'We opened eyes': at Standing Rock, my fellow Native Americans make history

As an Indigenous American, Joe Whittle never questioned his need to travel to Standing Rock. The resolve he saw to protect a sacred space was transformative

As an Indigenous American, there was never any question of whether I should travel to Standing Rock or not. I needed to witness firsthand what was happening there, and wanted to offer solidarity to those fighting for the right of tribes to exercise agency over their own futures.

Only one problem remained: I had to find a way to go.