Vic Mensa Joins DAPL Protestors At Standing Rock

J’na Jefferson

VIBE.com

Photo Credit: Billboard

Many people are using their voices to denounce the environmentally damaging Dakota Access Pipeline, and Chi-town rapper Vic Mensa is joining the fight in Standing Rock, N.D. The 23-year-old is working in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux, a group indigenous to the area whose lifestyle and health have been threatened thanks to the underground oil project, which stretches over 1,000 feet long.

According to his Instagram page, Mensa has been in Standing Rock since Nov. 25, and has been explaining to fans what is going on with the protests through Facebook Live broadcasts, tweets and pictures.

“Standing Rock is an Indian reservation where a major oil company is trying to drill a pipeline underneath the river that supplies drinking water for millions of people on and off of the reservation,” he wrote in a post.“Drilling that oil pipeline could contaminate the livelihood of so many people, primarily indigenous people of this land that have been systematically destroyed since Europeans arrived in America,” he continued. “Thousands of people have come from all over the world to Standing Rock to stop that pipeline from being drilled and protect the water.”

– Vic Mensa

This wouldn’t be the first time Mensa has been socially conscious. He traveled to Flint, Mich. during their water crisis, wrote an open letter after Donald Trump’s election regarding unity and racism in the United States and he also released a song titled “16 Shots,” which was inspired by 17-year-old Chicagoan, LaQuan McDonald.

standing rock is the most important struggle to support right now. what has been done to native americans for 500+ years cant continue

— vino (@VicMensa) November 28, 2016

 

standing rock is BLM. standing rock is LGBTQ rights. standing rock is the latino struggle. all this shit is one

— vino (@VicMensa) November 28, 2016

 

I’ve been at #StandingRock for the last 3 days, and the experience has been amazing. If you’re not in tune with what’s going on here, Standing Rock is an Indian reservation where a major oil company is trying to drill a pipeline underneath the river that supplies drinking water for millions of people on and off of the reservation. Drilling that oil pipeline could contaminate the livelihood of so many people, primarily indigenous people of this land that have been systematically destroyed since Europeans arrived in America. Thousands of people have come from all over the world to Standing Rock to stop that pipeline from being drilled and protect the water.

A photo posted by Vic Mensa (@vicmensa) on Nov 28, 2016 at 1:48pm PST

if you believe in the inalienable rights of people; the right to clean drinking water, the right to food & shelter and the right to freedom then you have to support standing rock. Get on a plane, drive, take a bus do whatever you have to do. December 5th the Army Corps has set an ultimatum for the people camped at standing rock, saying that they will forcibly remove the water protectors. When one of our freedom is on the line all of our freedom is on the line. Fight for freedom.

A photo posted by Vic Mensa (@vicmensa) on Nov 28, 2016 at 2:28pm PST

You can also donate money for food & supplies for standing rock at Standingrock.org to help the people out here protecting human rights in the blistering cold. This is all of our battle. ? @jakeosmun

A photo posted by Vic Mensa (@vicmensa) on Nov 28, 2016 at 2:34pm PST