Last week, Shailene Woodley was arrested for peacefully protesting the construction of the Dakota Pipeline in North Dakota. (The pipeline is controversial because it runs within a half mile of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's reservation. Protesters fear it would threaten their water supply and could destroy some of the tribe's sacred sites.)
Woodley was released from jail on bond and pleaded "not guilty" to the charges of criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot earlier this week. Her arrest, which she live streamed on her Facebook, has 4+ million views and was covered by many major news outlets.
This afternoon, Woodley made her first extensive statement about the arrest in an op-ed she wrote for Time. "I was arrested on Oct. 10, on Indigenous Peoples' Day, a holiday where America is meant to celebrate the indigenous people of North America," she started. "I was in North Dakota, standing side by side with Native Americans. You know, those who were here before us. Well, guess what, America? They're still here…They are still putting their lives on the line to protect the roots that feed our existence. And, guess what else, dear America? They are still being ignored."
"We wear their heritage, their sacred totems, as decoration and in fashion trends, failing to honor their culture. Headdresses, feathers, arrows. Moccasins, sage, beadwork," she continued. "You know what I'm talking about, Coachella. Walking around the flea market this weekend, I can't even tell you how many native references I saw being used in a way that feeds our western narrative."
It shouldn't take an outsider to bring attention to their struggle, Woodley wrote, but here we are:
Treaties are broken. Land is stolen. Dams are built. Reservations are flooded. People are displaced. Yet we fail to notice. We fail to acknowledge. We fail to act. So much so that it took me, a white non-native woman being arrested on Oct 10th in North Dakota, on Indigenous Peoples' Day, to bring this cause to many people's attention. And to the forefront of news publications around the world.
But the pipeline's construction could hurt more than just them, Woodley continued. It has the potential to harm millions if it contaminates the Missouri River:
When the Dakota Access Pipeline breaks (and we know that too many pipelines do), millions of people will have crude-oil-contaminated water. I know it is easy to be apathetic or detached from the reality that fossil fuel contamination could actually affect you and the ones you love… But hear me loud and clear: If you are a human who requires water to survive, then this issue directly involves you. Don't let the automatic sink faucets in your homes fool you—that water comes from somewhere, and the second its source is contaminated, so is your bathtub, and your sink, and your drinking liquid. We must not take for granted the severity of this truth.
Listen up, America: The reason we were freezing our asses off on Oct. 10 in peaceful protest was because the night before (mind you, right after the presidential debate and on the eve of Indigenous Peoples' Day—coincidence?) the U.S. Court of Appeals denied an injunction to halt construction of the pipeline. As in: They began building once again.
Whatever your cause is. Whatever your passion is. Whatever you care about most… none of your efforts or hard-earned opinions will matter when the planet and the people you're fighting for have nothing left to show for it.
Woodley also called attention to another pipeline that could cause trouble in the northeast:
The Dakota Access Pipeline, my friends, is not another time to ignore, mistreat and turn a blind eye to Native Americans. But it is time to guarantee the safety of Manhattan—despite the soon-to-be-fueled gas pipeline called AIM. (For all of you in the tri-state area, this is being built under a failing nuclear plant. Fukushima only happened five years ago. This plant is just about as far from Manhattan as the U.S. government told Americans to keep away from Fukushima to protect them from a worst-case scenario. Look it up and do something about it.) We have the technology for renewable energy, and it's up to us to begin utilizing.
She wrapped with an expression of gratitude to her supporters—and challenged them to do more than just advocate for her safety alone. "What if we used it as a catalyst for a full societal shift in the way we start thinking and treating and learning from indigenous peoples?"
I am not scared. I am not afraid. I am grateful, and I am amazed to be standing by the sides of so many peaceful warriors. Standing Rock "protests" are rooted in ceremony and in prayer. I've been there. And all these narratives about riots? Just watch my Facebook livestream and decide for yourself who looks more dangerous: police in riot gear with batons, or native grandmothers and children smudging sage and singing songs.
Thank you, to all the tribes who have gathered. To all the nations standing as one. To all the people who know that if not we, then who? And if not now, then when?
Simply feeding off the hype of a celebrity's arrest ain't going to save the world. But, standing together will. Please stand in solidarity with the Sioux people of Standing Rock Reservation to ensure that we still have rivers to swim in, springs to drink from and lakes to float on. Will you join us?
Read Woodley's full statement here.
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
