Together, we will change this country and this world, sure as the sun rises each morning.
The Sunrise Movement, the youth led organization that is leading the work to make the Green New Deal (GND) a reality, held a webinar last night to explain the plans for 2019 and beyond.
Last November, 250 youth of the Sunrise Movement went to Washington, DC, to talk with legislators about the Green New Deal. In December, over 1,000 arrived in the Capitol, flooding the halls of Congress. 150 were arrested for nonviolent sit-ins outside Congressional leaders’ offices.
Yesterday Chase Iron Eyes of the Lakota People’s Law Project called for Indigenous leadership in the Green New Deal movement. He said, “the water protector movement that started at Standing Rock will find a home in the Green New Deal. We have to take this initiative for the Green New Deal, hit the streets with it, hit every dusty road with it, and go right into the halls of Congress.”
When I participated in an online meeting in December about Sunrise Hubs, 150 people attended. Last night over 1,100 people were online to hear about the plans for 2019, including at least 5 people I know of who were getting involved for the first time. Sunrise’s mailing list was 11,000 a year ago, and is 65,000 now.
Over 40 members of the U.S. House, at least 3 Senators, and most of those who are exploring entering the 2020 presidential race have indicated support for the Green New Deal.
Sunrise Movement members contacted over 250,000 votes to support 30 candidates in the midterm election, 19 of which won, including the leader of the Green New Deal proponents in Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 11 million people saw her interview on “60 Minutes” last week. All of this has given the Green New Deal political legitimacy.
The plans for Sunrise for 2019 are to increase public awareness of the Green New Deal, to challenge politicians at all levels of government to support it, and work to elect those who do. There will be a special emphasis to get Middle and High School students involved to urge local politicians like mayors and city council members to support the GND.
Last night was the 2019 Kickoff Call. The next step on the timeline (above) is for as many of us as possible to hold house parties to launch the GND campaign. You can sign up to host a Sunrise watch party at bit.ly/gndwatch.
Here’s how you can make that happen. On February 5, hubs and homes across the country will host livestream watch parties to tune into a Sunrise livestream detailing the 2019 Green New Deal Strategy. Anyone can host a party to grow the movement and go forward with the 2019 Green New Deal strategy. These parties will unite communities to strengthen the people power we need to make the Green New Deal happen.Host your own party on February 5 to bring the fight for clean air + water and good jobs to your own town. Together, we will win.
bit.ly/gndwatch
Quakers, social justice and revolution 