Black Diamond Presents: Ancestral Footprints

Photographer: Cheyne Lempe Athlete: Joe Grant Location: The Grand Canyon, USA

Black Diamond Presents: Ancestral Footprints

This film contributes to the rising tide of voices elevating the importance of safeguarding the Grand Canyon region against uranium extraction in its watershed.

TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2024

Protecting the Grand Canyon is a matter of great importance for Black Diamond.

In this film, we are educated on the issues threatening the Grand Canyon by Indigenous Peoples with ancestral ties to the area who have been fighting to protect the Canyon for generations.

Black Diamond Presents: Ancestral Footprints

“It’s so important to protect the Grand Canyon,” explains Carletta Tilousi, a former Havasupai Tribal Council Member and member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

“And the people in it. The animals in it. The water in it, all need to be protected.”

The General Mining Act of 1872 authorizes and governs prospecting and mining for economic minerals on federal public lands and has a direct impact on the Grand Canyon region. This antiquated law has complicated efforts to protect delicate, important landscapes from mining.

BD Athlete Joe Grant and filmmaker Cheyne Lempe, spoke with Tribal citizens and local advocates to elevate these critical issues that threaten the Canyon, and share a history that many outdoor recreationalists might not realize exists.

“I’m far from knowing all the issues, or all the intricacies of this problem,” says Joe. “But I
am aware of enough to know that it’s significant and urgent and that it needs our
attention now.”

“Connection to the earth and connection to our spirituality revolves around the Grand Canyon” - Carletta Tilousi

“I’m far from knowing all the issues, or all the intricacies of this problem,” says Joe. “But I
am aware of enough to know that it’s significant and urgent and that it needs our
attention now.”