On September 20, people of all ages in hundreds of countries around the globe are walking out of their jobs, homes, and classes to demand real climate action from our elected officials.
Here in St Pete we will be meeting in front of city hall in downtown St Pete at Noon. We expect hundreds to join us, and encourage students and workers alike to walk out of their jobs and onto the street. Please spread the word and join us.
Earlier this year, Greta Thunberg and 47 youth activists from around the world issued a stark call to us all. These brave young people, whose moral leadership has resulted in major victories in Europe, called on everyone, of all ages, to “unleash mass resistance” on September 20, in order to help stave off the worst ravages of the climate crisis.
In the United States, tens of thousands look set to respond: Nearly 250 Climate Walkout events are set to take place on September 20 in what will most likely be the country’s largest ever mobilization for climate. Around the globe, the response has been equally impressive. It now looks like September 20 will be the world’s largest ever climate mobilization.
But it’s important to remember that the vision ― the call from the youth that started it all ― was never for a single day of action. The youth leaders did not ask us to walkout for a single day and then all go home and pat ourselves on the back for a job well-done. What these remarkable youth leaders asked us to do was to “kickstart a week of climate action with a worldwide strike for the climate.” It was to use September 20 to “unleash mass resistance” in the week afterwards, a week during which the United Nations and world leaders are gathering in New York to talk about the global response to the climate emergency.
And, as leaders of our 350 local groups, this is what we are intending to do: To use September 20th to kick-off a week of escalated, disruptive resistance to climate tragedy ― and we hope that you, as leaders of your 350 local groups, will do the same in your communities.
