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
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
Climate Forests - Worth More Standing!
Backbone Campaign and Oregon Wild projected on USDA and Dept of Interior Buildings to call for protecting of climate forests.
Continue reading
Labor & EJ leaders call for the public ownership of US railroads
Our Solutionary Rail project recently hosted a virtual panel of heroes! Labor leaders and environmental justice organizers came together to share their stories and lock arms for a struggle that is truly transformational - putting US railroads back into service of public interests, rather than Wall Street greed.
Continue reading
It's Union Time at Starbucks
Backbone supported Starbucks workers with projections on the clock tower and near SB HQ. Messages told Starbucks CEO and corporate leaders that that Starbucks cannot be an industry-leading, forward-thinking employer AND the country’s leading union buster.
Continue reading
Youth Rally in Olympia for salmon and climate
Backbone joined with Youth Salmon Protectors and other allies working to save Snake River salmon and stop climate change, for a youth-led rally and march on Friday, Jan 13th in Olympia, WA.
Continue reading
Recall Kevin De Leon
BLMLA asked the West Los Angeles Solidarity Brigade for a projection, to support LACAN and Union de Vecinos in the Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights, at a protest calling for LA Councilmember Kevin de Leon to resign over his racism caught on tape.
Continue reading
No Mas Muertes
Backbone supported the Journey for Justice, organized by Witness at the Border, with light projection and LED banners.
Our Solidarity Brigade in Brownsville projected at the border station, and LED banners were deployed in El Paso and outside Fort Bliss.
Continue reading
Amazon Workers Rising
Workers at MSP1 Amazon fulfillment center in Shakopee, MN (near Minneapolis) walked out for better wages and working conditions. Backbone worked with Athena, Awood Center, and their allies to support this action with projections.
Continue reading
Stop Extinction - Projected at COP15 in Montreal
A Backbone Team traveled to Montreal during COP15, to bring awareness of the urgent need to protect the Tapanuli orangutan.
The 3-day projection, in both English and Chinese, was at the COP15 meeting place and around the city, to support Mighty Earth's campaign.
Continue reading
International action to eradicate harm from plastics on fenceline communities
The plastic pollution crisis is a planetary crisis.
Backbone outfitted a team with digital projection gear, for their travels to Uruguay for the UN's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. The team did several nights of digital projection.
Continue reading
Rail Can't Wait Rally in Olympia
Backbone Campaign and our Solutionary Rail project joined with Climate Rail Alliance for a rally on Dec 1, 2022, the first day Legislators were back on campus.
Continue reading
St Louis Black Friday Strike
Backbone sent gear and trained up folks at Missouri Workers Center, in time for Black Friday strikes against Amazon.
St. Peters Amazon Workers Join Mass Global Walkout to 'Make Amazon Pay'
The Action was part of a global Make Amazon Pay Campaign and was supported by Backbone's Athena Coalition partners.
Continue reading
Block Corporate Salmon
BlockCorporateSalmon members, along with the Backbone salmon inflatable, visited the Local Catch Summit on October 2-3 in Girdwood, Alaska, and hosted an ad hoc workshop at the conference. The conversation focused around education and building relationships with fisherfolk from around the country, as well as strategizing on ways to prevent genetically engineered (GE) salmon from coming to U.S. and global markets. After the conference, BlockCorporateSalmon members continued to travel to Homer and Anchorage, Alaska, to build local relationships with fisherfolk and build solidarity around blocking GE salmon.
Continue reading
Backbone props celebrate deal negotiated by Wisconsin nurses
Nurses at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin have been trying to get their union back since 2014. Governor Walker had signed a bill into law in 2011, Act 10, that eliminated the ability for public employees to collectively bargain.
Because negotiations had not been fruitful, the nurses voted to do a 72-hour strike, September 12-14.
SEIU Healthcare asked Backbone to provide props for the strike, including large LED signage, a custom made printed banner and other activities such as speech bubbles and nighttime projection.
Continue reading
Protect the Water, Respect the Rivers
The work continues to pressure policymakers for an actionable and urgent timeline to breach Snake River dams. The clock is ticking - in 2021 the Nez Perce Fisheries reported that by 2025 the salmon will be quasi-extinct unless these four barriers are removed and the river is restored.
To amplify calls for urgency, Backbone mobilized teams in cities across the Pacific Northwest to banner and light project on World Rivers Day. Held the 4th Sunday of September, it is one of the largest global days of action on the planet.
Continue reading
Rejecting Duke Energy's Dirty Carbon Plan
Backbone's "Declare a Climate Emergency" banner appeared outside the North Carolina Utility Commission Hearing, on Sept 23, in Raleigh NC, supporting residents' demands to reject Duke Energy's dirty energy carbon plan.
Continue reading
"The Federalist Society is Anti-Democracy"
Pro Choice Messages Projected at Anti-Roe Gala
Backbone East joined with DC organizers to project pro-choice messages during a noise demonstration action. The projection and action happened while an anti-choice group celebrated the fall of Roe v Wade.
Continue reading
Giant salmon, baby orca, and over 30 allies show up on Senator Cantwell's home turf
Senator Cantwell is home for the congressional recess. Because of her silence on the issue of Lower Snake River dam breaching, a giant salmon and baby orca - as well as over 30 people calling on her to stop salmon extinction - took to the streets of Edmonds (the Senator's home town). Their message was to call on the Senator to step up, stand with tribes, listen to the scientists, and breach the four dams on the Lower Snake.
Only by breaching the four dams on the Lower Snake can we stop the pending extinction of salmon and orca.
Continue reading
Orca and Salmon Deliver a Message to Seattle City Council: Breach LSR Dams
A group of salmon-loving Washingtonians - along with an inflatable giant salmon and baby orca - showed up at Seattle City Hall to protest the City Council's comments submitted on the Draft Murray-Inslee Report.
(Click HERE for Seattle City Council and City Light's Letter)
Our message was to tell the Council that their letter did not represent the views of orca- and salmon-loving residents, was not in alignment with tribal leadership, and that there is no other science-based option but to breach the dams on the Lower Snake River, to save endangered salmon and Southern Resident orca.
Continue reading
Denver Solidarity Brigade projects for abortion access
The Denver Solidarity Brigade team projected on the Denver Art Museum, and then on the Rogers Federal Building, messages in support of abortion protection.
Continue reading
Planet Over Profit - because we can't breathe methane!
Activists with Appalachian Voices, Sunrise Movement AVL, Poor Peoples Campaign, Reject Raytheon, Alliance to Protect the People and the Places We Live, and Beyond Extreme Energy rallied before the NC Utilities Commissions' Carbon Plan Hearing, to demand a better carbon reduction plan from Duke Energy.
Continue reading
World Orca Day Bannering
Standing up for Southern Resident orca and the wild salmon on which they depend as their primary food source, folks in 9 different cities took to overpasses, intersections, bridges and other locations to call for breaching of the 4 Lower Snake River dams. Bannering happened on World Orca Day, Thursday, July 14th, 2022.
Continue reading
Supreme Climate Deniers
Backbone worked with Arm in Arm and Shut Down DC to deploy our "We The Corporations" prop in front of the Supreme Court, calling out corporate influence on Justices' decisions.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/07/01/payoff-40-years-dark-money-supreme-court-delivers-corporate-america
Continue reading
Portland Rally for Salmon: Flotilla, Tribal Speakers, Human Orca Mural
Backbone Campaign helped organize and facilitate a flotilla on the Willamette River, June 25th, to call for the breaching of the Lower Snake River dams. Over 100 boats took to the water and crossed the Willamette to raise banners, saying "Stop Salmon Extinction!" This video, created by Jeff Dunnicliff captures the spirit and power of the on-water action Backbone Campaign helped facilitate. Gratitude to 7 Waters Canoe Family, the Four Directions drummers and singers, Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Youth Leadership Council, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment, Save Our Wild Salmon, Columbia Riverkeeper and all those who work to restore the Lower Snake River, as well as Mosquito Fleet members who provided essential on-water safety at for this flotilla.
Thank you to Jeff Dunnicliff for this incredible video!
Continue reading
"Zero Emissions Now!" MFN Flotilla at Summit of the Americas
On Saturday, June 4th over 40 environmental justice organizers, members of the Moving Forward Network took to the water to demand that the Biden Administration and global leaders in attendance for the Summit of the Americas hear a clear message from our communities: ¡Cero Emisiones Ahora! (Zero Emissions Now!).
Continue reading
"Take Those Damn Dams Down"
Karen Davis, who leads a weekly banner action calling for breaching of the Snake River Dams, created this compelling music video. Take a listen, then join Karen on a Seattle overpass, by emailing [email protected]
@ Potus: Breach the Snake River Dams
A wide coalition of activists and free flowing river advocates met outside the White House on May 10th to tell President Biden, "Stop Salmon Extinction - Breach the Snake River Dams!"
Representatives from Arm in Arm, US Climate Action Network, XR, BeyondExtremeEnergy, Shut Down DC, Movement Catalyst Project, as well as from area Patagonia stores, held banners and inflatable props.
Continue reading
Necessity Film Screening
Backbone Meaningful Movies screened the documentary film, Necessity: Climate Justice and the Thin Green Line and afterward hosted a Panel Discussion with Cathy Sampson-Kruse, Dan Serres, Lauren Regan, and Adah Crandall.
Continue reading
Stayin' Alive
The Art Collective of 350 Wisconsin, including the Madison Solidarity Brigade, pulled off a beautiful and successful Earth Day flashmob in front of CHASE bank, in Madison, WI.
Continue reading
Ukrainian Flag Projected on Russia's DC Embassy
From NPR:
Anti-war activists, including Backbone's Phil Ateto, engaged in a light beam battle against Russian diplomats in Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening in a display of disapproval over the country's ongoing war in Ukraine.
The activists spent hours projecting the Ukrainian flag on the Russian Embassy's exterior walls with ultra-bright light.
Continue reading
Defund to Refund
Backbone trained Maryland's Communities United in how to do light projection for their Defund to Refund Campaign.
Continue reading
"When Those Fish Go Swimming In...."
At the Olympia Washington "Stop Salmon Extinction" Rally, Backbone provided props for the procession and led a Human Orca Mural on the Washington State Capitol Grounds!
Continue reading
Medicare 4 All Projection in DC
Whole Washington, Backbone and other allies held a candlelight vigil and light projected in Washington, DC ahead of the March 29th hearing on Improved Medicare For All. The candlelight vigil was in remembrance of the 68,000 people in the United States who die annually due to lack of healthcare coverage.
Continue reading
Stop Salmon Extinction - Tacoma Rally
Backbone brought percussion, props and banners to the Stop Salmon Extinction Rally in Tacoma on March 26th.
Continue reading
Human Orca Mural on San Juan Island
Great Orca Mural on San Juan Island! Thank you to everyone who showed up!
Continue reading
Stand with Ukraine Light Projection
Backbone projected Heidi Phelps' “Stand with Ukraine” image on the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.
Continue reading
Across the PNW, citizens stand up for rivers and salmon on Int'l Day of Action for Rivers
In cities across the Northwest (Bend, Boise, Wenatchee, Spokane, Edmonds, Seattle, Portland, Olympia, Walla Walla, Vashon, Tacoma, and more), people who love salmon and rivers took action with banners on overpasses and busy intersections on International Day of Action for Rivers, March 14th 2022.
For a folder of images on flickr, click HERE.
Continue reading
Electrify Everything Now!
Citizens in Maryland concerned about the climate took their concerns to the state House with an Electrify Everything Now rally and light projection.
Continue reading
Police Accountability Now!
https://www.aclu-md.org/en/press-releases/coalition-sounds-alarm-pab-bills-undermine-accountability-communities-across-stateBackbone supported with light projection the Anne Arundel Co Police Accountability Coalition's rally and press conference in support of a strong Police Accountability Board.
Six weeks after this light projection, the County Council voted to adopt the Accountability Board.
Continue reading
NEW Orca Spotted! TV News Covers Backbone Action
Backbone made the news this week, with this beautiful action in downtown Seattle. To mark the UN's World Wildlife Day, we gathered a bunch of friends who love salmon and orca to create a Human Orca Mural.
The action called on Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, Governor Jay Inslee, and President Joe Biden to nourish the Southern Resident orca (including the new orca calf spotted this week!) and to save the Snake River salmon from extinction by BREACHING the four Lower Snake River dams. We are very grateful to all those who helped make this possible.
Continue reading
Southern Company: Why You So Ashy?
Backbone Solidarity Brigade members Steve, Phil and Jacob attended the Arm in Arm General Assembly in Birmingham, to train folks in light projection. With our EJ friends at GASP, they deployed our giant inflatable elephant!
Honks Support Salmon
In Spokane WA, a group of four deployed a "Stop the Extinction: Breach Snake Dams" banner over busy 1-90.
Continue reading
No More War
Backbone and allies bannered in Seattle over I-5 on the Global Day of Action, Saturday, Feb 5th, to say let's escalate peace and decarbonize, to make a difference in people's lives.
The banner read:
Escalate Peace
Fight Climate Change
No More War
The global day of action was organized by Code Pink and Roots Action. Backbone Campaign has joined their call for the de-escalation of the conflict with Russia and a focus on the problems that are facing us all as a people on this planet.
Continue reading
Save the Snake!
Community Bannering in Seattle.
Seattleites joined the Snake River Savers and Backbone to deploy banners in Seattle, WA.
2022 is shaping up to be a critical time of action to save Pacific North West ecological life and free the Snake River from its choke of dams. Follow along with Backbone and our partners to lend a hand in this historic moment.
Continue reading
Since I Been Down - Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Backbone co-hosted the screening of Since I Been Down, followed by a Panel Discussion with Gilda Sheppard, Director; Lydia Barlow, Associate Producer & Founder of Fabian's Fund; Ginny Parham, Shoulder to Shoulder; and Willie Nobles, Fabian's Fund Program Manager. Susan McCabe was the Moderator.
Continue reading
Taking the Factory Trawler Bycatch Fight to Whole Foods
Salmon people, community fisherfolk, and organizers with the Alaska Big Village Network and Block Corporate Salmon are taking ongoing action to protest the ecocidal actions by well known fish certifiers, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Monterrey Bay Aquarium.
Continue reading
Boycott Puma Action in Boston
Projectionists supported BDS Boston with their boycott of PUMA Campaign in solidarity with over 200 Palestinian sports teams.
Continue reading
Experimenting with Digital Projection on Seattle's Docks
Backbone deployed a new mobile screen and digital projection on the Coleman Dock in Seattle, WA to commemorate the 30th anniversary of listing Snake River Sockeye as an endangered species.
Continue reading
Save Wild Salmon! - Seattle, WA
Backbone teamed up with outdoor company Patagonia to garner support for removing the Lower Snake River dam.
Keep reading to find out why damming this river damns our wild salmon!
Continue reading
Report from the frontlines of COP26
CSO Jacob Johns and supplies traveled to the frontline activists at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Continue reading
Declare Climate Emergency Banner in DC
Backbone Campaign's "Declare a Climate Emergency" banner was sent to DC to support the People VS Fossil Fuels week of action. This incredibly beautiful banner is a replica of Alessandra Mondolfi's original protest art made of hand sewn felt. The Backbone replica is made of rip-stop nylon, with minor adjustments for readability and ease of deployment.
Continue reading
Backbone Banners at the Adolescent Redemption Project Rally in Lansing Michigan
On Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021 outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, a coalition of organizations, community members, and activists rallied at Michigan's state capitol to advocate for the release of incarcerated people serving long-term to life sentences in prison and to support their families.
Watch a great video with highlights here
Backbone was brought in to support through the Adolescent Redemption Project.
Banner messages read:
End Michigan's Secret Death Row
Mercy Militia
Mercy Justice Healing
It was an honor to be part of this important and moving event.
Continue reading
Indigenous Peoples Day Bannering
On October 11th, Indigenous People's Day, folks in cities and towns across the Pacific Northwest held banners in solidarity with tribes who overwhelmingly have called on elected officials to take action to remove the 4 dams on the Lower Snake River.
Banner actions happened in Boise, ID; Seattle, WA; Vashon Island, WA; and Wenatchee, WA, as well as other locations.
To learn more and stand with tribes on this issue, see SalmonOrcaProject.com, a project of the Nez Perce/Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment.
Continue reading
Voting Rights or the Filibuster?
TIME TO CHOOSE: VOTING RIGHTS OR THE FILIBUSTERIt is time for Democrats to do somethingProjections in Downtown Portland Maine push that voting is the heartbeat of a democracy. Our voting rights are under constant attack so it's time to choose...Voting rights or the Filibuster.
Democracy or Autocracy.
Their presences is a reminder that we delivered the Democrats control of the House, Senate and Presidency...time to do something. Democracy can't wait. #WeCantWaitGraphic by #creativeCourage
Continue reading
World Rivers Day Multi City Banner Action
Salmon and orca loving activists in 10 locations across the Pacific Northwest showed up for World Rivers Day, in solidarity with tribes, calling for the removal of the 4 dams on the Lower Snake River.
Continue reading
Projections in LA Remember Ten Years After Occupy
Backbone Campaign and the LA solidarity brigade gathered in Downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Occupy movement.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of Backbone Campaign, spoke with host Margaret Flowers on the podcast Clearing the Fog, exploring how the Occupy movement shaped the activism that followed for the last decade.
Continue reading
Actions on the Border: Free the Children
Outside of Fort Bliss in El Paso,Texas, Witness at the Border, Border Network for Human Rights, the Coalition to End Child Detention-El Paso, and other local supporters gathered for a Candle light vigil. Inside the fort over 2,000 migrant children remain detained by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The groups held a candlelight vigil with lighted banner at Almada Park across from the gates of Fort Bliss to call attention to migrant child detention. After making statements to the press the banner was displayed and visible from the highway.
Continue reading
Ferry Terminal Bannering to Free the Snake
A free-flowing lower Snake River will save endangered salmon for economies, communities, tribal rights, orca, and the generations of tomorrow. Frustrated by inaction from our Washington State delegation, activists deployed Backbone banners at three ferry terminals, located in the home communities of Governor Jay Inslee and Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
Continue reading
Banner Deployed for Improved Medicare For All
The Seattle Yesler Overpass Banner crew deployed a new Improved Medicare for All banner, as a follow up to last month's Medicare For All March.
Continue reading
Smoky Skies Drive the Urgency of Wenatchee's Climate Action
Brutal and expansive wildfire seasons are making smoky summer skies the norm across the Pacific North West. On a polluted evening in August, activists stood outside of the Walmart in Wenatchee, WA holding the illuminated Act On Climate LED Banner.
People passing though the intersection asked one of the activists, Kevin, what Act on Climate meant.
"I was in the mood for rant tonight and I pointed at the smoky skies, it means if we do not change and stop burning fossil fuels, no one is safe. We could all die."
Continue reading
Save the Salmon Arrives at the Federal Building
Backbone Campaign deployed a new giant banner in front of the Federal Building in Seattle, calling on Senators Murray and Cantwell to take a stand and breach the 4 dams on the Lower Snake River.
Continue reading
Save Wild Salmon! - Spokane, WA
Members of the Spokane Solidarity Brigade joined with Save Our wild Salmon allies and Backbone volunteers to deploy urgent messages to Senators Murray and Cantwell to stand with tribes and take needed action on the Lower Snake River by breaching the 4 dams there.
Jacob and Steve, Cam, Jennifer, Harvey and Amy, David, Sam and Carrie held signs and a giant banner, and received lots of honks of support for salmon and steelhead.
Continue reading
Backbone Supports Rally for the River Across Pacific NW
A Coalition of Grassroots Groups advocating for Snake River Restoration and LSR dam removal held events in 3 states - Washington, Oregon and Idaho - on August 7th to save the salmon and the southern resident orca that rely on them.
Attendees got on the water in kayaks, canoes, floats, and SUPs to highlight the need for a free flowing Snake River. Scientists have said for years that restoring the Snake River by removing the four deadly dams - constructed primarily so farmers could barge wheat down the river instead of using trains or trucks -is the single most effective way to begin restoring salmon and orca populations.
Continue reading
Resurrected Count Bleed Ya Dry spotted at Premera Protest
Health Care is a Human Right! The Washington Community Action Network protested outside of the corporate campus of Premera Blue Cross in Seattle, WA.
Premera Blue Cross is advocating to raise premiums by an 28.9%, while they continue to be the national leader in denying in network claims.
Backbone's giant puppet Count Bleed Ya Dry made an appearance to support the protesters.
Continue reading
Medicare For All March In Seattle
Backbone resurrected its Count Bleed Ya Dry puppet for the Seattle Medicare For All March, July 24th in Seattle.
The massive puppet, with Uncle Sam on a gurney, an IV of blood going from Uncle Sam to the vampire that is the US Health Insurance Industry, and a syringe full of million dollar bills, took over the streets of downtown Seattle, from Westlake to a rally at Seattle Center.
In addition, Backbone printed its Medicare For All cards, which were carried by many in the march and our Parade Director had the mic, singing songs about the urgency of health care for all.
More info about Medicare For All HERE
Continue reading
Shut Down BPA's Extinction Machines
Backbone Campaign brought props and banners down to BPA HQ in Portland OR, to raise awareness about the salmon and orca extinction vortex and need for immediate, bold recovery actions. BPA's stance on keeping the LSR dams in service is driving extinction.
The action was a collaboration between NW Steelheaders Association, Sea Shepherd Portland, Columbia Riverkeeper and Backbone Campaign and was an excellent team effort. Thank you to photographer Erika Wendell for capturing the day.
Continue reading
World Orca Day 2021
Orca loving folks in Seattle and Vashon Island took a life size orca to Westlake Center on World Orca Day. They passed out flyers about the critical importance of standing with the tribes to save wild salmon by breaching the 4 dams on the Lower Snake River, in order for the Southern Resident orca to have enough food.
Continue reading
Home Care is Essential
On July 13, Nevada home care workers came together to celebrate the passage of SB340 and support Biden's plan to invest in quality services and union jobs. Backbone's light panel letters supported this Las Vegas event, part of a nationwide day of action by SEIU home care workers in 24 cities. HOME CARE IS ESSENTIAL!
Continue reading
Pardon Daniel Hale
In 2015, Daniel Everette Hale released documents revealing devastating failures in the U.S. drone war program, among them the widespread killing of civilians.
For his truth-telling in the interest of humanity, Daniel has been prosecuted under the Espionage Act and is now being held in the Alexandria (Virginia) Detention Center awaiting sentencing on July 27, 2021.
Continue reading