Recent Actions Blog:

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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  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

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

Tax the Ultra Rich!

Sign the Petition to "Tax The Ultra Rich!" HERE    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