You are invited to participate in a pertinent conversation on land, protection and culture, that surround the case of Oak Flat, sacred to San Carlos Apache in Arizona.

Oak Flat Campground is located outside of Superior, Arizona in a part of Tonto National Forest and has been protected since 1955 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This area of land is sacred to the San Carlos Apache, and contains more than 2,400 acres of land, wildlife, petroglyphs, sacred spaces, water resources, and lying beneath the surface, a copper deposit thought to be the largest in the hemisphere. Through a controversial land-swap presented in an unrelated 2015 National Defense Bill by John McCain, this land-swap would allow Resolution Copper (a joint venture by Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton) to develop a block cave mine which as perceived would create a 2-mile wide crater.

Convening at Mierle Laderman Ukeles’ Peace Table, Social Practice Queens invites Mr. Wendlser Nosie Sr. (pictured above), former chairman of the San Carlos Apache Reservation, and Standing Fox, Apache Stronghold member, Bedonkohe Apache photographer and artist to lead a conversation about the current situation at Oak Flat including the repeal of the Defense Bill, the protection of sacred spaces, mining contamination in important riparian habitats, and the importance of environmental stewardship.

We are incredibly honored to have this conversation in Queens to support the San Carlos Apache tribe’s vision in “creating environments that ensure the greatest opportunity to succeed, and to become self-sufficient for Indigenous and all communities.”

This conversation will be accompanied by photography and video by Standing Fox, and current SPQ MFA candidates Floor Grootenhuis, and Erin Turner.

The event has been generously supported by Queens College CUNY, Queens Museum and the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

Further Resources:

Apache Stronghold Website

Petition to save Oak Flat