Running on Sacred Ground, by Aidan Parr

S P R I N G “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

—CHIEF SEATTLE

Spring is a season of new life, rebirth, and growth.

Nature born anew. Plants once dormant during winter begin to flower, develop new growth. Animals return from a long season of hibernation, and many are born.

Our bodies and minds begin to renew. The temperate winds and budding, fragrant blossoms of spring remind us that change and new life are present.

Who is bringing new life and leading this change?

Young people. In September of 2019, 7.6 million young people worldwide participated in a strike for climate change. A global climate movement lead by youth and

young adults reminds us that our only hope for the continuation of our habitat lies in the hands of the next generation.

Spring is fleeting. It remains for a moment until summer heat comes in. The ephemerality of this season parallels the climate crisis. That is, we do not have much time to act for climate change. Each time we step out into a fresh, spring morning, we are presented with an opportunity to mobilize and act for climate justice. We must seize this opportunity to act now so that the next generation will have a future filled with beauty and vegetation.

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Running on Sacred Ground

BY AIDAN PARR

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n the verge of vomiting, I looked at the hill in front of me, my body wanting to give up. This was the second prayer run I had taken part in. We participated in the prayer run not only to pray, but to raise awareness for a site that is sacred to the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona, and all Apache: Oak Flat. Oak Flat is currently at risk of being destroyed by a multinational mining company called Rio Tinto and their subsidiary company Resolution Copper. Rio Tinto discovered the world’s largest copper deposit underneath Oak Flat. The mining of this copper brings many environmental drawbacks such as a crater that is two miles wide in diameter.

This results in the destruction of land sacred to the Apache and forces them to forfeit their First Amendment Rights.

The type of mining processes Rio Tinto plans on using for this proposed mine require an excessive amount of the world’s most precious resource: water. Water is a scarcity issue in many places but water scarcity plays a prominent role in the Sonoran Desert where Oak Flat is located. The lack of disregard for Indigenous rights and First Amendment Rights, the multitude of environmental problems, and the history of this company destroying Indigenous sites are why Brophy Native American Club (BNAC)—of which I am an active member— became involved. It began with a typical Thursday after-school meeting at Brophy. Mr. Davis, the moderator of BNAC, showed us a video about a place called Oak Flat and asked our opinions on it. After the video, I thought that this was going to be another sad story that I would learn about and then continue on with my day, but not this time. Mr. Davis asked me, “If we could do anything about it, should we?” Without a second thought, I immediately said yes. At the next meeting, we started discussing what we could do with the leaders of a grassroots organization, Apache Stronghold. They told us how they were having a prayer run and that the group coming from the North dropped out. Mr. Davis asked us if we would be down to do it, and me, being a long-distance runner at school, said “Of course!” So, we started preparing for a 188-mile run all the way from Flagstaff to Oak Flat. This part of my story is where my life begins to drastically change.

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“My involvement with this movement has led me to discover and explore social and environmental issues that I am extremely passionate about. The small step I took to get involved with Oak Flat has opened a door to a whole new world.”

We started the first run at the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona. In relay fashion, we ran 188 miles from Flagstaff to Oak Flat. As the run progressed, I began to fully realize what we were doing and why we were doing it. I could feel it when my feet hit the ground. Finally, it got to the last quarter mile, the point where the entire BNAC would run together. When we finished that last quarter mile, a feeling which I can only describe as spiritual overtook me and all I could do was cry. At that exact moment, I could tell that this sacred place was calling to me. I could not quite wrap my head around why anybody wanted to destroy such a beautiful place that had such a spiritual presence.

I literally felt it with an intensity that was something strong and incredible.

From this experience, I learned how impactful a small gesture of solidarity can be. My first taste of this was the day after the first run. We were at school, tired from the run but sustained with energy about Oak Flat. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required for the land to be transferred from the government to Rio Tinto. It lays out the environmental impacts that the mine will have. This specific EIS was rushed through by the Trump Administration during the former President’s last 100 days in office. However, the day after the run, the EIS was rescinded. This put a pause on how long the land could be transferred, but to me, I saw this as an opportunity presented to us by the sacredness of Oak Flat. I saw this as an opportunity

Scenes from the Oak Flat Prayer Run, Article Photos © Shaun Price ◀ Author pictured here, second from right top

for more time for advocacy. BNAC, having heard this news, was ecstatic. That Monday, we were featured on a local Arizona news network and newspaper. Immediately after being interviewed, we met and began brainstorming on what to do next. Our first step was to devise a plan to meet with politicians at the federal level. We decided to lobby Arizona senators and representatives who could provide support to rescind the land swap.

When we met with Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s office we faced some serious pushback. They wanted BNAC and I, with zero political experience, to produce alternative economic solutions to the mine. It was more like giving the “kids” a homework assignment. We had little knowledge of mining town economies, so I took it upon myself to learn the ins and outs of the small mining town of Superior, located about 60 miles east of Phoenix.

Through this process, I became a student lobbyist who took it upon myself to become well-versed in the world of economics, especially the numerous impacts of mines on mining towns. I developed a presentation using all sorts of sources. I talked to various experts on mining—environmental scientists as well

as policy experts at the federal level. When we came back to present our findings to Senator Sinema’s staff, they were duly impressed with what the “kids”—particularly this kid—presented with our depth of understanding of the implications of the mine, and other more sustainable avenues of economic development.

I knew then, even though I doubt Senator Sinema will vote to stop the land swap, that the sacredness of Oak Flat and the Oak Flat experience will keep me moving forward. My involvement with this movement has led me to discover and explore social and environmental issues that I am extremely passionate about.

The small step I took to get involved with Oak Flat has opened a door to a whole new world. It has shown me what impact small things, such as a 188-mile run and the sacredness I encountered at Oak Flat, can have on the rest of the world.

Aidan Parr is an Indigenous student and senior at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona. He is very involved with the Brophy Native American Club and the Student Climate Coalition at his school.

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