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Indigenous Nations March, Make Demands in U.S. Capital

by Sasha Irby

On Jan. 18, thousands of people from hundreds of Indigenous nations across the country and the world convened on Pawmunkey and Piscataway land (so-called “Washington, DC”) to stand united against the continuing injustices endured by the Indigenous peoples of North, Central and South America, Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

The march demanded immediate action on a host of issues, including the following:

  • Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), of which there are over 7,000 confirmed since 2016 with many cases going unreported.
  • Environmental racism, evident in the oil, mining, and petrochemical companies that operate illegally on Indigenous land, often in violation of treaty terms between Indigenous nations and the United States.
  • Violence against Indigenous children, as demonstrated by the cruel kidnapping and caging of Indigenous children by ICE or by the right wing attacks on the Indian Welfare Act which protects Indigenous children from being stolen from their families by adoption agencies.
  • Voter suppression targeting people living on reservations.

The march began with prayer and song at 8AM outside of the Department of the Interior Building, now home of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (originally a division of US Department of War). Participants marched, drummed, and sang as they made their way through the National Mall to the Lincoln Memorial. Of the many issues facing Indian Country brought up in the march, there seemed to be a common thread – the exploitation of Indigenous peoples by the capitalist ruling class and the continuing genocide, by intended action or neglectful disregard, of Indigenous peoples by that same ruling class.

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Local Workers Strike Back Against Sexual Harassment

On February 23, 2018, the New Orleans Hospitality Workers Committee (NOHWC) held a March to End Sexual Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace. Starting at Congo Square, the NOHWC along with 50 workers marched down Decatur, taking over the street all the way to Bamboula’s. This action was organized on behalf of a committee member who used to work at Bamboula’s, where a manager sexually assaulted her on several occasions. When she confided in her General Manager about the continued harassment, no action was taken and the harasser was allowed to remain employed at Bamboula’s.

NOHWC marched on the establishment. At Bamboula’s, committee members went inside to deliver a set of demands that will be continuously delivered until they are met. Bamboula’s responded to the action by closing their own door. Almost all guests left the bar. However, management did not accept the demands.

This is only the beginning of a campaign to end sexual harassment and racism in all New Orleans workplaces. Please keep in touch with NOHWC and upcoming actions either on Facebook at NOHWC or online at www.nowhc.org. United and organized, the 88,000+ hospitality workers of this city have the power to demand our rights.

Here are our Demands:

  1. Bamboula’s will no longer foster a culture of sexist or racist harassment.
  2. Terminate the manager, Jim, in a timely fashion for the sexual assault of workers.
  3. Terminate the General Manager, Jen, in a timely fashion for supporting sexual harassment in the workplace.
  4. Post the Rules and Regulations provided by NOHWC where customers and employees can easily read.

As the march went through the Quarter, many workers came out of their workplaces to applaud, raise a fist of solidarity, and show support for their fellow workers.