Women Who Cook Come Together to Support Water Protectors

January 19, 2022

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Barbara With
715.209.5471, barbwith@gmail.com.

Several  members of  Women Who Cook, founded 40 years ago, including Marian Moore, Prudence Johnson, Mary Jane Alm and Jearlyn Steele, will gather January 20, 2022 at Winterland Studios in Minneapolis to raise their voices in support of the over 700 water protectors arrested during the nine months of construction of the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline last year.

The singers will reunite to record the classic Down to the River to Pray as a soundtrack for a documentary short asking Gov. Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison to drop the charges against all water protectors.

Moore herself is facing several charges. She sang this song with other water protectors before being jailed for 24 hours in Aitkin County in December 14, 2020. 

Winona LaDuke, executive director of Honor the Earth, and Barbara With, who were arrested together with several other women on July 19, 2021 were held for several days in the Wadena County Jail.

“This song has gotten a lot of mileage lately,” said With, a singer-songwriter who grew up in Minneapolis. “When Winona and the six of us were stuck in jail for two days, we started singing it in our cell. We re-wrote the words. It’s a theme song for those who have been steadfastly working to make sure the waters of northern Minnesota aren’t destroyed by a tar sands oil pipeline. We sing it for the 800 other water protectors who were also arrested and are facing charges, some felonies.”

Moore, who also faces six counts of her own, was excited about bringing her former bandmates together in the studio for the cause. “My sisters in Women Who Cook have always been ready to stand up to host a better future. Now, 40 years after our founding, and 34 years after our extraordinary Soviet Peace Tour,  protecting our children and grandchildren’s future is ever more crucial. ” 

Over 78,000 people have signed the petition to Drop the Charges. LaDuke said, “It’s entirely wrong that Enbridge—a foreign oil corporation— has committed egregious crimes against the water and people, yet it’s us who are being prosecuted. Every day that pipeline is in operation, Minnesotans are in danger. It must be shut down, and all charges against Water Protectors must be dropped. “

Local law enforcement executing these arrests have been reimbursed $4.8 million through a “Public Safety Escrow Trust” directly funded by the Enbridge Corporation.Pianist Scottie Miller and cellist Cierra Alise Hill laid down the music tracks, and on Thursday the Women Who Cook singers will reunite to lend their passionate voices to this most important cause. 

Concerned citizens can go to https://www.stopline3.org/drop-the-charges to sign the petition and donate to the cause.

Members of the press are welcome to attend the recording sessions:
7:30 PM, January 20, 2022
Winterland Studio
5417 Boone Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55428