[env-trinity] New Campaign Opposes Shasta Dam Plans: Sacramento Film Showing 3/4

[Daniel Bacher]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kathleen Russell

February 21, 2005 415-459-9211

New Campaign Opposes Shasta Dam Plans

Native Land & Water in Jeopardy

Entire Week of Benefits Unites
Winnemem, Hopi & Environmental Leaders

San Francisco/Oakland/Sacramento— March 1 - 4, 2005

Much has been written about California’s water and energy crises, yet the 
impact of these crises on Native American tribes remains an untold story. A 
week of events in early March will expose the impact of both crises on two 
Native American tribes whose struggle to preserve their sacred lands heated 
up recently with the passage of Senator Feinstein’s Cal-Fed legislation and 
the weakening of environmental protection regulations by the Bush 
administration.

The events mark the launch of a unique grassroots campaign that unites some 
of the state’s most effective environmental organizations with Native 
communities in an effort to stop the enlargement of Shasta Dam near Redding. 
The proposed dam raising would flood some of the Winnemem Wintu’s remaining 
sacred sites and destroy a stretch of what remains of the free-flowing 
McCloud River.

Film & Panel Events
The award-winning PBS documentary In the Light of Reverence will be coupled 
with a panel discussion with Native American leaders Caleen Sisk-Franco 
(Winnemem Wintu) and Vernon Masayesva (Hopi)
These events will also premiere a new seven-minute short, Winnemem Wintu War 
Dance at Shasta Dam, which depicts the Winnemem’s September 2004 ceremony 
against the Shasta Dam. Proceeds from the three benefits will support the 
Winnemem Wintu Tribe’s participation in the new campaign.

Screening details follow below:
San Francisco: Wednesday, March 2 at 7 pm — Cowell Theater at Fort Mason 
Center — Admission $15 — with Julia Butterfly Hill — 5:30 pm Reception $50

Oakland: Thursday, March 3 at 7 pm — Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Ave. — 
Admission $15 — with Julia Butterfly Hill

Sacramento: Friday, March 4 at 7 pm — Crest Theater, 1013 K St. Admission 
$12

Academic Symposium
The week begins on Tuesday, March 1 at 1 pm, when the American Indian 
Studies Department of San Francisco State University will host an afternoon 
“Sacred Land & Water Symposium” featuring presentations by Native American 
leaders and a 4 pm screening of In the Light of Reverence. Professor Melissa 
Nelson (Anishinaabe/Metis) will moderate a panel with Caleen Sisk-Franco 
(Winnemem Wintu), Vernon Masayesva (Hopi) and Ann Marie Sayers (Mutsun 
Ohlone). The symposium and screening will be held in Humanities 133 on the 
San Francisco State University campus.

All four panel discussions will focus on creating a new relationship with 
water, finding alternatives to destructive projects that encourage 
increasing consumption, better management of existing water supplies and 
conservation. The evening panels after the film screenings will be moderated 
by Christopher “Toby” McLeod, Director of Earth Island Institute’s Sacred 
Land Film Project and Director/Producer of In the Light of Reverence.

Environmental organizations participating in the campaign include: Alliance 
for Democracy, Cal Trout, Center for Biological Diversity, Circle of Life, 
Earth Island Institute, Ecology Center, Environmental Justice Coalition for 
Water, Environmental Water Caucus, Friends of the River, Indigenous 
Environmental Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, Northern 
California Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Public Citizen, Public 
Media Center, Public Trust Alliance, State Water Coordinating Committee, The 
Cultural Conservancy and others.

Sponsored by The Christensen Fund, Sacred Land Film Project and Kathleen 
Russell Consulting. Presented by arrangement with Fort Mason Foundation.

In the Light of Reverence is a presentation of the Independent Television 
Service in association with Native American Public Telecommunications with 
funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Distributed by 
Bullfrog Films: 800-543-3764 • A project of Earth Island Institute
For more information visit www.sacredland.org.