1980's (Detroit, MI) Public Interest Research Group in Michigan Organized a local chapter, raised funds, hired staff

State and local chair Coordinated internships for students on toxic issues Chapter hosted Lois Gibbs (Love Canal) and Ralph Nader as speakers. One internship was successful in locating (& repairing) a landfill leak. The research done also resulted in a scholarly paper on a rare bacteria found in the landfill effluent. Fifth Estate The longest running english language anarchist paper in the United States. Participated at different times as staff or contributing writer. Evergreen Alliance Neighborhood activists and environmentalists allied to block the construction (with Greenpeace also, later in the campaign) of the worlds largest trash incinerator in the middle of low income, predominantly African-American neighborhood. Engaged in public hearings, educational events, cultural events, demonstrations, street theater, and civil disobedience. Zero Discharge Alliance An alliance of many grass-roots groups around the Great Lakes basin who were fighting point sources for chlorine being dumped into the Great Lakes, either as effluent directly or as a result of air pollution. The alliance focused on public education and legislative lobbying The ZMA also attended the International Joint Commission hearings to change and ratify the treaty between Canada and the Great Lake States. 1980's (Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI) Greenpeace Greenpeace helped with expertise and resources to support local grass-roots groups in their fights against incinerators, which were being proposed in many cities. We worked with them on banner-hangs from cranes and bridges, as well as meeting disruptions. Seeds of Peace Organized locally for and attended camps near Mercury, NV. Participated in civil disobedience to stop nuclear testing and to support Shoshone sovereignty rights. 1990's Zebra Mussel Alliance A grass-roots group made up of community activists, scientists, environmentalists

and student activists (formerly of SEAC) to organize for the closure of the Fermi 2 nuclear power plat after the installation of a damaged turbine following another breaching accident at the plant. We organized testimony of experts and citizens at public hearings, conferences to educate the public, door to door informational canvassing, and produced and distributed a newsletter.

Fermi 2 Action Project An Earth First! inspired campaign to coordinate a series of direct actions to demand the closure of the nuclear power plant. Tripods, lock-boxes, barrels, demos and town hall meeting take-overs. This was a partially successful campaign, as at least the damaged turbine was replaced. Food Not Bombs Gathered donations of produce from farmers and dumpstered goods to cook and serve a weekly meal at a site in the Cass Corridor Trumbull Plex Collective (Detroit, MI) An anarchist housing collective and urban gardening project Organized speakers, conferences, skill shares and speakers. Brought in musicians from Earth First! movement to play and raise consciousness and cash for local EF! campaigns. Helped organize a concert for Utah Phillips to play to raise bail money for striking Detroit newspaper workers and wobblies who had taken part in recent civil disobedient actions. Opened with friend Mike Williams for Utah Phillips. Seeds of Peace (Again) Organized for, attended and participated in civil disobedience to stop nuclear testing on Shoshone territory and to support Shoshone sovereignty. Industrial Works of the World Was part of the Detroit Collective who took over production and distribution of the Industrial Worker, the union paper, as part of a mandate. Participated in strike support, picket duty and civil disobedience to shut down distribution of the scab paper during the strike. Helped support union organizing at a local pizza company. ADAPTT (Animals Deserve Adequate Protection Today and Tomorrow) A grass-roots group to stop animal cruelty (good group, bad name) Participated in anti-fur demos and protests of rodeos and circuses. Participated in several lock-downs at fur stores (Macys and Dietrich Furs) Big Mountain Support Coordinated and fund-raised for 11 people to join the Din people at the time of the Fairness Hearings. We all did home-site protection, watching over livestock and buildings so that Din

families could attend the hearings. 2000's (Bloomington, Indiana) Secret Sailor Bookstore Volunteer at this community organizing space and bookstore Organized book Sanctions Helped organize conferences, skill-shares, non-violence trainings, shows and public meetings Pages to Prisoners Volunteered gathering book donations. Wrote to and mailed books to prisoners Organized public educational activities on political prisoners Heartwood Volunteered with their state forest protection campaign, held town meeting style gatherings. Served as development coordinator. Buffalo Trace Earth First! Conducted a no-compromise direct action campaign to protect state forests from logging and local wooded areas from development. Participated in an office take-over to stop a DNR sale of public land and won. Helped organize the Blue Bird Tree-sit, a 107 day occupation on the outskirts of town. The sit consisted of several platforms to protect a wooded area located over Karst topography. Industrial Workers of the World Helped organize a branch of the ZWW Sang as a wobbly choir at strike support events for striking workers at G.E. (they had laid off 2,000 folks and were planning to phase out) Stop I69 Campaign Participated in educational events, meeting take-overs and surprise visits to decisionmakers (like the mayor) to demand they cease supporting the plan This broad coalition is still working to block the construction of the NAFTA super highway through family farms and wetlands. (Detroit, Michigan) No Borders An anarchist collective run by volunteers to maintain community space (for IWW, EF!, permaculture and womens groups to meet). A bookstore and a free tea house for homeless respite in Detroits Cass Corridor. Organized speakers and shows, including a lecture by Starhawk and a womens natural health conference.

Mutual Aid Society Volunteer, anarchist project to gather food and distribute it to home-bound families. Casa de Unidad, a local non-profit, connected us to families they could not help. Delivered weekly boxes of food.

Detroit Neighborhood and Family Initiative Participated in neighborhood summits to collectively decide what the local priorities for the coming year should be. Volunteered to help raise money for the Community Self Sufficiency Center to assist local residents with employment, transportation and health issues. Michigan Welfare Rights Union Participated in this recipient rights unions campaign to secure utilities as a human right. Highland Park Human Rights Coalition A grass-roots group who organized to stop the privatization of the Highland Park water treatment center and to secure the right to water for all citizens. Participated in meetings with city officials to negotiate guaranteed utilities. Sweetwater Alliance A grass-roots group organized to promote the preservation and protection of land and water and to advocate for public control and stewardship. Campaigned against Nestles privatization of Michigan water. Organized demonstrations, educational events, in-store silent protests. Attended the World Social Forum in India as a representative. Massasauga Earth First! (Detroit, MI) Coordinated a civil disobedient campaign against water privatization, working in conjunction with other groups. Organized a banner-drop and building take-over as part of the Highland Park water campaign. Attended meetings to give testimony on behalf of maintaining the wolfs protected status in Michigan. (Cincinnati, Ohio) Dandelion Health Collective Volunteered with this collective, which provided free workshops in herbal healthcare. We also gave out salves, teas, cough syrups for free at workshops. Volunteered at workshops to provide childcare and located free space to present workshops. Industrial Workers of the World Volunteered at headquarters to help with mailings and maintain files.

Organized events at headquarters (speakers, videos, shows) Member, participated in branch activities and fund-raisers. Volunteered with the General Defense Committee Helped organize benefit for Utah Phillips medical expenses.

Cincinnati Community Garden Project Maintained a garden for my family and to provide herbs to Dandelion volunteers. Gathered donations of plants and planted/maintained them in the public raised beds set aside for CAIN, a church-run food distribution project Books 4 Prisoners Volunteer-run, grass-roots group that solicited book donations and maintained a zine library. Provided books, zines and resource guides to prisoners Hobbies (1980's - 2000's) Folk music, played benefits for environmental and union causes. Poetry, belonged to several groups in Detroit and Cincinnati to read at open mikes for fund and for benefits. Poems included in the HIP Anthology (Horizons in Poetry) Journalism, wrote for radical news sources about environmental, native sovereignty and anti-globalization events. Articles in Amber Waves of Green, Against the Current and Fifth Estate. Although no one ever knows at the time whether their action will succeed or fail, it is obvious that if all those historical figures hadnt made the effort or taken the trouble if they had assumed that their efforts wouldnt work nothing would have changed. PB Floyd In this sad and tragic age we live in, to come to the defense of Mother Earth is to branded a criminal. Leonard Peltier We must dare much, as so much is at stake. And we must be willing to learn, also, as a movement. ELAW is the perfect opportunity for activists to share stories and insights. This helps us all evolve as we struggle to transform society and protect this Earth. I hope as part of the work you do that you will claim the history of the eco-defenders whove become eco-prisoners. My actions taken on behalf of the Earth Liberation Front were an important part, but not the totality of my political work. I worked in many grass-roots neighborhood groups and several more mainstream non-profit organizations as well. Through it all, though, I shared with you a great love for the natural world and a deep empathy for my fellow human beings. We are, together, a part of the historic process of positive change in this country. As dissent becomes more challenged legally, it becomes even more crucial morally. Thank you for all you continue to do to defend the Earth. My love and faith are with you always.

Marie Mason