Dakota joined Earthworks in May 2022 as an Oil and Gas Corporate Accountability Campaigner. Currently their work focuses on holding fossil fuel companies to the promises made in terms of climate crisis action and companies’ obligations to follow environmental regulations.
Before joining Earthworks Dakota was engaged in the environmental movement as a Ph.D. student at Oklahoma State University during the exponential rise in fracking-induced seismicity from 2013-2018. They had the privilege of co-leading Stop Fracking Payne County, helping many people across the state learn about fracking and what they could do to stop or better regulate it in their communities, and being one of the people featured in the documentary Oklahoma Shakedown. Dakota also had the honor of working with several indigenous tribes, Movement Rights, Stop the Frack Attack, and the Sierra Club to organize the first anti-fracking solidarity and coalition building conference in a “flyover” frontline community.
Born and raised in the verdant river bottoms of Missouri, Dakota developed a love of the outdoors as a small child. When they aren’t busy poking the bears of the oil and gas industry, they can be found rock climbing, back/bike/kayak-packing, or attempting to read way too many books at one time (usually in a hammock under the trees).
Contact:
Email: draynes [at] earthworks [dot] org
Phone: 202-792-6290
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA – a river city trade hub that initially drew moundbuilders, Osage, Miami, Sioux, and Illini Nation tribes to share time, space, and resources