In Less Than A 2 Week Period Between August And September, 6 Indigenous People Were Killed By Police

In less than a 2 week period between August and September, 6 Indigenous people were killed by police in my country.

One of them was 15 year old and he called the police because he thought he was going to be attacked by some people who were following him. He called for help, and the police showed up and shot him.

Another, a man from same nation as me was killed during a wellness check. Again, he called for help and the police shot him.

And the worst part is that none of this is new. This has been happening forever, and it's not just the cops killing Indigenous people in North America.

All over there are reservations who haven't had access to clean drinking water in years, because industry is allowed to pollute their water supply. Treaties are constantly broken, land constantly encroached on and abused. Indigenous women and 2 spirit people going missing and being murdered at alarming rates with no real attempt at investigation. Indigenous people dying alone from medical neglect and being abused in hospitals.

Next week I am going to a memorial walk for a 22 year old woman who died from medical neglect. She went to the hospital with meningitis and the doctors profiled her as a drug user because she had traditional tattoos, and apparently to them that meant she didn't deserve equal care. By the mere fact that I'm mixed my skin is lighter than hers, and that means I can get good care at a hospital when she couldn't.

It hurts, and I'm scared for the people I love.

Over and over colonial governments apologize in passing and make wordy commitments to "change" which amounts to giving us a day of remembrance and basically nothing else. That day of remembrance is today and I don't feel much more than rage right now.

If you like my work, if you've appreciated my fics or been touched in any way by my writing I would really appreciate if you would sign any of these petitions. I don't care which nation you choose to support, all need help and support to recover from the years of abuse and colonialism that continues to this day.

If you are North American, find out whose ancestral territory you are living on- odds are it's unsurrendered. Take time to understand the treaty rights of Indigenous groups in your area and acknowledge when they are broken so you can hold your representatives accountable. If there are memorial walks, healing walks or protests near you, go to them. Speak up against industrial invasions on Indigenous land and remember the names of the people who are killed or who go missing.

And the next time you hear someone saying theres only two genders tell them they're being fucking racist.