{"id":8,"date":"2025-02-28T21:10:30","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T21:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2025-10-23T02:42:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T02:42:10","slug":"speaker-bios","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/speaker-bios\/","title":{"rendered":"Speaker Biographies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-66 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/Louise-Benally-e1739563782238-230x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"237\" height=\"309\" \/><b style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\">LOUISE BENALLY <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">is a grandmother, mother and clan mother from Black Mesa community of Big Mountain in Northern Arizona and a lifelong activist in environmental issues around water, sacred sites, and mining in the Four Corners region. She is a farmer, water protector, permaculturist, herbalist, traditional counselor and advisor on different environmental fronts and will share stories and lessons from her work.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>WATCH:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-WNHeLmBSMY\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Voices from the Navajo Nation\u00a0 \/ Louise Benally \/ Big Mountain &#8211; Defend &amp; Protect \/ Big Mountain AZ<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, produced for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dine-care.org\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">DINE-CARE [Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">] by Question of Power Naamehnay Project, 2021<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\">READ: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Andrew Curley; \u201c<\/span><a style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\" href=\"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/glep\/article\/19\/3\/57\/14963\/Our-Winters-Rights-Challenging-Colonial-Water-Laws\">Our Winters\u2019 Rights\u201d: Challenging Colonial Water Laws. <i>Global Environmental Politics<\/i> 2019<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">; 19 (3): 57\u201376. doi:<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/glep_a_00515\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/glep_a_00515<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>_______________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-77 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/Reuben-Bio-Pic-2025-e1740515425949-242x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"242\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>REUBEN CRUZ <\/b>is<b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a Piipaash\/Quechan\/Mexican poet, educator and writer who was raised along the Gila and Salt Rivers in the Colorado River Basin of central Arizona. Reuben\u2019s poetry, hip-hop music, and writing form stands in water protection, LANDBACK, and cultural revitalization efforts continent-wide. Reuben has been a director, writer, and story consultant on documentaries and videos and provided the soundtrack for PBS\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Crying Earth Rise Up<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Reuben is published in Truthout, Waging Non-Violence, High Times, and self-published poetry books. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>WATCH:\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewatersconnectus\/videos\/634883643381603\">Truths About Reclaimed Water<\/a>, The Waters Connect Us, 2017<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>READ: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/truthout.org\/articles\/prohibition-in-pine-ridge-lakota-women-lead-fight-against-liquid-genocide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prohibition in Pine Ridge- Lakota Women Lead Fight Against \u201cLiquid Genocide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,\u201d by Reuben Cruz, published by Truthout and Waging Nonviolence, August 17, 2013.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>_______________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-67 size-medium alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/Leona-Morgan-cropped-e1739564026870-234x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"234\" height=\"300\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>LEONA MORGAN<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a Din\u00e9 organizer and educator on nuclear issues since 2007. She is cofounder of Haul No!, a campaign to stop a uranium mine near the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River Basin and the transport of uranium through the Navajo Nation. Leona is pursuing a Master\u2019s of Community and Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>MORE INFO: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Haul No <a href=\"https:\/\/haulno.com\/\">https:\/\/haulno.com\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>WATCH: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Democracy Now\u2019s VIDEO \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracynow.org\/2024\/11\/19\/cop29_nuclear_greenwashing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nuclear Revival? Din\u00e9 Activist Warns Against New Uranium Mining as AI, Bitcoin Energy Needs Soar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d 11\/19\/24<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\">READ:\/LISTEN:\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201c<\/span><a style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\" href=\"https:\/\/pioneerworks.org\/broadcast\/audio\/the-bomb-at-75-leona-morgan\">The bomb at 75: Leona Morgan on Nuclear Colonialism and the effects of Uranium Mining on the Navajo Nation<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,\u201d by Pioneer Works Broadcast (online publication)<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>_______________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-70 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/IMG_1593-225x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>WOMAN STANDS SHINING, <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pat McCabe, is a mother and grandmother, artist, activist, international speaker, advocate for the sacredness of water all over the world, and conduit for voices of earth and spirit from Din\u00e9 Nation. Her work describes the journey moving away from the \u201cpower over paradigm\u201d and moving toward the thriving life paradigm in ceremony, in writing, in artwork, and in justice for land, water, people and all life. She has worked to protect and restore the Rio Grande River in New Mexico with the environmental organization \u201cAmigos Bravos\u201d and conducts prayer, song, and ceremony with international community.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>VISIT:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patmccabe.net\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">https:\/\/www.patmccabe.net\/<\/span><\/a><b><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>WATCH: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OeeAMNxuqio\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Speaking to the Water with Pat McCabe<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,\u201d produced by Uplift, 2017.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>READ:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patmccabe.net\/single-post\/2018\/04\/30\/native-on-native-studies\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Native on Native Studies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, 4\/30\/18<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>READ<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kosmosjournal.org\/kj_article\/water-and-the-rising-feminine\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Water and the Rising Feminine<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>_______________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h4><b>ABOUT THE WATERS CONNECT US<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-81 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/cropped-cropped-WCU-CO-Final-Transparent-SM-295x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"163\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/cropped-cropped-WCU-CO-Final-Transparent-SM-295x300.png 295w, https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/499\/2025\/02\/cropped-cropped-WCU-CO-Final-Transparent-SM.png 504w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 163px) 100vw, 163px\" \/>All of our precious, finite water sources are connected, from flowing surface streams across Mother Earth to the underground Aquifers below us, to the raindrops falling from the clouds above, all of water is connected. The Waters Connect Us is multi-generational work to protect SacredWater that was inspired by Debra White Plume (Oglala Lakota \/ Cheyenne) of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Owe Aku \/ <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bring Back the Way and a tight-knit group of Indigenous and non-native people committed to environmental and human rights work. We honor those whose footsteps we walk in this water and ancestral lands\u2019 work and are dedicated to strengthening and building solidarity to increase the effectiveness of the many movements to protect lands and waters. We are all connected through water + land + life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>WATCH:\u00a0 <\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Crying Earth Rise Up<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/cryingearthriseup\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">trailer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> +<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/65753582\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">10:00 short sample<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> For more information about the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cryingearthriseup.com\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">documentary and outreach project, visit here.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 To screen the PBS broadcast version,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/121690473\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">go to Prairie Dust Films\u2019 Vimeo page<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and enter the password: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cleanwater <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">[open for a limited time].<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>WATCH:<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Q9iEhlpAKG8\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clouds of Thunder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8211; Music Video featuring Debra White Plume, video by the Peoples Media Project, 2012.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>LISTEN: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/chechrist\/ndn-r-a-p-rebels-against\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">NDN RAP REBELS AGAINST PIPELINES<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> music, 2012.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\">OPTIONAL WATCH<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><a style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VBBMtMwTG_0\"> The Waters Connect Us<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: <\/span><i style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary);font-size: var(--global--font-size-base)\">Recording of a conversation about protecting and restoring water with Indigenous Communities, Environmental Scientists, and Media Creators in the Pacific Northwest, <\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at The Evergreen State College, 11\/14\/18, featuring Louise Benally, Willie Frank, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Ed Johnstone, Carri LeRoy, Jessica Plumb, Klairice Alita Westley, Rosebud White Plume.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LOUISE BENALLY is a grandmother, mother and clan mother from Black Mesa community of Big Mountain in Northern Arizona and a lifelong activist in environmental issues around water, sacred sites, and mining in the Four Corners region. She is a farmer, water protector, permaculturist, herbalist, traditional counselor and advisor on different environmental fronts and will&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/speaker-bios\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Speaker Biographies<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":925,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/925"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/thewatersconnectus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}