Stories
A Vigil in Solidarity With Palestinians
In response to the ongoing Israeli violence against Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, Gaza, and elsewhere, several dozen St. Lawrence University students, faculty and alumni gathered on May 15 for a Vigil in Solidarity With Palestinians.
Stand With the AAPI Community: Resources and Actions
Resources to help educate on how to be a better ally to the Asian and AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community and educate about anti-Asian bias, hate crimes, and violence.
A Sense of History: Lessons From Haiti’s New Political Uprising
As students continue to play a key role in mass protests in Haiti against the current government of Jovenel Moïse, Jesús G. Ruiz argues that it is time we look to Haiti once again, not just for inspiration but also for lessons on how to engage politically and fight for one’s freedoms and rights.
Art From the Frontlines of a Threatened Mountainside
In a follow up to “Coatepec: The Fight for the Cloud Forest”, a Forest Guardian from Movimiento por la Defensa de la Sierra describes the impact of art on their movement. The artists in question are children, and the young Earth Guardians are inspiring their community to rise up and protect their forests.
Drought, Disease and Isolation: The Urgent Situation of the Wayuu in La Guajira, Colombia
The deep consequences of interconnected globalized systems paired with destructive localized human actions is on full display in the La Guajira peninsula of Northeastern Colombia. Daniel Henryk Rasolt reports on the dire situation facing the Wayuu Indigenous Peoples.
The River Says NO
On January 20, 2015, the PUCARL Collective (United Communities of the Antigua Watershed for Free Rivers) blocked the entrance to the Río Pescados (River of Fishes), halting the construction of a dam that was threatening the entire region. The 43 communities along the Rio Pescados are the first to defeat Odebrecht, thus protecting their waterways for the generations to come.
¡Sí a La Vida, No a La Mina! (Yes to Life, No to the Mine!)
A new gold mine in Veracruz, Mexico, will be the first one in the world to be opened only two miles away from a nuclear reactor and from many pipelines - all in the middle of a densely populated, touristic area that is also the most important migratory route in North America. These are some of the main reasons why local activists are strongly opposing the project.
“We must not stand by quietly”: A Call to Resist Eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem Homes
As his and other Palestinian families are threatened with eviction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, Mohammed El-Kurd issues a call for international support against Israeli colonization.
Coatepec: The Fight For the Cloud Forest
5,000 acres of cloud forest are currently being threatened in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico - but local forest protectors are standing up to defend the ecosystem.
"My COVID Summer" : Students Share Experiences, Hopes for the Future
St. Lawrence University students, like students everywhere, have faced a range of issues connected to the global pandemic. Weave contributor and editor Nicole Roché reached out to former students from all over the country—and all over the world—asking them to share their experiences from this difficult summer.
Here are their stories.
SLU Faculty Letter to the Community About Systemic Racism in America
A statement released on June 11, 2020, by members of the local AAUP chapter at St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY) and other St. Lawrence faculty members in response to systemic racism and the nationwide and worldwide protests against following the police killing of George Floyd.
Bolivia Faces a Double Battle
The effects of the coronavirus pandemic intersect with the effects of other social, political, and environmental problems throughout the world. Reporting from Bolivia, Gabriela Paz Ferreyra Barrientos explores how Bolivian society finds itself caught between ongoing political instability and a public health emergency: “Violence and confrontation in Bolivia require an urgent democratic election, yet the health of Bolivians is crying out for them to stay home and take care of themselves.”
Open Letter to the American People from Burma/Myanmar Human Rights/Activist Groups
This open letter from Burma/Myanmar human rights activists was originally published on Facebook and is reprinted here with the permission of the authors. It expresses “solidarity with American people protesting against racism and police brutality.”
The Killing of George Floyd: International Reactions (UPDATING)
This post gathers international responses to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. While this is obviously a major news story in the United States, it is important to understand that the world is watching is well. The post will be updated regularly.
If the Gaza blockade was a virus, would the world react differently?
Ali Abusheikh writes from Doha, Qatar amidst the COVID-19 crisis, but he is also thinking of his home - Gaza. ““I sympathize with the world. I understand people's fear. Why wouldn't I? I already know what it is like to be stuck at home for weeks when it is not safe to go out. (And in the case of Gaza, staying at home isn't enough to protect you; Israeli missiles can just as easily find you there.) I already know how it feels to unexpectedly have to cancel weddings and other special occasions. I grew up being unable to travel.”
Expressing Unity and Revolution: Lebanon 2019
By Cassandra Kunert
In her first installment for our Weaving the Streets project, Cassandra Kunert reports on what she observed when she went to Beirut, Lebanon, in search of street art - only to find a city whose population was rising up in huge numbers against the existing political and economic order.
Freiburg's Dietenbach Decision: Considering the Anti-Build Argument
By Brendan Reilly
In the final installment of his three-part “Weaving the Streets” series, Brendan Reilly looks into the perspective of Freiburg, Germany residents who oppose the decision to turn agricultural land outside the city into a new district featuring affordable housing. Despite the eco-friendly design of the proposed district, those in the anti-build camp are concerned about the environmental consequences as well as the impact on the region’s agrarian culture.
“In My Own Backyard”: SUNY Potsdam Professor on Archaeology as Entry Point to Local History, Instrument of Social Justice
By Nicole Roché
“I think there’s something really compelling about living and researching in the same place. To feel more grounded, quite literally, by going into the ground. I think there’s a power to that. Of staying and learning more about where you live.” Nicole Roché introduces us to Dr. Hadley Kruczek-Aaron, who does archaeological research at the intersection of local history and social justice.
“I Am Home!”: Locals March against Racism and Xenophobia in Majority-White Potsdam, N.Y.
By Nicole Roché
As the “March against Racism” began on Saturday morning in Potsdam, New York, organizer Jennifer Baxtron told the crowd to raise their signs and let their voices be heard. “Show everybody that even in this little town, love conquers hate,” she said. “Love overpowers hate.” Nicole Roché reports on a march that sought to shine a light on the need to address issues of racism and xenophobia in the majority-white “North Country” of northern NY - and beyond.
Freiburg’s Dietenbach Decision: Exploring the Pro-Build Side
By Brendan Reilly
My seven months abroad have flown by–I can count the days on my fingers before I leave Freiburg, the mid-sized city in Southwest Germany. As I prepare to take my final exams and leave my Black Forest life, the farms to the northwest of town remain unscathed by the bulldozer’s touch. However, 2020 will see the start of construction for the new residential district of Dietenbach, planned to be built and ready for its first tenants by 2022. In my first blog post, I introduced this socio-ecological dilemma that has been taking place here: a debate between those seeking to preserve the nearby farmland and those in favor of construction to alleviate steep housing prices. In this post I explore the side of the issue in support of construction, examining what the positive aspects of a new city district are, and how Freiburg’s pro-Dietenbach residents present their argument.