Standing Rock – the Class Action that almost was
Although I did assemble a team from Sacred Stone Camp to travel to Sitting Bull College Library to co-create StandingRockClassAction.org, I did not have enough financial support to sustain my efforts toward launching a class action. However, I did write fascinating sections of a history book series I’ve been working on for years while living in Miles and Ladonna Brave Bull Allard’s guest house after the camps were shut down. Her family was gracious enough to give us a place to stay, in large part because LaDonna was for a long time Standing Rock’s Tribal Historian. She knew the work was important, and loaned a set of rare books to me because she saw that the history books I am writing are very important, and helping to reveal to the world the histories of her ancestry and the ancestors of other North American tribes, so that when future generations learn about American history, they hear about it from more of a multicultural, educational perspective that I believe is an inspiring enough story from multiple sides that it will leave people wanting to make the world better for future generations, like I do.
California articles:
- #1: I was charged more $600 for sleeping outdoors, money taken without due process (Marin County, CA) – In 2013 I was charged with “camping within city limits” while homeless in San Rafael, CA. The following spring I received a phone call from Marin County Enhanced Collections alleging she owed $548 for the incident. After explaining the situation to Collections Manager Erica Hellmold Marin County had dropped the charges, years later in January 2019 $610.99 was extracted from my bank account while I was living in my vehicle, trying to get on my feet in Arizona The money was taken without a fair hearing, and my right to due process was violated.
- #2: Robbed by Kern County Sheriff’s Deputies – Lake Isabella – In May 2016 five Kern County Sheriff’s Deputies trespassed onto our property and ran us out of town. We lost most of our property and became homeless. Most people in our circumstances wouldn’t have been able to compile the evidence and build the case, but we’ve posted everything online.