IN THE SAN RAFAEL VALLEY OF SO CALLED SOUTHERN ARIZONA, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN LOCHIEL, AZ AND LA NORIA, MX HAVE HAVE BEEN GATHERING FOR BINATIONAL BORDER ENCUENTROS SINCE 2024. THE CROWNS OF TWO SISTER COTTONWOODS MET, UNBOUND BY THE IMAGINARY BORDER LINE, AND UNDER THEIR SHADE PEOPLE JOYOUSLY CELEBRATED THE FREEDOM OF THE VALLEY.

HOWEVER, AS THE UNITED STATES BEGAIN THE DESTRUCTION OF O’ODHAM, YAQUI AND APACHE LAND TO BUILD A DOUBLE BORDER WALL, THREE OF FOUR GRANDMOTHER COTTONWOOD TREES WERE MURDERED. IN ORDER TO SAVE THE FINAL GRANDMOTHER A BRAVE COMRADE BEGAN A TREE-SIT, PUTTING THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE TO SAVE HER.

THE TREE SIT HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE 07/29/26 AND ACTIVISTS FROM ACROSS TURTLE ISLAND HAVE BEEN COMING TO SUPPORT THE ENCAMPMENT. WITH THE ADDITION OF A TREE-SIT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ‘BORDER’ THIS BI-NATIONAL CAMPAIGN HAS FORCED A WORK STOPPAGE AND MAINTAINED AN OPEN MIGRATION CORRIDOR FOR BOTH HUMANS AND CREATURES ALIKE.