Pressuring the IMF and World Bank to Divest from Fossil Fuel
Activists disrupted the DC morning commute around the IMF and World Bank's annual meeting to protest them not divesting from fossil fuel projects. Later in the morning they joined with Jane Fonda's "Fire Drill Fridays" and attempted to disrupt nearby Wells Fargo branches.
The action was covered here by the Washington Post.
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Light Projections Illuminate Cal Berkeley's Climate Strike
In collaboration with Cal Berkeley Students for Climate Action and Berkeley Sunrise, an action brigade member promoted the Dec 6th Climate Strike on campus.
Students provided input on what they wanted projected, including a student drawn graphic (not shown). Cal Berkeley students are interested in promoting n UC version of the Green New Deal, to make their campuses a guiding light for a national effort to fight climate change.
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Bellingham Solidarity Brigade Prepares for Climate Strike 12/6
Bellingham Solidarity Brigade raising awareness for the next National Climate Strike on Friday Dec. 6th, 2019.
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Slaughter Shingle Mountain - Light Projections in Texas
Backbone sent light projection tools to The North Texas Light Brigade so that they could draw attention to the environmental disaster Shingle Mountain. “Shingle Mountain,” is the largest illegal dump in Dallas – a mound of toxic shingles several stories high, creating a toxic mound that backs up to private homes, spreading fumes throughout the neighborhood.
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XR Challenges Colorado Cleantech Awards
Climate activists with Extinction Rebellion challenged "clean" oil and gas at the Colorado Cleantech Industries 2019 Oil & Gas Cleantech Challenge Awards night.
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Bellingham SB Takes on Trump's Twitter
Bellingham Solidarity Brigade (as part of #OccupyBellingham) took to First Friday Art Walk to share their thoughts with Trump on Twitter.
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Seattle Light Brigade Projects to Impeach
Members of the Seattle Light Brigade projects messages of impeachment at Seattle Center in solidarity with #OutNow.
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Backbone and Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition at NWPCC Public Hearing
Backbone joined up with Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition for a press conference and rally during the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's recent public hearing to advocate the inclusion of critical protections for orca and salmon in their fish and wildlife plan.
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Bremerton Solidarity Brigade Projects ICE Hotline
Bremerton Solidarity Brigade activists project ICE Hotline around town.
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VIUF and La Resistencia At Tacoma NW Detention Center
The Vashon Island Unitarian Fellowship and La Resistencia visit the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center to support detainees.
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"A Week in the Life of Backbone" Video Showcase
Check out what Backbone's Solidarity Brigade members have been up to the week of the climate strike.
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Denver Portland Seattle Solidarity Brigades Project for Climate Strike
Solidarity Brigades in Denver, Portland and Seattle project for Climate Strike
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Backbone Marches in Vashon Climate Strike
Backbone helps organize Vashon Island's participation in Global Climate Strike
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Tucson Deploys Banners for Global Climate Strike
Tuscon Solidarity Brigaide bannering for Global Climate Strike
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Bay Area SB Honors Greta Thunberg
Bay Area Solidarity Brigade honors Greta Thunberg and youth activism
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Madison WI Climate Strike
Madison WI Solidarity Brigade supports the Climate Strike through projections, sit-ins.
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Wenatchee Solidarity Brigade Projects for Climate Strike
Solidarity Brigade lights up Wenatchee for Climate Strike
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San Diego SB Gears up for Global Climate Strike
San Diego Solidarity Brigade projects on University of California San Diego for Global Climate Strike
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Baby Trump Balloon Greets President in San Diego
San Diego Solidarity Brigade flies Baby Trump for President's visit
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Bellingham Solidarity Brigade Gearing Up for Climate Strike
Bellingham Solidarity Brigade teaming with Washington Youth Climate Strike
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CLOSEmsdf Projects for Political Open Mic
CLOSEmsdf projected their message at a political open mic with Lt Governor Mandela Barnes.
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Baby Trump Visits Portola Valley
Bay Area Solidarity Brigade brings out Baby Trump balloon during President's visit.
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LA Solidarity Brigade Climate Strike Projections
The LA Solidarity Brigade projects for upcoming climate Strike
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Patagonia Seattle Projects for Climate Strike
Backbone helps Patagonia to promote Climate Strike
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CLOSEmsdf Acknowledges 25th Anniversary 1994 Crime Bill
CLOSEmsdf recognized the 25th anniversary of the 1994 Crime Bill and its continued impact
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Eugene SB Promotes Climate Strike at University of Oregon Campus
Eugene Solidarity Brigade Projections at University of Oregon campus
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Light Projection Training with XR Philly
Backbone does a "quick and dirty" light projection training with Philadelphia XR
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North Texas Light Brigade Illuminates NRA Expo
The North Texas Light Brigade spotlights the NRA Personal Protection Expo at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
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Fort Worth Lights Up Awareness for Global Climate Strike
#GlobalClimateStrike Fort Worth and North Texas Light Brigade teamed together to promote the upcoming Global Climate Strike.
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Berkeley Climate Strike Projections
Bay Area Solidarity Brigade took to UC Berkeley campus in a call to action for the upcoming Global Climate Strike.
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Backbone Sets Backdrop at Seattle Move to Amend Day of Action
Backbone set the backdrop in Seattle as part of Move to Amend's coordinated national day of action.
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Orca and Salmon Join With Environment WA
Backbone's inflatable orca and chinook salmon join with Environment Washington's efforts to protect the Southern Resident orcas.
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Backbone Marches in Vashon Island Strawberry Festival Grand Parade
Backbone brought our signature touch to the annual Vashon Island Strawberry Festival parade!
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L.A. Lights for Liberty Projections
The West L.A. solidarity brigade mobilized for their local Lights for Liberty event.
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Lights for Liberty on Tacoma Detention Center
Tacoma Detention Center lights up after the Lights for Liberty national action.
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Baby Blimp mobilized in San Diego for VP visit
After learning where Vice President Pence would be staying in their city, the San Diego Solidarity Brigade quickly organized an action to inflate the Baby Trump blimp across from his hotel.
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Bay Area Projects for Lights for Liberty
Local solidarity brigade projected to engage those at 4th of July fireworks and raise the profile of Lights for Liberty actions against the concentration camps the following week.
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Projections at ICE HQ Against Concentration Camps
Projections at ICE HQ against the concentration camps on the border with Move to Amend.
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Trump Head mobilized at Bainbridge PRIDE
One of Backbone's paper mache Trump heads was brought out for the event.
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Single Payer Activists protest at annual AMA meeting
A coalition of groups carried out coordinated actions at the AMA's annual meeting to protest their historical opposition to single payer.
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Bainbridge Islanders Gather to Support Southern Resident Orcas
Bainbridge Islanders gathered for World Ocean day with art, action and ritual in support of wellness for the Southern Resident Orcas.
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Human Orca Mural Joins Ocean Fest Beach Cleanup
Backbone brought our Human Orca Mural to be a part of a beach cleanup at the Purdue Sand Spit. The beach cleanup was in celebration of World Ocean Day on June 8th and was put on by Tacoma Ocean Fest partnered with South Sound Surfrider and Rainier Apparel.
Check out the video to see how the orca was built!
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Annapolis projects for Wear Orange weekend
A slideshow with messages raising awareness of the weekend's events around combating gun violence were projected on various government buildings.
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Rally to urge Congressman to support bill ending corporate personhood
Activists rally in front of Rep. Rick Larsen's office to encourage him to sign on to HJR 48 to end corporate personhood.
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Post Raid Light Projection onto Venezuelan Embassy
D.C. solidarity brigade members in collaboration with the Embassy Protection Collective projected images that further highlighted the illegitimacy of the U.S. appointed Guaido government to follow up the Secret Service's illegal raid and arrest of remaining 4 protectors inside the embassy.
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Solutionary Rail talks to Warren Buffett!
A small crew of friends held the Solutionary Rail banner outside the CHI Health Convention Center while hordes of people lined up to enter the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting in Omaha, NE.
Backbone ED and Solutionary Rail Project Lead Bill Moyer went inside to participate in public portion of the meeting, wishing to ask questions of Warren Buffett at the Q&A Session - and through a lucky lottery draw, he got to ask the first question! Wow!
Our friends finished out the trip by giving several of our local activists a demonstration of message light display using one of the exterior walls of the CHI Health Convention Center & Arena.
See the link to watch Warren Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger respond to Bill's question:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=394696204467822
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Kitsap Welcomes All for May Day
Vashon, Tacoma and Olympia Solidarity Brigade members joined together to hold an Artful Activism Workshop in Bremerton -- one week later, the new Kitsap Solidarity Brigade took action.
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Celebratory Green New Deal light projections at UC Berkeley
Bay Area Solidarity Brigade projected on the iconic UC Berkeley clock tower to celebrate the unanimous approval of the resolution by the student government.
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Seattle Earth Day Green New Deal highway bannering
Seattle Solidarity Brigade got out on Earth Day morning with the LED "Green New Deal" banner.
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Projections at XR Earth Day vigil in Baltimore
D.C./Baltimore Solidarity Brigade collaborated with the Baltimore Extinction Rebellion (XR) chapter to do light projections at Earth Day vigil.
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Tucson mobilizes in solidarity with campus activists
New Backbone friend in Arizona Liz Kinnamon pulled off her first projection on the night before a critical community meeting on the University of Arizona campus regarding University collusion with white supremacist border guards and threats to students who were victimized because they want them to stay off campus.
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Earth Day in Spokane
Backbone Campaign HQ & Backbone Spokane joined forces to bring artful activism to the Spokane 2019 Earth Day celebration.
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Venezuelan Embassy Light Projections
D.C solidarity brigade projected messages opposing U.S. intervention in Venezuela and affirming the Maduro government, Chavez legacy, and Bolivarian revolution onto the Venezuelan embassy in solidarity with the Embassy Protection Collective.
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Backbone's newest image enhances local elementary school's Earth Day event
In our home community, organizers of the elementary school's Earth Day borrowed Backbone's newest images - monarch butterflies - to advocate for the protection of Pollinators.
The butterflies, designed by artist Wynne Mentink, are an easy prop to deploy and more are made each week during the weekly art build at Backbone HQ on Vashon Island. The prop can also used to show solidarity with immigrants, halting the construction of the border wall which disrupts habitat, and remediating the impacts of climate change which are impacting all species and people.
For the Earth!
Projecting at UC Berkeley
Our friends at UC Berkeley show the awesome power of digital projection! With digital projection we can show color, detailed images and even video. There are so many creative ways to show a message!
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L.A. solidarity brigade mobilizes to support local environmental justice group
The L.A. squad deployed the inflatable globe and banner to support an action by STAND L.A.
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XR light projections in D.C.
Deployed light projections onto the Newseum in D.C. of ahead of day of action by XR D.C. chapter.
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D.C. shines messages of solidarity for arrested projectionist
The local brigade displayed messages in solidarity ahead of the court date of a local projectionist who was arrested for projecting onto the Rayburn house office building on U.S. Capitol grounds, a location frequently used by projectionists.
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Light Projections in Scotland!
Backbone sent light projection tools across the Atlantic to our friends in Scotland to use in their Extension Rebellion actions in Edinburgh. Their arrests and actions are sparking media attention and energy on to the climate crisis as a climate bill moves through Scottish Parliament.
For the Earth!
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San Diego shines a light for justice
The San Diego team was out shining in solidarity with projectionists who were arrested and ticketed for shining on the Congressional Building in Washington, D.C.
Our folks in San Diego projected messages in support of the dreamers, migrants and Earl McNeil. When asked to leave by building security, they explained that this was 1st amendment right and were allowed to stay!
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9th Human Orca Mural at Spokane Earth Day
Backbone provided inflatable props to the Spokane Earth Day celebration and created its 9th Human Orca Mural, amidst the intense rain and wind!
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Solidarity with Robin Bell
Light projectionists in Seattle show support for Robin Bell, a projectionist who was arrested after projecting on to U.S Capitol grounds. Their messages remind us that light projecting is not illegal and is a form of free speech.
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Trash incinerator projections highlight dirty "renewable energy" secret
D.C./Baltimore solidarity brigades partnered with local activists to project messages on well known Baltimore trash incinerator pointing out its' toxic emissions to oppose its' inclusion in renewable energy subsidies.
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Release the Report - LEDs at 4-way stop on Vashon
Volunteers on Vashon created an LED banner to deploy as part of a national action calling for the Release of the Mueller Report. The action was co-sponsored by Indivisible Vashon and Backbone and passers by were encouraged to call their Congressional Representatives to Release the Report.
Backbone supports setting a standard for leadership and accountability, as well as checks and balances on presidential power.
Baltimore solidarity projections for police accountability
The D.C./Baltimore projected images in solidarity as backdrop to action demanding police accountability and against establishing a private police force at Johns Hopkins University.
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Shut Down Homestead
Alessandra, Backbone CSO in Miami, borrowed the LED light panels and projection equipment to shine a message on Homestead, the nation's for profit private detention facility for migrant children.
Her actions received significant press coverage and solidarity, including from Sen Jeff Merkley.
For more info, see: "One in Six Migrant Children in the U.S. are Staying at a Shelter Operated by a Private Equity Tycoon."
To support Alessandra's creative activism, make a donation HERE.
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Activists crash gala for the "Other NRA"
Activists showed up at the National Restaurant Association's gala to highlight their efforts to suppress worker wages at the Grand Hyatt in D.C.
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Baltimore City Hall Projections Highlight City's issues
The D.C./Baltimore area solidarity brigade projected messages that highlight the city's current foremost issues amidst the many problems faced.
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Pro-Palestinian projections at annual AIPAC convention in D.C.
D.C. solidarity brigade projected pro-Palestinian messages and images onto AIPAC headquarters and the D.C. convention center where AIPAC annual convention was being held.
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Green New Deal Action in Seattle
Folks in Seattle display support for the Green New Deal to Seattle commuters over I5 interstate. The Backbone Campaign is now able to create illuminated LED banners like this one, which can deliver electrifying messages!
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Liberty is Muscle that Must Be Exercised
More than sixteen years of creative protest continually affirm that freedom has territorial boundaries. Those boundaries are human constructs, but they require proactive defense. Any retreat only emboldens tyrants and bullies who will never be satisfied. This lesson was embedded in me during the very first action with my artist friends from Vashon Island who later co-founded Backbone Campaign.
Like projectionist Robin Bell, people in Backbone's Solidarity Brigade network have recently experienced intimidation during both overpass bannering actions and light projections. Normal people cannot compete for space in the social dialogue if the ticket is at a price point affordable only to those who already have way too much power.
Money is not speech. Speech is speech. Backbone Campaign's work is about teaching people ways to harness their speech. We will fight to defend the territory of free speech, and we will win.
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Backbone Supports United Farm Workers
Laura and Bill of Backbone HQ deployed a giant aerial banner outside Starbucks' shareholder meeting today in Seattle for the UFW (United Farm Workers). Even Rev. Jesse Jackson showed up in solidarity with dairy workers urging Starbucks use its purchasing power to demand Darigold #StopAbuse of workers. #DarigoldDozenThank you Laura, Jennifer and Amy for all your work on the banner. It looked awesome. Teamwork!
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Backbone Builders Guild - The people behind the magic
Backbone couldn't show up for the Solidarity Brigades and many allies across the country without people like these the other dedicated members of Backbone's Builders Guild. These folks are the behind the scenes inspiration and perspiration of our Artful Activism. They are an essential part of every action. We are all deeply grateful for their generous contributions that make the magic in the streets possible.
Seattleites Reminded, Democracy is for the People
Seattle based projectionist sent messages of democracy on to the side of the Museum of Pop Culture in March. Under the iconic Seattle Space Needle tourist and locals alike saw their calls to end sanctions in Venezuela and hold Amazon accountable for paying their fair share.
After the police showed up they moved their set up to projecting on to a local Chase branch.
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