Today we are witness to a historic Indigenous resistance at Standing Rock in North Dakota. Thousands of people, representing over 200 Indigenous nations, along with supporters, have arrived at the Sacred Stone Spiritual Camp to stand up against the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

This struggle of the Indigenous nations and many others acting in solidarity has pushed back against the corporations that are destroying our environment by poisoning the water and land and causing further climate change. We owe a debt of gratitude to Native Americans who are standing up for their self-determination--and, through their resistance, for all of us. It is only through grassroots, popular struggles like this one that we will win a better world.

With this unprecedented level of Indigenous resistance, it's important for us to understand the historical fight of indigenous people and how it is connected to the struggle today.

At this meeting hosted by the Madison ISO, Brian Ward,a long-time socialist, indigenous rights, and climate justice activist spoke about his recent trip to Standing Rock and the larger importance of this Indigenous fight back.