This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USF chapter.

November has arrived, with Thanksgiving looming a few weeks from now, it is time that we talk about a topic that is integral to the season, Native American sovereignty. Sovereignty meaning, in this context, the ability of a State to govern itself. Native American’s have struggled to remain sovereign since the first European settlers invaded their land centuries ago. We passed them diseases, we murdered them, we stole their land, we relocated them again and again, we stole their children and sent them to indoctrination schools, and now we are failing to help them protect the water and the sacred grounds that the Dakota Access Pipeline seeks to destroy.

I have been torn between my responsibility to school, and my moral obligation to protect the environment and stand with the protesters at Standing Rock. This past week, Facebook blew up with people checking in at Standing Rock in solidarity with the protesters who have been under fire by a militarized police force. It seems that no one who stands with the protesters is safe from the yoke of the police force. Recently, actress Shailene Woodley broadcast her arrest at Standing Rock via Facebook live video.

Protesters are braving dropping temperatures, rubber bullets and pepper spray, and they are not about to back down. They know that a crude oil pipeline would completely devastate their only drinkable water source if it fails, and with the pipeline spanning over 1,700 miles they have good reason to be infuriated.

I cannot go to Standing Rock in the middle of the semester, but it is my moral obligation to do something to help. So, here is a list of six things you can do to #StandWithStandingRock.

Use your voice

You can call or email (or both) government representative in North Dakota and Washington D.C., and share your outrage over DAPL and the mistreatment of the protesters at Standing rock.

Government:

Jack Dalrymple, governor of North Dakota:

(701) 328-2200

www.governor.nd.gov/contact-us

Army Corps of Engineers

(the responsible party for allowing the Dakota Access Pipeline)

(202) 761-5903

Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier

(701) 667-3330

kyle.kirchmeier@mortonnd.org

President Obama

(202) 456-1111 or (202) 456-1414