STANDING STRONG

Dear Friend,

Will we never get past our past?? ? ?

I don’t know that we can, whether we will, or if we want to.? I do know that nothing changes for the good without first confronting what is not; without acknowledging wrongs, respecting rights, atoning for misdeeds, and growing from lessons failed and lessons learned. ?I know this too: there are those who’ve had more practice than any people should in confronting humanity’s worst, things unfathomably worse still, the unremitting legacies driving our present, and—if we do not take heed—our future.? ?

So, it seems even more timely that this week, in commemoration of Indigenous People’s Month, I’d long planned a return to my conversation with Josué Rivas.? First Nations (Mexica and Otomi) master documentary photographer and filmmaker, he is the recipient of the FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo for STANDING STRONG—his stunning and haunting photographic book on the events at Standing Rock. ?

In an explosion of power versus the rights of marginalized people to place, the modern-day Native American experience was brought into sharp focus. It was a crisis that, for reasons of proximity, put the Sioux at the epicenter.? With treaties being violated once and forever again; with the sanctity of their tribal lands violated, their right to clean water, yours and mine, was at stake.? Oil industry and global development interests, backed by local police, acted to suppress a people's right to safety. ?

Soon, Sioux demonstrators were joined by members of indigenous nations throughout the Americas, north and south. People of every hue, divergent in background, came to their defense; united by the principle of the thing.? Deliberately mis-characterized as terrorists by powerful pipeline proponents, demonstrators were stripped of their rights of assembly and peaceful protest. ?Police even forced more than 100 people to physically strip and squat naked in an act of psychological warfare not unlike the early days of conquest and enslavement.? ?

In a singularly powerful act, a contingent of veterans, a thousand strong, assembled in solidarity and apology for the historic role of the U.S. military in seizing Native American lands.? ?

For nearly a year, Josué Rivas was there on the scene as witness and participant, demonstrator and water protector.? The experience endangered his life. It also marked what he calls his "Year of Awakening."

As he shared with me in our interview:

You can't be like, ‘Well, I'm a journalist and I'm just here to watch you die and get killed.’ ?Do something to prevent people getting killed! ?Don't be a person who just stands there, and gets a photo pass, and gets to take your three photos. ?This project is not just to make pretty images. It's something that I really, really hope can inspire other people, inspire other photographers—especially other indigenous photographers—to take action; to really create work that goes beyond the frame.?

?Says?Josué:

I'm angry, you know, I'm really angry. I'm angry at how my ancestors were treated.? I'm angry at how I'm treated right now, and I'm angry at how my relatives that have a certain skin color are going to be treated today and tomorrow. And, there's nothing wrong with being angry. ?I'm realizing more and more about my anger: it's my passion, too.? It's because I'm passionate about my people.? I'm passionate about humanity.?? ?

And this from Josué, too: ?

I'm in a place in my life where I'm trying to get to a place of healing and reconciliation with the way my ancestors were treated and with the way that I'm treated when I go into a bus or when I go into a train, or when I go into a store and they follow me because I'm brown. I'm angry at those things. But, I'm also trying my best to heal from those things.? I'm gonna speak loud and I'm gonna speak with big words that make sense to say because that's where I'm at, you know?? And, I really hope that one day I don't have to do that anymore. ?

Ever mindful of his past and present, Josué Rivas is a devout futurist. Standing Rock means Standing Strong. This week's guest on the show, Josué delves beyond the superficial to bring complexity to the story of Standing Rock as he discusses "making" vs. "taking" pictures, the healing power of visual storytelling, and the unique perspectives?of indigenous storytellers.

JOSUE RIVAS: STANDING ROCK STANDING STRONG?

My series, 12 Shows THEY Don’t Want You to Hear About 12 Stories THEY Don’t Want You to Know,?continues with Josué Rivas—recipient of the FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo—on?his extraordinary book, STANDING STRONG.?

For selected photos and links to his work, visit the show page?here.

Download the podcast on Apple?here.

THE JANUS ADAMS SHOW airs and streams live Saturdays at 11:00 AM (ET) on WJFF Radio Catskill. Click 'LISTEN LIVE' on the home page.

The full?Sunday Journal—newly-redesigned—returns Sunday, November 5.??

Harambee! Janus * Harambee is a Ki-Swahili term popularized by the Kenyan Independence Movement meaning "let's all pull together!" ?

Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, historian, keynote speaker,? Dr. Janus Adams?is publisher of BackPaxKids.com and host of public radio’s “The Janus Adams Show” and podcast. www.JanusAdams.com www.BackPaxKids.com