WHO ARE WE?
The Whatcom Action Coalition serves to catalyze and empower the community of Whatcom county to engage in social action to take charge over issues that affect the health and well being of ourselves, our neighbors, and our ecosystems. WAC is a network of concerned citizens and local organizations working at a grassroots level to take action to demonstrate the power our community controls to shape a positive and just future.

OUR STORY

In the time that we have been raising money to send organizers to Localize This! Action Camp, the need for the training has become increasingly clear in our community. In the past couple of weeks SSA Marine, a multi-billion dollar port-building company, illegally logged nearly five acres of forest near and in sensitive wetland habitat to build 2.5 miles of access road.  The illegal and unpermitted deforesting was a demonstration of disrespect as SSA moved forward on the unpopular Gateway Pacific Coal Terminal, which would be the largest coal export terminal in North America.  We were upset when it happened, we were bothered by the lack of meaningful media coverage, and we were frustrated by the paltry response from the county planning office; thus far there has been a $2,000 fine. But what if there had been a citizens organization that communicated and responded quickly to the deforestation, that organized actions that demonstrated that the people in this county will not be a walking mat, and will not tolerate the disrespect that SSA has demonstrated for our land and our law. What if the costs for disrespecting the law and the land in Whatcom County was not just a $2,000 fine, but if the community organized to demanded attention from the media, and the cost to SSA was in the court of public opinion.  This is how we can protect our people and our land from exploitation, this is one role in moving into a just and sustainable future in Whatcom County, this is the role of the Whatcom Action Coalition. 

OUR WORK and WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
Thus far there has been a relative absence of community-based social activism against the project, and the Whatcom Action Coalition serves to fill that void.  If our leaders fail to respond to our petitions, our letters, our votes, and our individual voices, we must have a network in place to make our COLLECTIVE voice against the project heard, that is our role. To prepare, the Whatcom Action Coalition is raising money to send a team of six blossoming activists to the Localize This! Action Camp on Vashon Island, hosted by the Backbone Campaign and featuring guests from all over the country. At the camp we will receive trainings in grassroots organizing, non-violent direct action, and Artful Activism, and will put it to work in organizing a memorable and effective action at the end of the week (Click to see the action that was carried out at the end of last years camp at a local Target). These skills are fundamental in our work.  WE NEED YOUR HELP to grow our community organizing skillsets today, to protect and ensure a healthy future tomorrow.

Clarifying the rewards: Pay no mind to the default contribution amounts. Enter the amount you desire to give manually and the rewards will work like this:

• All supporters are invited to Artful Action Workshop tentatively scheduled for Sunday September 4th, in addition to other rewards listed below.
  
• $5 donation will receive a personalized thank you letter from WAC
  
• $10-$24 donation will receive 5 WAC postcards from Localize This! Camp
  
• $25-$49 donation will receive 10 WAC postcards from Localize This! Camp
  
• $50+ donation will receive a silkscreened Whatcom Action Coalition T-shirt.