May 2017
Central Illinois Sierra Club members and other concerned citizens traveled to Washington DC to participate in the People's Climate March on April 29th, joining over 200,000 other citizens to protest the Trump administration’s policies and stand up for “climate, jobs and justice”. Thanks to the organizing efforts of Sierra Club staff member Elizabeth Scrafford, a chartered bus left East Peoria on Friday afternoon, April 28th, and made stops along the way in Normal, Champaign, and Indianapolis to pick up additional riders, including many college students. We arrived at RFK Stadium in Washington DC at 9 a.m. and took the Metro (subway) downtown where the March line-up began at 11 a.m. and the March kicked off at approximately 12:30 p.m.
The march extended for over 20 blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue, circled the White House, and ended up at the Washington Monument for a closing rally. It was great to be part of a large dedicated, enthusiastic group that included indigenous people, imigrants, labor, government workers, scientists, educators, health workers, different religious faiths, anti-corporate activists, and environmentalists. There was an incredible amount of artistic creativity put into signs, banners, costumes, and other works of art. Marchers carried signs such as "There is no Planet B", "It's not the Heat, It's the Stupidity", and "Stand Up for Science".
The march occurred on the symbolic 100th day of the Trump administration and coincidentally it took place in sweltering heat, with the temperature hitting a record-tying 91° F. One local resident remarked, "No, this is not normal." For more information about the march, check out the People's Climate March website.
Click here for more pictures of the People's Climate March in Washington DC.