LONGEST WALK 2 – A SPIRITUAL WALK FOR SURVIVAL FROM ALCATRAZ TO D.C.
Kansas Welcomed the “The Longest Walk 2”
30th Anniversary of Historic Native American Rights March - Longest Walk 2 Supports the healing of Mother Earth, environmental protections, respect Sacred Sites and Human rights.
Syracuse, KS - On Tuesday April 8 after traveling on foot over 1,500 miles from San Francisco, CA, the Northern Route of the Longest Walk 2 arrived in Kansas as they continued their journey across the nation. The Longest Walk 2 Northern Route walked on highway U.S. 50 from Colorado into Syracuse Kansas and were hosted by Kansans across the state through the month of April. On February 11, 2008 Longest Walk- 2 embarked in an extraordinary grassroots effort on a national level to bring attention to the environmental disharmony of Mother Earth, sacred site issues, and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the original longest walk. In the five-month journey from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. Longest Walk 2 participants are carrying out simultaneous North and South walk routes that will have together walked more than 6000 miles across the country. American Indian activists Jimbo Simmons and Dennis Banks are leading the Walks. The two groups will converge in Washington DC on July 11, where they will meet with United States Congressional members. Jimbo Simmons of the International Indian Treaty Council sates, "In 1978, our communities faced many hardships such as non-existing religious rights and criminalization of our people who fought for cultural survival. This is why the Longest Walk was necessary. As Indigenous Peoples in the United States our environment and our cultural survival are directly correlated and are still imperiled today. ‘This is why we must walk once again’ ”, In support of LW 2 , The Kansas Sierra Club writes, “Earth's resources should be used responsibly and sustainable so all people including future generations may share nature's bounty. No community should bear disproportionate risks of harm because of their demographic characteristics or economic condition. We support Native People's wielding of their sovereign powers to protect the environment and to establish environmental justice.,” The LW 2 participants will stayed in hosting communities along US 50 through Kansas, including Garden City, Dodge City, Wichita, Newton, Lawrence and Kansas City, where public events were held nightly. The LW 2 visited the Greensburg area where Walkers acknowledged the work of students, citizens, and the Greentown committee in their efforts with re- building a “green” community after the devastating tornado on May 4, 2007. LW 2 organizers invite the public to join in community events and encourage citizens to walk with the group. The LW 2 consists of Indigenous peoples from North, South, and Central America, as well as people from Europe and Asia.
please visit the Walker’s Resources page on their website:www.longestwalk.org
Support The Longest Walk: (gas cards are the most needed item)
Donate: money, gas cards, food, gift certificates, socks, shoes, warm coats,
rain jackets, tents, sleeping bags, etc Access to food banks.
Donate use of a vehicle for the whole walk, or just portions of it.
