Empowered Through Mass Climate Protests

NYWEA and Synergy members joined with 400,000 people in Washington D.C and over 400 people in Potsdam, NY to assemble over climate change. Prior to the march, we gathered to share our creative energy and make posters out of reused materials. Signs featured sayings such as: “remember your roots”, “hey Trump, I hear it’s hard to swim with small hands”, “protect our winters”, “don’t be a fossil fuel”, “respect your mother”, “love your mother, tread lightly”, “climate action now”, and many more! Engaging in the march was a very empowering experience. You are surrounded by a huge crowd of people who all share a common concern over climate action. And yet, each person within the crowd has different motivations, including: water, sacred land, clean energy, plant based diets, smart climate policy, environmental stewardship, and others.

   

In Washington D.C., a mobile art piece was set up next to the Washington Monument. This mobile art piece is pictured (right) as a an arc with multiple ribbons streaming off of it. Over the last few years, the artists have been transporting this idea and the ribbons to and from international climate events. At each climate protest, they ask participants to write what climate action means to them on the ribbon. Additionally, participants can write their name, hometown, and age. The participant then hangs their motivation on the art piece and in return, gently removes another participant's previously hung motivation. One NYWEA member, Sonja, now carries Ben’s (48 years old) wishes: “Je souhaite que la paise et l'amour, la soir et les rêves existent partout sur terre!” (Translation: I hope for peace and love, night and stars signing throughout the world)

During the march, protesters chanted various phrases regarding the current political office, climate and environmental issues, and especially about remaining part of the Paris climate treaty. One of the most uplifting and commonly sung phrases was “The oceans are rising and so are we”. NYWEA and Synergy members returned from the march with lots of energy. We have since hung the posters from these marches around school to bring the issue to the center of the Clarkson community.

By Sonja Gagen