Supporting Indigenous Sovereignty is one of ICA’s key pathways for building capacity for climate justice. This month we are excited to share that we were able to co-fundraise and contribute just over $10,000 CAD to the ‘Building Movements in Defense of Life’ fundraiser. The groups is looking to raise $75,000 USD and has achieved $42,455 of their goal.

“I continuously see some of our strongest fighters going without their basic needs met. Especially femmes and single mothers in the movement seem to face these difficulties. It’s not fair, and people can help by donating directly to folks doing the work.” - Cherri Foytlin, L'eau Est La Vie (Water is Life) Camp

The initiative came together to support frontline frontline protagonists and their movements featured in the Building Movements in Defense of Life film festival which launched in honour of WORLD WATER DAY, March 22, 2021.

The groups featured in the film included our relatives from the Wet’suwet’en, Unist'ot'en Camp, and Gidimt'en Camp along with other BIPOC-led frontline groups including: The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), The Fraternal Black Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH), L'eau Est La Vie, and Rise Saint James.

ICA knows how important it is to support the work of the frontlines and continues to uplift the leadership of land, water and communities protectors and ever grateful for the ongoing work in the movement to move more resources to Indigenous, Black, Brown, Asian and other POC-led initiatives.

As stated by the website for the film festival:

“This work is not the conventional 9-5 job, there are no health care benefits, and housing and food security issues face many of our most courageous frontline defenders who, as witnessed in the films, risk it all against industrial capitalism in defense of the land, water and ways of life.” 

The dynamic fundraising team has a variety of options for people to offer their support. In addition to contributing to their crowdfunder, there is a frontline auction and a frontline 60/40 raffle.

Now is the moment for us to take care of our land defenders! We invite everyone to add your contribution and help some of our most courageous frontline movements to continue to organize through the pandemic to protect the land, ways of life and water for future generations.