Did you know?We have several parishioners involved in this movement. I’ll be joining the strike on Friday and hope to see some of you there!
Blessings,
Pamela+
Davis School Kids Prepare for Global Climate Strike on Sept 20
A diverse coalition of youth, parents, supportive adults, and organizations is planning an intergenerational day of strike on Friday, September 20, in Davis, in solidarity with the Global Climate Strike.
Founded by Swedish teen Greta Thunberg, the #FridaysforFuture movement, is asking youth and “grown-ups” worldwide to walk out of school and places of work, in a week of coordinated climate actions from September 20 to 27. One slogan of the international organization reads, “Our house is on fire — let’s act like it.” Youth and adults worldwide will walk out of their schools, homes and workplaces to demand climate justice and emergency action to tackle the climate crisis.
A group of determined youth and adults are hoping for a big showing here in Davis on September 20. By early September, kids from 11 schools and from the homeschooling community were already signed up and more young people are joining every day. On the 20thSeptember, the strikers will gather at the Mary L. Stevens Library on E 14thstreet at 11:30am and then march to City Hall and Central Park at 12pm. Local youth will visit the School District and City Hall to ask for local changes that sufficiently respond to and address the urgency of the climate crisis.
UC Davis groups are planning a strike for the 27th. Events are also planned for Sacramento and scores of other locations across our region, including thousands worldwide.
Demands at the national level are for a Green New Deal, respect for indigenous lands and sovereignty, environmental justice, protection and restoration of biodiversity, and implementation of sustainable agriculture.
September 20 will mark the second Kids Climate Strike in Davis. On March 15, 2019, kids from local elementary and high schools gathered in front of the Davis main library with supportive parents. The Davis event was one of 2,083 strikes in 125 countries in which more than 1.5 million students participated. The upcoming eight-day long strike from September 20 to 27 is expected to be even bigger, reflecting the growing energy and leadership by youth.
A group of elementary and high school students met again twice this past week and shared their vision for a healthier world. The “asks” as quoted from the students, from second grade to high school senior, included:
- Reduce plastics in the trash
- Stop burning the Amazon
- Less factory farming
- Less cars
- Stop clear cutting forests
- More bikes
- Government take more action
- Consume less
- Make climate change “not a political issue”
- More electric cars
- More recycling
- More public transit
- More public acknowledgement of climate change
- More people to work on change
Amber, a Davis High School senior, has been gathering video testimonials from concerned youth. High school and junior high students are invited to post their own videos and tag @climatestrikedavis.
Isabelle, a homeschooler said, “I’m striking because I care about my planet and how life will be for other people.” Sumaya, a 5thgrader at Cesar Chavez Elementary said, “I’m striking because I care about our planet and all the animals on it.”
Student organizers are also asking community members to spread the word and make it big! Youth and supportive parents plan to write letters to community members, civic leaders, business owners, and more to invite them to join in the strike, support their actions, and pledge to work harder to ensure a better future.
The strike organizers are asking parents to accompany their children to Central Park and back to school on the March route so that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience.
Notes
- FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAILclimatestrikedavis@gmail.com
- For student interviews, the Art Builds (11am-4pm, 14thand 1-5pm on 15th) will be a good time to meet with parents and youth, ask questions, and take pictures.
- Photos are available of the March Davis climate strike and preparations for the September strike.
- Read more about the strike held this past spring: https://www.cooldavis.org/2019/03/15/youth-climate-strike-in-davis/
- Listen to Greta’s TEDxStockholm speech:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A
- Visit @climatestrikedavis on Instagram, Search for the Climate Strike Davis event on Facebook, or email climatestrikedavis@gmail.comfor more information.
- Browse #climatestrike and globalclimatestrike.net for the international efforts.
