico. There's a delegation of Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhists on this walk. Felipe's Chuck Wagon will meet the need of vegetarians.
The northern route especially needs a great deal of sharing. Walkers need warm winter clothes, hiking boots, tents and other camping gear. Food staples, kitchen items, first aid supplies and lead vehicles are needed. Contact: Northern route coordinator Jimbo Simmons longestwalk1978@gmail.com
Another two teams will walk/run down from Minnesota and Michigan at the northern border to meet the other walkers.
Please see the Longest Walk 2 website for the itineraries, video and historic photos and the meeting plans for the Alcatraz and the Bay Area prayer gathering, pow wow and concert, Feb. 8 -- 11.
http://www.longestwalk.org/
Northern route's entire itinerary:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/01/longest-walk-2-route-feb-9-march-28.htmlroute-feb-9-march-28.html

Contacts:
National Organizer Longest Walk HQ
Tashina Banks Moore New Mexico Organizer
Jimbo Simmons North Route Coordinator
Aislyn Housing Coordinator
Morning Star Gali California Organizer
Julie Hernandez California Route Coordinator
John Malloy California Route Organizer
Lettie Connell Arizona Organizer
Anna Rondon Arizona Organizer
Mark Davis Alabama Organizer
Viola Hatch Oklahoma Organizer
Curt and Shelia Hansen Virginia Coordinator
Chipa Wolfe Georgia Organizer
Deanna Wagner-Brice St. Louis Regional coordinator
Morning Dove Hopkins Louisiana organizer
Guinda Reeves Tennessee Organizer
Ron Alex Mississippi Organizer
Rev. Toshihisa Yamada Japanese Coordinator

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Brenda-
Thank you for covering the Longest Walk 2.... I am Ojibwe
and believe Native Americans,
American Indians and Alaska Natives and all other Indiginous to
N & S America should have the same rights and treatment as everyone else, and know much is not in the news, that make national coverage.
Much is swept under the rug to make this country not appear prejudiced, or uncaring about the impoverished living conditions many Native Peoples live in, such as basics as
Heat, Food, & Running Water.
Thank you for the article about the Longest Walk 2.
This is huge for Indigenous Peoples
historically, and for our message to the country and world:
ALL LIFE IS SACRED
CLEAN UP MOTHER EARTH
PROTECT SACRED SITES
DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS

migwetch Windfeather