The Green Flame Biocentric

Episode 99 is an interview with Carl Van Warmerdam.  Carl delves into on the impact listening to the Ahjamu Umi Green Flame episode had on his life and activism. 
We asked Carl three primary questions: How has the GF informed and inspired you?  What is your favorite episode?  What would you like to hear more of on the GF? 
Please email contact@deepgreenresistance.org with your written, audio or video recorded responses to these questions so we can include your reflections in our Episode 100! Live Event, April 14th 2024, 4 - 7 PM Pacific Time.  You can find this live event on DGR's facebook and X accounts. As always, a BIG THANK YOU to you, our GF listeners.

The Tongass Rainforest in Southeast Alaska is the last great expanse of temperate old growth forest left in the United States, and it has been partially protected since the "Roadless Rule" halted most logging there in 2001. 
Now, the "biggest threat to the west coast rainforest this century" is here: Bill S.1889/H.R. 4748, which would permanently privatize 115,200 acres (including 60,000 acres of old-growth) of Tongass National Forest into the hands of Sealaska Corporation — which has already logged massive swathes of the region.
This conversation with Tlingit elder and forest defender Wanda Culp and filmmaker and activist Joshua Wright — who has been on the show before to discuss Fairy Creek — dives into "indigi-washing," one of the divide and conquer strategies used defeat public opposition to the destruction of the land.
Wanda and Joshua are looking for allies: organizations and individuals willing to fight this project and defend the Tongass.
For more information, visit https://www.notongassprivatization.org/

Dr Nzinga Dalilia, Saba Malik, and Max Wilbert join in conversation offering their unique perspectives on trauma, trauma community, addiction, “environmental justice”, othering, the necessity of feeling safe in the process of seeing and being seen, healing spaces, falling back in love with ourselves and with all of life and coming into our individual and collective power in the process and much more. Watch for part two of this heartfelt compassionate and expansive exploration of Black People for the Natural World.  
Dr. Dalila's book can be found here: https://nzinghadalila.gumroad.com/l/nxrbq

Before listening to this episode, stop. For the first time Lierre Keith’s presentation on non-violent direct action is publicly available!  Go here and absorb this information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMk1eltyuek
Next, listen this GF episode, Lierre’s account of ten courageous women's experiences as they organized and practiced NVDA brilliantly in November 2023 in Portland, Oregon. Here’s the link to listen to the women’s speeches that the mob failed to silence: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgCCULqQ1mqE7kDS3JOS7H6ZQeUjAhpkg 

Attny Bobby Chan graces us with an introduction to the deep social justice and spiritual roots of PNNI (Palawan NGO Network Inc) founded in 1991. PNNI organizes communities through consensus. They use advocacy, civilian enforcement and increasingly are seeking legal measures to protect and defend the Palawan paradise. To learn more and support this work go to https://www.pnni.org/

Jessica Reznicek is a 40-year-old land and water defender who has worked with and lived in the Des Moines Catholic Worker Community. After being charged with a "terrorism enhancement," she was sentenced to 8 years in 2021 for taking action to protect the water along the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) route by disabling construction machinery during the Standing Rock uprising. 
No one was injured by Jessica and her fellow Catholic Worker’s actions, and the land was protected from the flow of oil for an additional six months.
On this episode, we share an update on her legal case, and encourage our listeners to support her team and consider writing to her. More information can be found at http://supportjessicareznicek.com/.
The Green Flame is honored to rebroadcast our interview with Jessica in the second part of this show. We conducted an interview with Jessica and Ruby Montoya on July 26th, 2017 — after they had admitted publicly to sabotaging the pipeline but before they had been arrested or charged with these crimes.
The two activists set fire to heavy machinery and used blow torches to damage the oil pipeline and valves in an effort to decisively halt the project. While the DAPL was ultimately finished, their actions singlehandedly delayed construction for weeks or months.