Fund Rob's Resistance Photography

Rob Wilson is organizing this fundraiser.

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It’s been more than half a year now since I made the decision to quit my job, sell my things, and start documenting the indigenous led resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock. To say that my experiences there have changed me would be the understatement of a lifetime. I’ve witnessed the full range from beauty to horror – from extreme brutality to radical kindness – and I never once had to question the righteousness of the work that I was doing to help record the history taking place. I cannot imagine doing anything else. As Dennis Banks said, “I’m on this road for the rest of my life.”

None of this this would have been possible for me were it not for donors like you. Thanks to your contributions my images from the frontlines have been seen all around the world. They’ve been published in YES! Magazine, the LA Times, The New Yorker, and countless Indigenous Media outlets in multiple countries putting major attention on the struggle against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

That’s just to name a few – and this was only possible because people who care about injustice – who support independent on the ground coverage took a chance on me and my camera to bring you the truth as I see it happening. But the struggle is far from over.

There is currently a groundswell of resistance building across the nation to battle the onslaught facing our water, air, and land by the fossil fuel industry and the Trump administration.

Many of these projects threaten the sacred and historical sites of indigenous communities across the continent by running directly through their territories with little to no regard as to how it will impact their health, culture, or future.

I am asking you to help me continue my work documenting the struggle. I am asking you to send me back to the frontlines to show people what the mainstream media continues to ignore.

I’ve been tear gassed, pepper sprayed, shot by bean bags and rubber bullets, blasted with water cannons in below freezing temps, hit with the LRAD on occasion, and had concussion grenades whiz by and explode near me.

I’ve been threatened, followed and harassed because of my coverage; and like many other frontline journalists there I’ve even been targeted by law enforcement.

This has only strengthened my resolve.

I am now seeking these funds to continue this work and cover the various places of resistance across the continent through still photography and video.

The money will be used for fuel, food, equipment and the expenses related to covering these stories and getting them out to the public for broader awareness and discussion. Together we were able to create a substantial body of work and generate a lot of awareness about the spirit of resistance from the Standing Rock fight which has since spread – and we can keep that work going and show the world what it looks like!