By Julia Foote
The Green New Deal is the bold vision we need to tackle two of the biggest crises we face: climate change and inequity. The Green New Deal will help us transition from an economy of low wages, toxic pollution, and systemic injustice to one driven by good, high-paying jobs and 100% clean energy for all.
Much of the momentum building behind the Green New Deal has been led by youth activists with the Sunrise Movement. This movement is intentionally youth-led and youth-centered, focused primarily on organizing people 35 and younger. That decision is both strategic and cultural.
Youth have inherited a crisis that we did not create, yet every one of us will see the devastating effects of climate change in our lifetime. Strategically, this movement uplifts the voices of youth because they hold a unique moral clarity that is key to reaching millions, across party lines. Culturally, youth activists are often unheard and written off as inexperienced or naive; yet we’ve seen political leaders continue to fail us for decades, not taking the caliber of action necessary to address the climate crisis passed down to us.
That being said, this movement and mobilization for a Green New Deal needs the support of everyone, regardless of age. It is going to take ALL of us to transform our society and economy to win the change we need. If you are over 35, here are some ways that you can help:
First Steps:
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Learn more about the Green New Deal at sierraclub.org/trade/green-new-deal.
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Join the Sierra Club’s Green New Deal Action Team! Sign up here and we’ll make sure to keep you informed about the latest efforts to secure a Green New Deal and the many opportunities for you to make a difference in your community.
Bigger Steps:
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Organize a Green New Deal Town Hall in your community to share information and discuss what a Green New Deal should look like in your city. Reach out to julia.foote@sierraclub.org if you’re interested in hosting a Town Hall.
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Write op-eds or letters to the editor in your local paper to push media coverage on the climate crisis and a Green New Deal. Here’s a guide on how to write and submit one: sunrisemovement.org/lte.
You can also directly support youth in the Sunrise Movement. Here’s how:
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Provide meeting spaces and housing: Youth often have limited access to free meeting spaces or housing for out-of-town activists who travel to join actions and summits. If you live somewhere that could be a meeting space, or if you can host people during gatherings and trainings, that is a great way to support the movement!
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Provide cars and food: If you’re able, lending your cars or providing food for trainings, actions, and other gatherings held by Sunrise lifts a huge financial burden!
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Show up at Sunrise actions when invited and in solidarity with actions of aligned groups: Some Sunrise events are intended to be youth-only spaces, but many are open to people of all ages! The same holds for local organizations and groups that have been doing work aligned with our mission for decades. Show up, and be sure to uplift and center the leadership of the young people (or existing partner organizations) around you.
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Utilize your network: Maybe you have connections to an editor of a newspaper, a celebrity influencer, politicians, other environmental groups, and unions we need on our side.
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Show up as an ally at local Sunrise meetings/events.
If you are interested in any of the actions above and want to be a Sierra Club volunteer for the Green New Deal in partnership with Sunrise Movement, please reach out to me at julia.foote@sierraclub.org. Aside from my role as an organizer for the chapter, I am part of the Sunrise Bay Area Hub and can support this partnership in working together to build an intergenerational movement for a Green New Deal.