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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Projections with Indivisible Madison
Indivisible Madison projected on the trees outside of the Wisconson State Capital as part of #DeadlineforDemocracy.
Projecting "Democracy" outside of the Capital, aimed to remind state senators that their constituents are counting on them to end the filibuster and Pass the For the People Act. Defending our democracy is on a deadline!
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Salmon & Orca Summit Solidarity Vigil
Non-Indian NGOs gathered outside the historic Salmon & Orca Summit (July 7-8) to show our support for the Summit's purpose, to have elected officials hear the concerns, desires and experiences of the tribes and why they want elected officials to get behind the "Simpson Plan." Activists greeted tribal leaders and representatives for elected officials as they entered the tribal summit.
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Creative Tactics Presentation to Texas Campaign for the Environment
Check out Bill Moyer of Backbone Campaign presenting on some of Backbone Campaign's Creative Tactics at the Texas Campaign for the Enviorment.
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Friends in Wenatchee Banner Through the Heat Wave
In the midst of a heatwave with temperatures reaching over 95, friends from Wenatchee 350 and Climate Conversations gathered to banner in downtown Wenatchee.
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Diane Wilson - "An Unreasonable Woman" on direct action & the use of Hunger Strikes
Drop in on the amazing conversation between Bill Moyer of Backbone and Diane Wilson on direct action and hunger strikes!
Diane Wilson is a fourth-generation shrimper, boat captain, mother of five, author, and an environmental, peace, and social justice advocate. During the last 30 years, she has launched legislative campaigns, demonstrations, hunger strikes, sunk boats, and even climbed chemical towers in her fight to protect her Gulf Coast bay.
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Senator Murray: Breach this Dam!
Team Backbone loaded up their gear and drove across the state to execute a light projection to restore America's most endangered river, the Snake River.
Projecting directly on the Lower Granite Dam, the projections sought to inspire action pressuring Senators Murray and Cantwell (D-WA) and Washington State Governor Jay Inslee to remove the 4 dams on the Lower Snake River and earmark Biden infrastructure plan funding to support the Columbia Basin Initiative.
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#FreePalestine projections at the Capitol
On May 17th, D.C solidarity Brigade members projected messages in support of Palestine onto the streets of the Capitol. They worked to spread free Palestine messages, and messages calling out US support of Israel just a day after three residential buildings were flattened and the death toll in Gaza had nearly reached 200. Fifty-eight of those 200, were children.
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Breach the Dams and Restore Snake River!
Backbone supports The Simpson Plan and the breaching of the dams on the Lower Snake River. With the help of volunteers, we’ve made and deployed 6 banners across Washington State, with the message to elected officials that Pacific North West supports wild salmon and the restoration of the Snake River and it’s time to breach the four Lower Snake River dams.
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Projections and Music Restore Downtown Portland
After a year of intense lockdowns the downtown square in Portland, Maine was filled with images and music.
"We filled the square with projections and music...and we waited. And the people came. They danced, they had conversations with friends they hadn’t seen and just soaked it all up. Our beloved Portland was restored to us for a few hours that evening and we were reminded of what we had been missing for so long". Said Tina Davidosn, a projectionist in Portland.
For one evening LumenARRT (Maine’s large-scale projection group that works with non-profits) collaborated with the Kneeling Art Photography Project (thekneelingartphotography.com) ahead of their first gallery series.
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Supporting the Puyallup Water Warriors
On May 4th Backbone organized a team to support the Puyallup Water Warriors’ action against the LNG plant that Puget Sound Energy illegally built on unceded land and waters. Our inflatable Orca -Tahlequah, globe, and salmon joined the procession.
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Hard Road of Hope - panel discussion
Backbone Campaign ED Bill Moyer was a guest panelist after a screening of Hard Road of Hope, a documentary by Eleanor Goldfield. The film screening was sponsored by community based organizers in coal regions, and the discussion focused on just transition solutions and community connections.
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11 cities lit up in solidarity with Gulf Coast Folx and #PowerShift2021
In solidarity with Gulf Coast Folx and those on the frontlines of climate change and economic vulnerabilities, Backbone Campaign Solidarity Brigade projectionists shone "Climate Justice is Economic Justice" and "Climate Justice is Racial Justice" in 11 cities across the US: Washington DC, Los Angeles, Seattle, Bellingham, Wenatchee, Bay Area, Kansas City, Houston, Madison, Portland Maine, Spokane.
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Waiting for the Jury's Verdict
On the culminating eve Derek Chauvin's trial for his murder of George Floyd, solidarity brigade members projected "Stop Killer Cops" on the store in front of which Floyd was murdered by Chauvin on May 25th, 2020.
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Light Projections on the Wisconsin State Capitol
The Solidarity Brigade, in conjunction with 350Madison.org, projected onto the Wisconsin State Capitol building despite warnings from the police. Light projection is a great way to quickly have an impactful action in a safe way during the pandemic.
The projections supported the Build Back Fossil Free campaign. The campaign urges President Biden that in order to fulfill his promise of "build back better" we need to build back fossil-free!
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Commuters catch the Stop Line 3 Banner in Madison
Getting the message out to thousands of daily drivers, activists hung a banner across busy Campus Drive in Madison, Wisconsin. As the snows start to melt, there is a continued pressure to get Biden to halt Line 3, a proposed tar sands pipeline that would run through Minnesota to Wisconsin.
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Pre Earth Day Actions take over Wenatchee
Backbone Solidarity Brigade member Kevin partnered up with 350 Wenatchee and Climate Conversations NCW to kick off the month of April. With April 20-22nd gearing up to be national days of climate-related actions, the group wanted to start garnering support and excitement ahead of Earth Day.
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April Fools Press Conference From the Enbridge’s Execs
Madison Solidarty Brigade member Russ and other community activists from 350 Madison, staged a fake press conference on the steps of the capitol building on April 1st.
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Across the country actions support the #BreakFreeFromPlasticAct
On March 25th the Break Free From Plastic Act was reintroduced to Congress by Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA). The bill moves to reduce plastic production before it ever has a chance to pollute, increase recycling rates, and protect frontline and fenceline communities.
Originally introduced in 2020, the bill has been reintroduced with a letter of support signed by 416 organizations in the United States. Grassroots groups from around the US took the week of the reintroduction to launch actions in support of the Act.
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Fighting Line 3 in Madison, WI
In Madison, activists continue to take on the fight to stop Line 3. Line 3, is a proposed pipeline extension that would bring tar sands from Canada, through Minnesota to Wisconsin. Line 3 directly violates the protected lands of the Anishinaabe peoples and would contribute more to climate change than Minnesota’s entire economy.
Activists projected messages against Line 3 and reminding Biden that his promise to Build Back Better needs to include ending pipelines.
On March 21st these projections appeared on the Madison Gas and Electric building.
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CSO Jacob Johns to head to the Line 3 Resistance
Backbone raised funds for Jacob and his creative team to travel to the front lines of the Line 3 Resistance to participate in the week of action and deliver supplies to the camps in northern Minnesota. With the funds raised, Jacob was able to purchase supplies for the Red Lake Camp and deploy Backbone’s LED banner "Honor Treaties" outside of Enbridge HQ and the State Capitol. Enbridge's Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline threatens indigenous sovereignty, water, and sacred wild rice. This tar sands pipeline equates to starting 50 new coal plants. Now, as the planet is on the verge of a climate collapse, we must stand together and say NO MORE!
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A Silent Demonstration and Candlelight Vigil Marks Lives Lost to COVID-19 in Maui
Since the start of the pandemic, Hale Hawai’i has held protests around Maui to send elected officials a forceful message that residents are done with inadequate leadership during this pandemic. Maui has faced an exponential growth of positive cases while seeing little to no effort to keep the residence of Maui safe.
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Hazard Pay For Essential Workers
The Solidarity Brigade in Portland, Maine showed up at City Hall in support of hazard pay for Maine’s essential workers. Portland's residence voted in 2020 to increase hazard pay for frontline essential workers, however, big corporations are refusing to honor the people's decision.
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Projections with #BuildBackFossilFree
In D.C the Solidarity Brigade projected in collaboration with the #BuildBackFossilFree campaign.
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Mainer's pressure Senator Collins
People in Maine came together to demand justice and accountability by pressuring Senator Collins to do her duty and convict Trump of the heinous crime of inciting a deadly riot on our Capitol. They utilized Backbone's freeway banner technique, LED banners, and light projections to keep the pressure on while building solidarity and hope in the community.
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Local activists in the Rio Grande Valley shine focus on the border wall.
On January 16th local activists and residents partnered with the Rio Grande Valley No Border Wall Coalition and the Texas Cilvil Rights Project. to project messages that targeted the then-president-elect Biden. During Joe Biden's campaign, he promised "not another foot of border wall would be built", his words inspiring activists to launch the Not Another Foot Campaign - to remind him of that promise.
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Remove Trump Actions
Solidarity Brigade members projected and held banners on busy freeway overpasses for several days in multiple cities. Their message was to demand the VP and Cabinet invoke the 25th Amendment and for Congressional action to Impeach Trump.
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Light projections urge lawmakers to take action against Trump
Following the insurrection on January 6th, folks in Portland, Maine felt called to action to send a clear message that the 45th President is a threat to our country and our democracy. Their light projections urged that every lawmaker must take immediate action to remove Trump from office following the insurrection he incited on our Capitol.
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#Protectthesacred Projections in Solidarity with Frontline Indigenous Communities
On January 5th, Phil, with the DC Solidarity Brigade, projected images on to the Museum of the American Indian, and the Department of the Interior. A mix of digital and GOBO projections, the action was in solidarity with frontline indigenous communities who are working to protect arctic lands from drilling.
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Backbone turns 17!
Backbone celebrated our 17th birthday over zoom, like many others this year. Enjoy an image-rich video tour of Backbone's work and celebratory testimonials from authors, veteran activists, and even a documentary filmmaker.
Standing with Essential Workers
The Solidarity Brigade in D.C brought LED light banners outside of the Kaiser offices. Kaiser healthcare workers were negotiating for better Personal Protective equipment and hazard pay, as they go to work on the frontlines of the pandemic every day.
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#PlasticFreePresident
Backbone joined with the Center for Biological Diversity and other organizations on the #PlasticFreePresident campaign. A campaign centered around reducing plastic consumption to elevate plastic pollution. Their immediate campaign focuses on eight steps that President Biden can take without any action from Congress to pave the way for a plastic-free society.
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'People Power' lights up Madison, Wisconsin
RB, our collaborator from Solidarity Brigade 4721, Northern Prairie Division, sub-unit for the Advancement of Revolutionary Love, took to the streets in December to project messages onto the dome of the Wisconson Capitol building, the seat of legislative power, and the side of the Madison Gas and Electric power plant.
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A Guilty Verdict Projected on to the Supreme Court
This year the Supreme Court heard arguments against corporations Nestle and Cargill who have been sued for knowingly buying cacao beans from farms that used child slave labor. The DC solidarity brigade risked arrest to bring an LED light banner and a projection kit to the site of the Supreme court. With the combination of quick thinking and a helpful hand wagon to conceal the equipment, brigade members managed to project our guilty verdict directly on to the face of the Supreme Court: "Cargill is guilty".
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#MakeAmazonPay
In collaboration with the Athena Collation and Progressive International, Backbone Solidarity Brigade members around the country organized anti-Amazon projections on Black Friday.
The crew with the DC Soldiarty Brigade projected their messages directly on to the front of Jeff Bezos's DC mansion!
Bezos saw his wealth grow by over 90 billion dollars during the global pandemic.
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Backbone brings attention to Green New Deal at the DNC
In November, after the election, Backbone supported actions around the Democratic National Committee HQ. Activists mobilized to pressure President-elect Biden to support indigenous, black, and brown communities with his cabinet nominations, as well as, honoring his campaign promises to invest in a green economy.
Backbone deployed light projections on the face of the DNC building as well as banners that were seen throughout the crowd.
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1 company. 5 failed agencies. 7 million pounds of poison (lead). 10,000 homes. 100,000+ residents.
Backbone friends in East LA used light projection and a banner - as well as other creative tactics - to protest Judge Sontchi's decision to let Corporate Polluter Exide walk away from financial responsibility and criminal accountability.
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Tallahassee Women's March 2020
Tallahassee Active Resistance (formally Stone Soup Street Action Committee) hosted the Tallahassee Women's March 2020.
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Prime Day Actions Across the Nation Expose Amazon: Pandemic Profiteer
Amazon's Prime Day has become ubiquitous with shopping deals and fast deliveries while hiding the hazardous conditions that workers are forced to endure to meet those demands. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jeff Bezos's wealth has continued to expand, at the cost of the workers, working in hazardous conditions in his fulfillment centers.
Backbone collaborated with Athena, an anti-Amazon collation to take action in cities around the country, and expose the human cost of Prime Day
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Seattle Banner Crew Greets Commuters every Tuesday
Backbone friends are bannering each Tuesday morning at the Yesler Way Overpass, greeting commuters on I5 with messages of VOTE VOTE VOTE, Medicare For All, Black Lives Matter, Trump Must Resign and more.
In the space of an hour, a team of 2-6 folks can interact with many thousands of commuters who are mostly honking and giving a thumbs up of support.
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Organizing for Eviction Free Zones: A Conversation with Steve Meacham
Backbone interviewed Community Organizer Steve Meacham, of City Life/ Vida Urbana in Boston, about housing as a human right and establishing Eviction Free Zones.
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Justice was not served for Breonna Taylor
Tina in Portland, Maine projected in solidarity with Black Lives Matter Maine, to protest that Justice was not served for Breonna Taylor. BLM Maine gathered outside the Portland Maine Police Department, standing in solidarity with people across the country.
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Solidarity with SEIU Janitors
In San Francisco, AE rocked his digital projector in support of SEIU 87 Janitors. Projected messages included, "My Work is Essential - My Vote is Essential," and "SF Janitors Fighting for PPP and HealthCare to Stay Alive".
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Honoring Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Portland
The night of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing, Tina did some solo digital and GOBO projections in downtown Portland Maine. Recently, she had converted her spotlight to an LED and now has the capacity to project images brightly, in color. A couple nights later she went out with other state and local groups and projected at the community vigil.
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Dept of Justice projections for Julian Assange
Phil projected on the Dept of Justice building in the National Capitol, in solidarity with Julian Assange and 1st Amendment Protected Free Speech.
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Kevin Zeese ¡Presente!
Just a couple nights after his passing, Backbone activists projected images of Kevin Zeese onto the Venezuelan Embassy in DC.
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BLM projected onto NFL stadium in Baltimore
Phil lit up the M&T Bank stadium with Black Lives Matter messaging. Stadium owners had already lit up the place with red, white and blue to celebrate 4th of July, and Phil brilliantly used their public display as a creative canvass for projection.
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Contact Senators And Demand They Pass The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act!
Folks pulled off "Projection Strange Fruit" in Portland Maine in support of the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act.
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Black Lives Matter Projection On Colorado State Capitol For Juneteenth
The Denver team shined "Black Lives Matter on the Colorado State Capitol for Juneteenth.
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Juneteenth Action Took Over Highway!
A Juneteenth event at a park took over a major transport highway in Madison, Wisconsin! People walked on it for a mile to the County Jail. The Backbone team projected GOBOS on the Jail behind the speakers at the following rally.
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The Dept. Of Labor Needs To Pressure The Maryland Governor To Fix Unemployment System
The Maryland crew staged a protest in front of the Department of Labor to pressure the Governor to fix Maryland's unemployment system.
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Hold Police Accountable! Baltimore City Hall Projection
The Baltimore team projected messages about upcoming Juneteenth strike and police accountability onto Baltimore City Hall. What a bold, powerful projection spot!
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Portland BLM Projections Still Going Strong
Special shout out to the Portland Solidarity Brigade for the sheer number of nights they've been out amplifying the voices of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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Portland PEST Created Giant Rooftop " BLACK LIVES MATTER" Banner
The Portland Solidarity Brigade team, a.k.a. PEST, painted this building with Backbone GOBO messages as part of the Black Lives Matter, Defund the Police, Racial Justice campaign.
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Three nights of light projections on the Colorado State Capitol
In collaboration with the Suede Light Brigade, 20 people participated over three nights at the Colorado State Capitol to shine a light on the George Floyd murder, racism, white supremacy, and the structures that sustain these. These projections provided the backdrop for the rallies and marches that were happening on the capitol grounds and on the streets.
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Banner Protest Outside Detention Center: Los Fresnos
Folks teamed up with the Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network to protest outside the Port Isabel Detention Center in Los Fresnos, TX in the Rio Grande Valley.
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Bellingham lights up in support of Black Lives Matter
Light Projections in support of Black Lives Matter, and protests around Police murdering of black people in the United States. These eye-catching projections lit of Bellingham, WA on June 6th.
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"We Can't Breath'" lit up Portland City Hall and the end of a long march
Light projections create a powerful backdrop of "We Can't Breath" to the end of an 8 hour Black Lives Matter march in Portland. The march and projection were covered by News Center Maine .
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Light projections change the Portland skyline
These light projections can be seen clearly in the Portland Maine city skyline while driving into the city. As activists work to keep the cities' energy and attention on Black Lives Matter actions One activist writes, "The cops have been busy so it is time for projectionists to strike everywhere they would normally be harassed by pesky security. Also, doing this in solidarity with all the BLM actions happening, keeping up the energy. People in apartments and on the street clap when they see it, lots of support from the community".
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Black Lives Matter Projection: Los Angeles
Allies with the LA East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice projected "BLM" and "Black Lives Matter" in downtown LA.
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Portland, OR brings light projections to the streets
Drivers across the Burnside Bridge in Portland Oregon were greeted by the messages "DEFUND the police, INVEST in Community" "Dismantle White Supremacy" and "#saytherenames".
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A digital projection on the Portland, Maine Police Department
Portland Maine has been holding daily protests after George Floyd’s brutal death by a Minneapolis police officer. With a heavy police presence, Peaceful protests turned dangerous in a matter of minutes it seemed. All the usual tricks that were going on nationwide were happening right here in Portland Maine. Rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper balls, arrests...complete militarized law enforcement. However, it felt that the tide had changed overnight. Public sentiment around law enforcement behavior changed drastically. People were demanding answers from the Portland PD, they were under increased scrutiny. So the riot gear disappeared. Law enforcement presence declined drastically the following nights
A light projectionist set up in front of the Portland PD station to shine these messages on to their building each night. See her work and that of other artists in Portland, ME featured here in the Press Herald .
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Portland ME, projections continue.
Projectionists out in downtown Portland Maine during the ongoing BLM protests following George Floyd's murder.
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Bold Projection Outside ICE Office In Harlingen, TX
Another great team up with the Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network! The team projected outside ICE/USCIS office in Harlingen, TX.
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Growing Food Resilience on Vashon Island
Since the end of March, Backbone Campaign has mobilized over 30 volunteers to safely plant, harvest, weed, construct, and organize at Matsuda Farm, Vashon Island's not for profit farm. They have given over 400 hours to grow de-commodified food!
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Solidarity Brigades Spotlight Calls for Strike
Inspired by and in solidarity with the workers, organizers and communities across the country, nine of Backbone's Solidarity Brigades deployed to support the #MayDay2020 #GeneralStrike. Projections took place in Atlanta, San Francisco, Bellingham, Spokane, Wenatchee, Portland, Seattle, San Diego, and DC. But don't take our word for it. Watch this incredible video. [Big thanks to editor Peter Menchini!]
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