Case Study: Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and the Earth Guardians

When: 1992- Present

Where: Based in Boulder Colorado with programs and crews spread across six continents.

Practitioners: Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and the Earth Guardians (thousands of youth across the world). 

Contributed by: Annie Nagel

A group of children, the youngest looking no older than nine-years-old, march through the streets of downtown Boulder and dance through fields with the Flatirons as their background. They sing, “It’s time to be the change, stand for what you know is right. It’s time to be the change and build a world of light.” “Be The Change” is one of many music videos the Earth Guardians have posted on their YouTube channel dedicated to raising awareness for a cleaner and healthier planet.

Starting out in 1992 as a high school in Maui, Hawaii, the Earth Guardians gained global attention for their dedication to teaching youth how to grow their voices as social activists within the environmental activism world. Twenty-five years later, the Earth Guardians have grown as a community of thousands of youths across the world. At just 17-years-old, the Earth Guardians Youth Director, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, acts as a role-model for other youth activists to own their power as the new generation of leaders. Xiuhtezcatl’s love and respect for the earth was fostered by his indigenous, Aztec heritage. Beginning at age six, Xiuhtezcatl has travelled all around the world speaking on environmental issues such as fracking and pesticides. He also uses self-written hip-hop music to inspire his community. In 2013 Xiuhtezcatl was chosen by President Obama to sit on the President’s Youth Council.

Currently the Earth Guardians are in the process of suing the U.S. Government, “for the constitutional right to a healthy atmosphere,” (Xiuhtezcatl, Vice Profiles). One of the biggest issues the youth-led movement is addressing is the amount of influence money from oil (big corporations) has over the U.S.’s democratic government and how that has affected the way the government addresses and takes action on matters of environmental importance. The group is suing on the grounds that the government has known about the dangers of climate change for decades and has neglected to take preventative measures in protecting the world current generations are growing up in.

Earth Guardians from all over the world come together at four separate times a year for their “Protect our Future Campaign” with times of the year dedicated to Protect Our Earth, Protect Our Water, Protect Our Air and Protect Our Climate.

By constantly redefining age boundaries the Earth Guardians function as a collection of youths representing a generation affected by years of climate change neglect and they have had enough. They might be too young to vote but they are making their voices heard and demanding their rights be upheld.

“A lot of people say that this generation is the future but the truth is we are the present, we are here now,” (Xiuhtezcatl, Rolling Stone, 2015).

Why It Worked:

The Earth Guardians are using their age to their benefit. They are placing themselves in positions normally reserved for people twice their senior. By using various mediums of protest such as music, open mic chants, public speeches and marches these youths are rewriting the “millennial” definition. The Earth Guardians have also been successful because they are educated. They don’t hesitate to give a scientific definition of fracking and they are knowledgeable about the way the oil business works. Being so young and calling out major companies is an intimidation tactic and it’s working.

Theories: Environmental Justice, pg. 228

                Capitalism, pg. 216

    The Social Cure, pg. 264

New Tactic Used: Citizens Suing the Government

On several occasions the Earth Guardians have had their stand in court to defend their rights as the “new generation.” From direct action hearings against Boulder’s processing of oil and gas where 15 children started an open mic chant and sat in the places of county commissioners until kicked out by police, to being deemed justified to sue the federal government. These children are proving that age is just a number and they will not be looked over just because they are young. The Guardians are holding their government accountable for neglect and corruption. “With diversity in participants comes diversity in tactics. We have to be creative, innovative. Young people suing our government over climate change—that’s unheard of,” (Xiuhtezcatl, truthdig, 2016.)

Beautiful Trouble Tactics Used:

                

Distributed Action (pg. 36): The Earth Guardians are very active on social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. They use these platforms to reach their network of young activists around the world as well as to inform the public about what they are currently doing.

                

Other BT Tactics at Work:

Direct Action, pg. 32

Mass Street Action, pg. 68

New Principle at Work: No Matter How Young You Are, You Can Make a Difference

Since the Earth Guardians’ birth in 1992, it has been focused on educating young people about social movements and how to be an activist in today’s world. Citizens suing their government is a new tactic and when those citizens are minors, it makes it all that more significant as they will be the voice of the U.S. in years to come. Xiuhtezcatl and his comrades have shown that if you are dedicated enough and willing to put your voice out there you can be heard, no matter your age.

Beautiful Trouble Principles at Work:

We are all leaders (pg. 202): The Earth Guardians utilize horizontal organization rather than vertical. Through the numerous crews of young people throughout the world, these climate activists each play an important role in taking initiative. Xiuhtezcatl is currently the most public face of the movement but the Earth Guardians are a group without one single leader. They encourage their members to all be leaders within their communities.

Use the Law, don’t be afraid of it (pg. 196): At a very young age these youths are learning what their rights are, exploring them and expanding on them. The Earth Guardians have filed several lawsuits at the state and federal level including their current case against the U.S. government for neglecting to uphold their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property.

Other BT Principles at Work:

             Use the Power of Ritual, pg. 198

             Turn the Tables, pg. 190

             Strategic nonviolence, pg. 88

Further Insight:

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez                                                               https://www.earthguardians.org/xiuhtezcatl/

The 15-Year-Old Environmental Activist Suing the Government Over Climate Change        https://youtu.be/gXBR5ZrKdws

Meet the Teenage Indigenous Hip Hop Artist Taking On Climate Change     http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/meet-the-teenage-indigenous-hip-hop-artist-taking-on-climate-change-20150713

Earth Guardians “Be The Change” Music Video

https://youtu.be/yx1-VItmYbg

Earth Guardians Home

https://www.earthguardians.org/

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/xiuhtezcatl.martinez?lst=1708191496%3A100002787515472%3A1495497761

Case Study: Essential Access Health

Kayla Principato 

Case Study: Activism through Research at E-Central Access Health 

What

Essential Access Health (E-Central Access) 

A National Institute of Health Contraceptive Clinical Trial Network. 

When 

1968- Present 

Where

Los Angeles, CA

Practitioners

Wax Man Lobby Group (based in DC working on lobbying strategies) 

Birth Control 

Planned Parenthood

Black women for wellness

NFPRHA 

Office of Family Planning

LA LGBT

Further Insight 

Essentialaccesshealth.org

E-central access began in California and originally named Family Health Council (CFHC) incorporated in 1968. It began with numerous Los Angeles organizations wrapped into one which later came together to form Essential Access Health. 

Essential Access Health is a National Institute of Health Contraceptive Clinical Trial Network.

The mission of E-Central Access is that it “champions and promotes quality and sexual and reproductive health care for all.” They pride themselves in having professional sexual reproductive health clinical trials of birth control fund planned parenthood. Erin Moore is a researcher for forms of contraceptive. She is in the lab and researches different contraceptive methods for people. Essential Access Health collaborates with partners across the county to support the delivery of quality sexual and reproductive health care nationwide. 

Essential Access Health has offices in Northern and Southern California. Their dedicated staff of 70 employees has a wide range of expertise in the field of sexual and reproductive health – as researchers, trainers, policy experts, health care leaders, and more. “Our entire team is committed to advancing our mission to champion and promote quality sexual and reproductive health care for all.”

The research division has clinical trials for new methods of contraception and quality control perception to monitor which clinics are using what kinds of birth control in the state and how they can improve their methods. The pill is most common form of contraceptive used by women even though IUD’s and implants are statistically more effective. Clinicians training and medical assistant and nurse training are available and encouraged for people that work at family health clinics. 

E-Central Access trains people on various birth control methods in order to help people choose which methods is best option for them. Essential Access health has an annual family women health update. During this update they release the latest research on the most effective practices in women’s health care. This organization takes activism to a new level by training the general public with courses they can take online.

Theories

Environmental Justice (228)

Environmental justice theory is the connection between social justice and environmental issues we can effectively challenge abuses of power that target indigenous and economic, and politically marginalized communities. Reproductive rights and health care is a prevalent issue in today’s society especially after the election of Donald Trump. People are scared of what will happen to their rights and health care. The issue of birth control and abortions is something that has been protested against especially in the Women’s March throughout the United States.

Action Logic (208)

Action logic is a theory that describes that the logic is obvious and clear. “action logic creates powerful stories that move hearts and change minds. This theory states that “Actions speak louder than words” and that it is important for the actions of a movement speak for themselves. It is a simple theory that is able to be understood by people because it is straight forward. This case study speaks for itself because the work and research that Erin Moore is creating is straight forward is meant for people to understand and adopt. Their actions portray activism because the researchers are in the lab everyday searching for new methods for people. 

The Social Cure (264)

What moves us? Peer Pressure. These pressures are not always negative things in society. Peer pressure, involvement, passion, and rage is what gets people motivated to make a change. E-central access pushes safe sex and finding the correct birth control method for each person. Through their research and lab tests that they conduct they are able to push others to pursue health care, birth control, and stand up for their rights. 

Practitioners

Their advocating is mostly available through social media. The E-Central access health organization has an extensive research and media outlets available. E-Central access health centers their activism and policy work by getting people organized to call, march and write letters. Erin Moore calls senators from other states. “In California, the senators are willing to talk to most people and tell them how to vote.” They get people to call about the American Health Care Act. Erin called people in Arizona and Nevada to tell them to vote no on the new health care bill. States that aren't as lenient there is a lot that they can do. The employees call congress people voting against most peoples agendas. The senators she talked personally too stated that “your voice and vote counts” and give these workers respect because they are voicing their freedom of speech for free birth control. E-Central Access Health has many national practitioners and sponsors that transform their research and work onto a larger national scale. 

Key Principles

Seek Common Ground (170)  

“In search of allies and points of agreement, we must grow comfortable adopting the rhetoric of worldview we might otherwise oppose.” The website for E-central access health welcomes outsiders to learn and become informed about birth control, contraception, and overall health care. Their informative website and contact information is easily accessible and easy to comprehend. They want to help people and have open lines of communication, people are encouraged to talk to them. Their goals are to “seek common ground” and get as many people involved as they can. 

Enable, Don’t Command (132)

“supporting, enabling leaders awaken the creative potential of participants.” Innovation and creativity soars when using the enabling leader approach. Essential access health has specific sections on their website that make people capable of educating others when choosing the correct form of birth control. Enable, don’t command is demonstrated through their goals to teach people in person and online how to choose the correct form of birth control and help others learn to help other people through the same process. 

Team Up with Experts (184) 

“Cultivating a fluid, symbiotic relationship between activists and experts is key to organizing effective interventions into complex issues.” Essential Access health teams up with large organizations like Planned Parenthood, Birth Control, Office of Family Planning, NFPRHA, and many more. Their partnerships are a main reason why they can promote activism through their research. E-central access health is able to use the wide spread knowledge and power that the bigger companies have to advertise and promote the research they do making it accessible to people on a national level. 

Why it Works

People in the United States are unsure of what health care policies and coverage will look like under President Trump. Many people do not have health care or do not have the knowledge of using contraceptions and ensuring safe sex. Essential Access health gives people the opportunity to learn and teach others through their research. People are given the proper training and education in order to ensure safe sex and exercise their rights to free health care. 

New Principle Used 

The More You Know, Knowledge is Power

“Knowledge as a form of activism.”

Spreading awareness through research and helping to improve social conditions while promoting activism. The research done by Erin Moore and E-central access health promotes safe sex and birth control. Their research is the pioneer of how they determine what works for people all over the world. 

Sex Ed for All  

“Activism through health options”

This principle would have to start locally in Los Angeles, and then leak out into other parts of the world. E-Central access health will choose advocates go into low income areas and to promote birth control and safe sex. Distribute speakers, events, and visits to different neighborhood demographics and exemplify the importance of health care and birth control. Have a set of “faces” or advocates for the industry and use them to promote the importance of birth control and having the correct type of birth control for their personal preference. 

Case Study: Stronghold Society

WHEN

2008

WHERE

Denver, CO

PRACTITIONERS

Walt Pourier and Jim Murphy

FURTHER INSIGHT

http://strongholdsociety.org/

http://www.woundedkneeskateboards.net/

Contributed BY

Skyler Anselmo

For many years the Pine Ridge indian reservation has been ridden with much historical trauma that is still prevalent today. Currently, it is estimated to have a population of 44,000 enrolled members, half  of which are under the age of 19. Due to high rates of alcoholism, suicide, and substance abuse, the life expectancy rate on the reservation is the lowest among the US and the second in the western hemisphere. Suicide is two times the national rate and four times the national rate among teens. One in four children are born with alcohol fetal syndrome or effects and the infant mortality rate is three times the national average.

Walt Pourier, an Oglala Lakota from Pine Ridge, who is now and has been a Denver native for +20 year is now at the forefront of making much needed changes. With all this going on in the homeland of his ancestors and family, Walt has taken it upon himself to try and create a safe space for the community to use as a catharsis from all the negativity that is so common on the reservation.

“The stronghold is a place where a community regroups, a place to stand your ground and together face all of life’s challenges… to ride out the coming storm. Lakota’s have a word, “SKAN”, interpreted as something that moves. Spiritual vitality, the force of life itself, is something each of us and all of life possess within. It is believed the black birds fly to warn of the approaching storm, of hard times to come, but it is not to create unease. It is to build compassion, togetherness and hope amongst the people, for once the storm passes, we get renewal. This is our Stronghold Society call to action”

This renewal is brought through the arts and creativity and to lead the way of that mission is through skateboarding. Skateboarding is seen as an expressive outlet that contains self determination as well as a creative approach in order to progress in the medium.

Stimulating both the mind and the body, skateboarding is a universal activity growing every day and can be used to motivate the youth around the world to better oneself.  Walt’s vision is to, “create a future where youth of Native communities and non-Native communities will live a successful, healthy way of life, both mentally and physically, to become the leaders of tomorrow”.

Walt’s main motivation is to inspire kids or have them “in spirit” with themselves. By creating arts programs, skateboarding and athletic activities he is encouraging youth to take action to live a healthy life in mind, body, and spirit. This is Walt’s, “Live Life Call To Action Campaign”.

The campaign has lead to the creation of two skateparks on the Pine ridge indian reservation (Pine Ridge and Manderson). The non-profit organization has fundraised with organizations, such as the Tony Hawk Foundation, Montana Pool Service, etc. and has placed skateparks in some of the most impoverished places in the US. The Stronghold Society also puts on the One Gathering Skate for Life event every year to promote their mission as well as giving out product, healthy foods, art activities and skate competitions for the kids. It recently had its 11th annual event.

WHY IT WORKED

Skateboarding is such a fast growing sport/lifestyle that many people can feel that connection without even being from the same place. It connects people. The skating culture and Native culture both share some similarities. The culture of letting people into a creative community without judgment and sharing stories, skills, etc. All people are welcome which is why more people from all walks of life are willing to contribute.

KEY PRINCIPLES

Youth Activism-Inspiring the youth through healthy, creative and encouraging activities to promote them to be future leaders.

BT:

Lead with Sympathetic characters- Walt Pourier knows his traditions, culture and is a messenger to link the youth, in native and non-native communities, with the medium of skateboarding. Aiding a healthy development through the mind, body, and spirit.

Make New Folks Welcome- Skateboarding is a universal sport/lifestyle that welcomes all.

Take leadership from the most impacted-  Walt Pourier has devoted his life to become the leader for this cause. He was born and raised on the land he wishes to help as well as finding peace for many of his family, friends, and loved ones that have been affected by the conditions on the reservation.

Rafael Fajardo: Crossings Exhibition Thursday

Thursday June 1 at 4 (or later if you have to be later--we will be there until at least 5) please meet at Emmanuel Gallery, Auraria Campus (1205 10th Street Denver, CO 80204).

The exhibition features Crosser (2000) and La Migra (2001), two artist videogames that comment on realities at the US - Mexico border. Crosser and La Migra are a product of SWEAT, a loose collaborative dedicated to the creation of socially-conscious games. There will also be new works based on the themes explored in these ground-breaking games.

Here's a link to the gallery. 

Here's a short doc his son Diego made about his work.

See you there!

Case Study: Xiuhtezcatl and the Earth Guardians

Case Study: Divest DU

Case Study: Divest DU

Where: University of Denver campus, Denver, CO.

Practitioners: Carly LeRoy, Divest DU club

In 2014, a group of DU students found a contradiction in the university’s mission statement. During tours DU describes themselves as a, “great private university dedicated to the public good”. The students realized that the university was not that dedicated to the public good. While the school publicized that they were looking out for the community and the world, the majority of the school’s investments are in fossil fuels. The students, who believe that Universities should be at the forefront of social movements decided to do something about the irresponsible investments made by the University. Now, students are demanding that the University divest their investments away from environmentally irresponsible holdings and to invest in companies that will not only benefit the University economically, but will benefit the community as a whole. Divest DU has presented to the board of trustees, Chancellor Chopp and has held meetings on campus to allow students to voice their support, or dissent of their goals. Carly LeRoy, a sophomore at the University of Denver is a part of the Divest DU club. “I joined because it doesn’t make sense to me. There are other ways that the University can make money without supporting permanent harm to the planet.” According to LeRoy, there are investments the school could make in more sustainable industries that could yield the same, if not greater profit for the school. As of right now, the University does not plan on divesting, but acknowledges the student’s wishes and recognizes the growing support for divestment among students and faculty.

Although Divest DU has not had any physical victories (the school still does not plan on divesting), they still consider themselves to be successful in some aspects, in that they are spreading the word around campus, and throughout the surrounding communities of the University’s irresponsible investments. “We are happy that people are talking about it,” said LeRoy, “if people continue to talk about it, and continue to approach the school and show support of divestment, eventually the board will have to listen”. The club has been turned away by the University many times, but they have been resilient. Every time the board tells them that they will not divest, the club turns around and works twice as hard. They continue to gain sympathy from the student body and faculty.

Key principals used:

Know your audience: Divest DU understands that they are not only trying to convince the board, but more importantly the community. The more students begin to rally around Divest the more seriously the board will have to take the club.

Setting long term goals: LeRoy understands that she may not be at DU when they finally decide to divest their investments, but she still feels that it is necessary for her to help spread the word so that people continue to learn about what the University is doing by investing in the fossil fuel industry.

Divest continues to grow their club. Every time the University tells them that nothing will change, that only fuels their fire even more. When the school is rude, or standoffish towards the club, outsiders see just how resilient the members are and that draws outsiders in. From the second that a new member joins, they are a part of the club. There is no process to become a member, as long as the new member is passionate about what they are doing, they are welcome at any, and all events.

New principle at play: Take advantage of the small victories

            Divest DU is in an interesting situation, where the students, who have put together a solid investment plan and a very official list of requests from the school, are not being taken seriously. The board continues to look at the students as kids, who want something but are not worth their time to take seriously. The students recognize this, and instead of letting it faze them, let it inspire them. The members of Divest DU are searching for a long term solution, simply the fact that they were able to go to a board meeting was a victory for them. They understand that it will take time to convince the board that divestment is the economically and environmentally responsible choice and they are willing to give the board the time they need to come to the decision Divest believes is correct.

Conclusion: Divest DU is a group of students who are fighting to be taken seriously enough for the board to recognize the student’s demands and make the changes they’re asking for. The students understand that they need to accept that they are fighting a massive uphill battle and that they need to consider even the smallest victory, to be a step in the right direction.