Ceasefire Now! Space Needle Balloon Banner with Jewish Voices for Peace
Team Backbone had the honor of collaborating with Jewish Voices 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
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Aurora Projection for Salmon
A continuation of the projection for salmon for this projection season!
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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.
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SF Ferry Building Projection
Backbone Campaign was recently asked to support a projection with local activists in San Francisco.
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Projections for Salmon
Orca and salmon activists projected onto to the Seattle Convention Center.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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#StopCopCity
The LA Solidarity Brigade showed up for Black Lives Matter LA for a solidarity action to #StopCopCity
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Flotilla on Green Lake
Backbone recently partnered with Snake River Savers for a Flotilla event on Green Lake in Seattle.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Japanese Embassy Projection
A projection on the Japanese Embassy in DC called on Japan to stop using dirty energy.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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"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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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!
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"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!).
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"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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Defund to Refund
Backbone trained Maryland's Communities United in how to do light projection for their Defund to Refund Campaign.
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"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!
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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.
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Stop Salmon Extinction - Tacoma Rally
Backbone brought percussion, props and banners to the Stop Salmon Extinction Rally in Tacoma on March 26th.
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Human Orca Mural on San Juan Island
Great Orca Mural on San Juan Island! Thank you to everyone who showed up!
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Stand with Ukraine Light Projection
Backbone projected Heidi Phelps' “Stand with Ukraine” image on the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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