On March 21, 2024, Urban Native Collective joined over 200 activists gathered at Cincinnati's Fountain Square to rally against the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline. Organized by environmental activism group Oil and Water Don’t Mix, the event coincided with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's arguments before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to keep the lawsuit calling for Line 5’s decommissioning in state court.

Nessel, joined by tribal leaders and environmental advocates, emphasized the pipeline's threat to both the Great Lakes and to Indigenous sovereignty. Many community members from Michigan and Wisconsin travelled to Cincinnati to stand together and witness the court proceedings. Speakers, including Andrea Pierce of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and Sean McBrearty from Oil and Water Don’t Mix, voiced the critical need to protect the ecologically sensitive Straits of Mackinac from continual harm and potential environmental disaster caused by the unstable 70 year old pipeline, which was due to be decommissioned over 20 years ago.

After the rally, water protectors marched to the Ohio Riverfront, where we held a water ceremony with prayers and song to honor the life-giving waters and the interconnectedness of all waterways. The ceremony honored our sacred relationship with and duty to protect water, reinforcing the rally’s message: prioritizing environmental stewardship and Indigenous rights over corporate exploitation. Together, the collective resistance of over 60 Tribal Nations and environmental advocates stood unified in their fight to protect the Great Lakes and all vital water sources for future generations.