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2025 Winter Resiliency and Firewood Camp
0% complete
$5,987 raised of
86 donations
SUPPORT landback efforts during Thankstaking week by supporting Diné families.
Who Are We and What Do We Do?
Black Mesa Solidarity Network (BMSN) is an alliance of all-volunteer collectives and coordinators from across Turtle Island that works year-round responding to Diné families resisting relocation laws. Each year, BMSN organizes a two-week Wood Camp with Diné families resisting ongoing relocation pressures throughout Big Mountain / Black Mesa and surrounding communities. BSMN supporters are hosted by Diné families, strengthening relationships with resistance thru mutual aid. We assist with local firewood gathering and distribution as well as food and supplies. We also learn to herd sheep, and assist with home and road repairs to support winter preparations.
Why Does This Matter?
Elders and families of Big Mountain / Black Mesa continue to sustain their traditional Diné life ways in the face of the devastating effects of colonial land theft and coal mining. The 1974 Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act redrew the boundaries of the Hopi and Navajo Reservations, which displaced hundreds of Hopi and 10,000 - 15,000 Diné. These borders reflected the colonial government’s collusion with corporate interests focused on massive resource extraction.
However, hundreds of families refused to leave their ancestral lands, which span 900,000 acres and 20 Diné communities. Nearly 50 years later, the coal mines are defunct, but the pressure to relocate remains. These pressures include livestock restrictions, threats and intimidation from law enforcement and government agencies, lack of running water, and impacts of climate change.
Where Does The Money Go?
The majority of funds raised will go directly towards -
- Elders and families resisting relocation laws for various needs
- Local Diné Wood Guides and Sawyers for their time, expenses and expertise
- Purchasing Supplies from local Diné Builders needed for camp (outhouses, storage structures, etc.) Items like these then remain on the land for continued use.
A Smaller Portion of funds go towards
- A portion of food/camp kitchen expenses.
- Necessary Chainsaw parts (Chain, Gas, Bar and Chain Oil)
- Necessary Camp Equipment (things like Water Hauling Storage Containers, Water Pumps/Hoses, etc.)
When camp wraps, we donate a majority of useable items back to folks on the land like storage containers, water pumps, chainsaw parts and fuel, etc. Any remaining funds raised go into our year round mutual aid pool for resisters on the land.
Learn more:
Linktree with informational resources: https://linktr.ee/bmsolidarity
Photos by Creighton Daily
Organizer
