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Recent Actions Blog:

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If you're excited about Backbone's brand of artful activism and want to fuel more actions like these, please make a donation here. Being the Nation's Prop Library for Progressive Activism requires staff, supplies, imagery shipping, and more.  We're all in this together, and we cannot do this without your support. 


Die In at the Federal Bldg for Improved Medicare for All

Backbone supported a Die In for Improved Medicare for All at the Seattle Federal Building, Sept 30th, 2024. The event was part of a National Day of Action focused on reclaiming Medicare from profit-hungry corporate health insurers.  Continue reading

Nonviolent Actions for Wild Salmon

In solidarity with Campaign Nonviolence's Days of Action, where folks across the globe partook in over 5,000 nonviolent actions, Backbone creative action squads took to overpasses and the streets to hold banners calling for a free flowing Snake River and the breaching of the Lower 4 Snake River Dams. Continue reading

Take Me Out to the….Projection!

Our friends in Cleveland were back in action, this time at the local MLB stadium! Continue reading

Thou Shalt Not Commit Genocide

We recently heard from our friends in Asheville, NC who have been using our banner tool kit for a few years now and for the last 6 months have been bannering in support of a Free Palestine. Continue reading

Cleveland Projectionists at it Again

Cleveland Peace Action and Poor Peoples Campaign Ohio who are members of our Creative Action Brigade were out once again to voice their support for the people of Gaza. Continue reading

Human Orca Murals on Toki TV

Local activists, Karen Davis and Lucy Larkin, who recently hosted the return of the Human Orca Mural at Gas Works Park in Seattle, were interviewed on Toki TV. Continue reading

Netanyahu Banner Blockade

Backbone East in conjunction with Palestinian Youth Movement held space with banners as part of blockade. Continue reading

Arrest Netanyahu

Ahead of the Israeli Prime Minister visit to DC, Backbone East projected with the Capitol in the background with a captivating message.  Continue reading

And Heeeeeeere's CHUMUNGOUS!

Backbone HQ debuted the giant 20' long salmon it's been working on for a year at this year's Vashon Strawberry Festival parade, July 2024.     Continue reading

Orca and Salmon advocates of all ages in Bainbridge Parade!

Local Bainbridge Island orca and salmon advocates of all ages walked in the recent Bainbridge Island parade. It was only fitting for our baby orca and chinook salmon inflatables to accompany them. Continue reading

Salmon and Orca Take the Streets of Edmonds - save the marsh!

Backbone was honored to support Edmonds Marsh Estuary Advocates by loaning our lifesize Tahlequah orca inflatable to use in the Edmonds 4th of July parade.  Continue reading

Orca Spotted in Gas Works Park

The Human Orca Mural was BACK and in full swing for this year’s Orca Action Month. Continue reading

Orca Month Rally

Backbone joined multiple other local organizations in celebration of another successful end to Orca Action Month.  Continue reading

Strong Plastics Treaty Now! Projected on Nat'l Gallery Wall

Backbone projectionist Roni traveled to DC in June and did an excellent projection onto the wall of the National Gallery for Break Free From Plastic.       Continue reading

Backbone brings Lyd, a film about the Palestinian City, to Vashon Theatre

Backbone Meaningful Movies brought the film Lyd to the Vashon Theatre, followed by a panel discussion with a trio of guests, including a Palestinian whose family is from Lyd and whose ancestors built the mosque there.  Continue reading

Orca Action Month Kicks Off with Banner at Ferry Terminal

The Endangered Species Coalition project, Snake River Savers, borrowed one of the Backbone banners calling for Breaching of the Lower Snake River dams and deployed it at the Mukilteo Ferry.  The action kicks off a month of actions to protect the Southern Resident orca. Continue reading

Students Give a Dam for Salmon and Orca

Students at several colleges and schools in the Salish Sea area organized a Week of Action to protect the salmon of the Snake River and the Southern Resident orca.  The week culminated in a march through the streets of Seattle, to the Federal Building, where student organizers met with Rep Jayapal staff. Continue reading

The Latest Elephant in the Room

The Backbone “elephant in the room” was out on the East Coast again thank to 350.org, Veterans for Peace, and Anne Arundel Peace Action. Continue reading

Keep Protecting Grizzlies

Bill and Phil, with help from Esther, projected on the Dept of Interior HQ, with the message, Protect Grizzlies! Continue reading

WSDOT: Finish the Job on the Amtrak Cascades!

Backbone Campaign's Solutionary Rail project organized a press conference at the State Capitol, to tell our State DOT, Finish the Job on the Amtrak Cascades!   Continue reading

Snake River Healing Journey

Backbone Campaign was honored to participate in the Snake River Healing Journey, a 50 mile paddle down the Lower Snake.  Canoe families from Puyallup, Kalispell, and Spokane joined the journey. Continue reading

No More Murdered Journalists

Backbone East was in action for a light projection to compliment action in support of murdered Palestinian journalists at White House Correspondents dinner. Continue reading

2 Week Vigil at the Border

Witness at the Border held a 2 week Vigil for Justice in Eagle Pass, TX. Continue reading

Earth Day Multi City Bannering

In honor of Earth Day, activists from cities all over Washington gathered to continue to spread the dire important measure of having a Free Snake River. Continue reading

A Total Eclipse of a Projection!

Members of our Creative Action Brigade took advantage of the darkness during the eclipse to project!  Continue reading

Rural Rail Renaissance for SE Washington - presented on Toki TV

Backbone Campaign ED and Solutionary Rail Lead Bill Moyer gave a presentation on the Rosalia to Pasco Shortline Rail Access Corridor on Toki TV.  Listen to this overview of SR's Proposal for shipping grain in SE Washington by short line rail.   Continue reading

Projection Ahead of Boeing Aerospace and Defense Supplier Summit

In an effort to stand against those who supply weapons harming the Palestinian people, a group of projectionists were out in the cold and rain projecting on Monday night.  Continue reading

Breach Now! Rally at the Wa State Capitol

The Backbone crew, including Lucy, Jeff, Rod, Jacqui, Amy and Bill took many of the salmon and orca related props to Olympia to support the Breach Now! Rally at the Capitol Steps on Monday, March 11. Continue reading

Health Care Rally

Backbone took its Vulture Props and banners to support a Health Care Rally at the Capitol Steps on the eve of the Washignton Legislature's final day in session. Over 100 people attended to listen to testimonials and get involved. Continue reading

Prop Training Success!

A fun, eventful, successful, and inspirational prop training happened at our warehouse on Sunday, March 3rd.  Continue reading

Free Palestine

We love to see our Denver, CO Solidarity Brigade members out projecting in support of Palestine.  Continue reading

Powerful Projections from California Solidarity Brigade

One of our Solidarity Brigade members in the Oakland, CA area has been incredibly busy these last few months. We are incredibly honored to know such a bold and skilled digital projectionist.  Continue reading

Rise With the Waters

We were proud to be a part of the first indigenous and water warrior-led climate action in Tacoma for a couple of years.     Continue reading

In Honor of Jim Waddell

Activists in Seattle and Portland took the overpasses to honor Jim Waddell who recently lost his battle with cancer.  Continue reading

Enough is Enough!

Activists throughout our Solidarity Brigade network are banding together to across the country to say: “Not One More F’n Bomb for Israel!” Continue reading

Not One More F’n Bomb!

On January 16, members of Backbone East projected on the Rayburn Congressional Office Building together in the bitter cold, while two journalists covered the action as part of a documentary on light projection as a form of protest/political speech. Continue reading

Portland PEST at it again!

Portland PEST, our Oregon member of the Solidarity Brigade, have been busy projecting this month and we can’t get enough of their visuals! Continue reading

Healthcare Workers for Palestine

Our Portland Solidarity Brigade members have been busy projecting as the newly formed Healthcare Workers for Palestine. Continue reading

New Year, New Projections

On the first day of 2024, our orca/salmon activists did a combined Free the Snake and Ceasefire Now projection in downtown Seattle.  Continue reading

NYE Fireworks Gets Surprise Projection

After lighting up the Rhode Island State House dome with “Ceasefire Now,” PSL Rhode Island was back on the streets to march to the Providence New Years fireworks show with the message: no business as usual during a genocide! Continue reading

The Making of "Chumungous"

Here's something fun for our 20th Birthday (Dec. 12, 2023). It's an imperfect, LoFi low-production-value peek into Backbone Campaign's normally pretty high-production-value imagery - and one of the team's geniuses behind making the magic.  Continue reading

Coal Free Curtis Bay

Backbone East was out shedding light during a recent projection. Continue reading

Not Mars: Projection for Salmon

Our empowered salmon/orca activists were at it again this past Friday in Seattle. This time they stopped by Town Hall to project outside of the event Not Mars: Tools to Save our Home Planet hosted by Patagonia.  Continue reading

Stop Bombing Children - projection on weapons manufacturer HQ in Rhode Island

People with Party for Socialism & Liberation Rhode Island, Dare PVD, and other local organizations rallied at the Rhode Island Statehouse in Providence at 2pm to speak out against RI government for not opposing Israel's attacks on Palestine.  Photo credit: Roni M Continue reading

Celebrate 20 YEARS of Backbone! Double your contribution to creative action & solutionary organizing in 2024

TODAY  - December 12th - Backbone celebrates 20 years!  Out of our scrappy beginnings of freeway bannering and constructing giant puppets, today we have evolved into an organization at the forefront of progressive change. We remain dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday people and to empowering communities to express their needs, aspirations, and demands. While a lot has shifted over these 20 years, one thing remains constant: we wouldn’t be here today without you - and the many ways you have collaborated with us, supported, taken action, and cheered us on. Thanks to you, Backbone Campaign is the go-to for progressive causes seeking creative tools and solutionary approaches to address today’s crises. If you are able to help keep this work going, we invite you to make an end of year contribution, sign up for a small monthly gift by joining our "Lumbar Club", or mail in a check to PO Box 278, Vashon WA 98070. Please read on for more from the letter we recently sent in the mail - about how this work is grounded in principles of grand strategy and how your donation makes an impact.     Continue reading

Ceasefire Now! Space Needle Balloon Banner with Jewish Voice for Peace

Team Backbone had the honor of collaborating with Jewish Voice for Peace in Seattle this week. Working together, we built, practice with, and then deployed a type of banner we rarely use anymore - a helium & weather balloon powered banner.  This was exactly the appropriate situation as a benner drop would have been dangerous, risky and more costly.  The banner LIFT encouraged the crowd and provided a way connect with others whose hearts are also breaking. Photo by Logan Price  Continue reading

Aurora Projection for Salmon

A continuation of the projection for salmon for this projection season!  Continue reading

Trains Can Save Salmon - Rosalia to Pasco Shortline Access Rail Corridor

 Here's a map featuring the proposed corridor enhancements. Scroll down to watch Solutionary Rail Lead, Bill Moyer's presentation of our latest research and proposal for rail transportation resilience in the Lower Snake River region.   Continue reading

SF Ferry Building Projection

Backbone Campaign was recently asked to support a projection with local activists in San Francisco. Continue reading

Projections for Salmon

Orca and salmon activists projected onto to the Seattle Convention Center. Continue reading

Ceasefire Now! Solidarity Brigade Lights up the Nation

Over the course of late October through November, our Solidarity Brigade projection members across the nation took to the streets to demonstrate the need for Ceasefire in Gaza.   Continue reading

Projection by Harriet's Wildest Dreams

Harriet's Wildest Dreams, a Black queer femme led abolitionist organization in DC, recently projected in support of Palestine.  Continue reading

Orca Fest at Hazelwood Elementary

Backbone E.D. had an out of the ordinary day of action recently. He brought Backbone's inflatable orcas and some percussion instruments to Hazelwood Elementary in Edmonds WA. (Home turf of Sen. Maria Cantwell). Continue reading

Bannering for Indigenous People's Day/World Orca Recovery Day

Activists across 7 different PNW cities came together throughout the week in honor of Indigenous People's Day on October 9th and World Orca Recovery Day on October 14th for bannering actions. Continue reading

Nimiipuu Flotilla on The Snake River

  Drone videography by John Carlos Frey. Backbone supported the indigenous led Flotilla on the Snake River, as part of the All Our Relations Journey.  A crew of helpers traveled to Hells Gate State Park, just south of Lewiston Idaho on the Snake River, to deploy an on water banner that read Free the Snake, as well as land based banners and props. Continue reading

Trains Can Save Salmon Plan at the TU Conference

Bill and Amy traveled to Spokane for the Trout Unlimited CX3 National Conference, to introduce attendees to Solutionary Rail's Trains Can Save Salmon Plan.   Continue reading

Green Drinks Action

350 Wenatchee hosted a green drinks event in Cashmere, Wa. Continue reading

Farm Aid 2023

As part of Farm Aid 2023 in Indiana, Block Corporate Salmon and allies held a press conference to draw attention to the harms of genetically engineered salmon produced by biotech company AquaBounty; share accounts of misconduct at AquaBounty’s GE salmon facility in Indiana; sound the alarm on a new salmon “farm” the company is trying to build in Ohio; and amplify Native-led solutions to the Salmon crisis, such as dam removal and Salmon habitat restoration. Photo by Noel, Block Corporate Salmon Continue reading

NYC Climate March Features Backbone Props

Backbone collaborated with several allied organizations to bring props to the NYC Climate March on September 17th, supporting Code Pink's War is Not Green contingent and Move To Amend's Money Out of Politics messaging. Continue reading

Stop Raiding our Medicare!

Backbone Campaign supported the Stop Raiding Our Medicare rally on the Anniversary of Medicare, at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle.  Continue reading

Strawberry Festival Parade

On Saturday, July 15, the Backbone Campaign inflatables of Tahlequah the orca, her baby orca, and the salmon led the way as Backbone Campaign took part in Vashon's Strawberry Festival.  Continue reading

Block Printing Workshop

Led by Vashon artist, Linda Moore, a packed number of participants had a blast creating patches and banners with imagery inspired by salmon and orca.  Continue reading

Winning is More Fun!

Dear Friends, I just returned from London and Scotland where I met some incredibly bold and creative activists. I am so grateful for the hospitality and solidarity I received in both London and Glasgow. Sharing our stories and strategies reminded me that our two decades of work and struggle has delivered priceless lessons that we must continue to utilize and share with others as we journey forward. Continue reading

#StopCopCity

The LA Solidarity Brigade showed up for Black Lives Matter LA for a solidarity action to #StopCopCity Continue reading

Flotilla on Green Lake

Backbone recently partnered with Snake River Savers for a Flotilla event on Green Lake in Seattle. Continue reading

Orca Month Bannering

From Seattle to Portland to Whidbey Island to Bainbridge Island to Lewiston, we took to the overpasses and streets to stand up for our Southern Resident Orcas during Orca Month! We celebrated in 8 different cities across the Pacific Northwest by bannering in support of removing the Lower 4 Snake River Dams.  Continue reading

Life Over Lithium - Projection on GM HQ

Backbone's Minneapolis Solidarity Brigade traveled to General Motors' Headquarters in Detroit, to project in solidarity with the campaign against dirty steel and dirty aluminum. Continue reading

Endangered Species Day - Bannering for Salmon and Orca in the PNW

May 19th was Endangered Species Day (and 2023 is the 50 year anniversary of the Endangered Species Act). In cities and towns across the Pacific NW, advocates for a free-flowing Snake River showed up to banner that day, to call for a halt to the extinction of wild salmon and resident orca. Continue reading

Keep Telephone Gap Standing

Backbone's Globe traveled to VT to deliver a critical message to Secretary Vilsack and Senators Peter Welch and Bernie Sanders  - Climate Forests are Worth More Standing! Residents of Burlington VT took the streets for a rally, march and tree theater, in support of protections for climate forests  - including Telephone Gap. Continue reading

Moyer on Extinction Rebellion Radio

Ever wondered where the name Backbone Campaign came from? Executive Director, Bill Moyer, shared not only the beginnings of our Backbone Campaign, he also gave insight into his personal background on Extinction Rebellion Radio.  Continue reading

NOAA: Say No To the EO- Don't Cage Our Oceans

Backbone Campaign's giant salmon helped activists deliver the message to NOAA: "Say No To the EO - Don't Cage Our Oceans." Indigenous activists fighting for clean federal waters, encountered a stupid amount of cops and security for a respectful and beautiful petition delivery. Continue reading

Projection following Blockade at WH Correspondents' Dinner

Backbone projected an image of the Lorax as addition to an action for climate justice outside the White House Correspondents Dinner. Continue reading

Earth Day Bannering

9 intrepid activists from Backbone Campaign and Snake River Savers met on the 50th Street overpass in Seattle, to honor Earth Day. The two banners - on both sides of the overpass - spread the message about the urgency to stop salmon extinction by breaching asap the four dams on the Lower Snake River.    Continue reading

March to the White House

WASHINGTON – Even hard rain could not stop a diverse group of activists and organizations who took to the streets of DC on Earth Day to demand that decision-makers end the era of fossil fuels now for the future of people and the planet. It was the largest gathering of climate activists in D.C. in over a decade. Continue reading

Japanese Embassy Projection

A projection on the Japanese Embassy in DC called on Japan to stop using dirty energy. Continue reading