I am part Cherokee Native American.

But...

I am a broke college student.

I live in Florida.

I say I stand with Standing Rock, but every time I say it, it breaks my heart, because I am not physically there.

I WANT TO STAND.

I want to hold arms with my brothers and sisters and shout at the brutality in front of my eyes

"WATER IS LIFE" ...

I want to help the wounded heal from the rubber bullets and water jets being sprayed at freezing temperatures.

I WANT TO HELP.

I see the trips for people to travel or donate items to the cause.

But...

I am poor. I live too far away.

I have classes I have to go to.

So what can I do? What should others around me start trying to do since we can't physically be there to help? Since we can't afford to donate anything to this cause?

I could protest my local Fargo Wells bank, since they are funding this genocide.

But I do not want to be arrested for my freedom of speech, as so many others have been.

I do not want to be beaten for simply saying Water is Life, as so many others have been.

So no... I can't protest.

I could continue to repost the horrors of the genocide taking place on my Facebook feed.

But my friends will unfollow me for the repetitiveness of my posts. I will be considered annoying for trying to keep NoDAPL on my wall.

So I will share sparingly.

Because I am still young and adventurous, I know exactly what I want to do.

Something no one could really see coming.

I will grow back into my Native American roots and dive into the culture like I did as a child.

I will wear the clothing and the beautiful jewelry, and once my hair grows long again, I will put it up like they do.

I will eat the foods they eat, and burn the essences they burn.

I will listen to the songs of my people, and dance to them.

I will attend any tribal gathering near me and get involved as much as possible, and volunteer my time to them.

I will educate my students, my family, and my friends about us and what we do.

While the police and this oil company may think they are completely killing off an entire Sioux tribe, along with BLM protesters, other Native American tribes, retired police officers, and veterans of war, all for a pipeline that will ruin water for millions of people, I will be REVIVING my culture.

It's the perfect plan, because they will never see it coming.

Me, a known "white" girl, immersing herself into a culture that has long endured America.

We will continue to endure America.

This is OUR land.

You will not win.

Water is Life.