This was not a protest, this was a prayer. The walk carried “shared prayers for protection, dignity, healing, and love for undocumented and migrant relatives under attack,” bringing together communities from many nations, cultures, and stories in collective ceremony and solidarity. Guided by prayer, song, banners, offerings, and water gathered from sacred places and homes, participants crossed through the Ballard Locks with the support and leadership of Shane Lou Moses and the Muckleshoot Tribe, honoring the belief that “before change can come into this world, it must first be carried in prayer, intention, and spirit.” We carried prayers for the declining Salmon relatives, the southern resident Orcas who depend on them, and the Orcas taken from these waters and separated from their families for captivity and entertainment.
For Indigenous peoples north and south of the border, the struggles are intertwined. The same systems that separate migrant families have also separated sacred beings from their waters, homelands, and relatives.
It was an honor to document a day rooted in ceremony, protection, and love from so many communities. My deepest gratitude to everyone who was there.
