I call myself an accidental activist. I've never felt compelled to get involved in government, politics or any cause. I voted, followed the news now and then, and left the rest to people who seemed to know what they were doing.
Eight years ago, I moved to a farm in Jasper County, Indiana, because I wanted a quiet, agricultural community. So when plans for a $7 billion Amazon data center campus seemed to appear almost overnight, alarm bells went off. Amazon presented its plans at a public open house in early June, and within about two weeks, county commissioners had unanimously approved it. Plans for massive new gas-fired power plants at the nearby Schahfer site followed to keep the servers running.
Decisions that could reshape our county for generations were moving faster than residents could learn about them, let alone ask questions.
Before I knew it, I was protesting at the courthouse, attending county meetings and joining advocacy groups, including the Sierra Club and Just Transition Northwest Indiana. When the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter organized a Statehouse trip to deliver petitions, I signed up, and brought my 14-year-old daughter. The petition asked Governor Braun and Attorney General Rokita to challenge federal emergency orders keeping two retiring coal plants open that Hoosiers are still paying to keep running.
A lesson you can't get from a textbook
I wanted my daughter to see that citizenship is more than a chapter in a civics book. It's showing up, standing behind something you care about and speaking respectfully to the people making decisions on your behalf. Those are skills best learned by watching someone practice them, nerves and all. I expected her to see me hand over some paperwork. She ended up seeing much more.
In the room
Our first meeting was with Governor Braun's Senior Policy Director. I was nervous. I'm not a policy expert, and I worried I wouldn't know what to say.
I needn't have worried. Megan and Nicole from the Sierra Club were remarkably knowledgeable. They answered questions with facts and made sure our concerns were heard. I watched my daughter take it all in, then speak up about her own concerns over the loss of irreplaceable farmland.
Then came an unexpected opportunity to meet Governor Braun himself. The Sierra Club staff kept the conversation focused on the petition and the people behind it, making the most of every minute.
What I took home
I left the Statehouse with lessons I hadn't expected. You don't have to be an expert to make your voice heard; you just have to show up. Organizations like the Sierra Club do the homework, helping ordinary people like me enter rooms that once felt out of reach. And the people in those rooms may be listening more than we think.
Most of all, I took home a memory. It was a day my daughter and I won't forget, and I hope she carries it with her the next time something matters enough to speak up about.
If you've ever thought activism was for someone else, I understand. I thought so, too. But accidental activists are welcome. Sign a petition, attend a chapter meeting or join us at the Statehouse. You might be surprised who you end up meeting.
Stephanie Griesch