Led by youth, all ages rally for climate-change awareness
Video by Gibbs sixth grader Gael, who said: "I shouldn't have to stand up here defending my future, but I am."
Thompson Green Team a key organizer
Forty students, parents and grandparents from Thompson, Hardy, Stratton, Gibbs, Ottoson, Arlington High School, Minuteman High and First Parish Unitarian Universalist participated in the first of a series of climate rallies on Friday, Oct. 25.
Thompson Green Team who was the key organizer for this first rally marched in costume from Thompson school to the evening rush-hour rally.
First Parish, at Mass. Ave. and Pleasant, is the host for the monthly youth-led, adult-supported rallies on the front law. Others are scheduled for 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13.
For the first rally, participants had a Halloween-themed all-ages meet-and-greet to give activists of all ages an opportunity to meet and share their passion and creativity for climate action. Participants dressed as climate superheroes; animal ecosystem superheroes, such as pollinators; endangered species, such as tigers; plastic monsters, global warming or climate disasters.
Youth led lead chants or songs or made short speeches. The youngest speaker was in preschool. Climate-action groups talked to attendees about climate legislative efforts.
This fall, Thompson Green Team club has been organizing before school green-team climate rallies at Thompson on the first and third Fridays, and has delivered 123 climate-demand postcards from elementary school students to Governor Baker at the State House in September.
Rallies are organized by Arlington Green Teams; Arlington Youth and Climate Action groups, such as the working group at First Parish, Arlington Mothers Out Front and Small But Mighty Kids Change the World.
Being a kid, I shouldn't have to stand
up here defending my future, but I am. And believe it or not, the very
people who are responsible for keeping me safe are the main cause of
the problem. Adults need to take action now. Congress is ignoring the
rising threat of climate change. Adults are not telling Congress to
fix this, and meanwhile fossil fuel companies are making fortunes. If
adults won't speak out for our future, then we must. Adults today
won't be here for the worse of it, but kids will which is why this
matter is so important to me. So I implore you all standing before me
take action! Defend our planet and kids' futures. Climate change is
not coming. It is here. Thank you.
-- Gael
June 19: 2019: Measuring Thompson's green efforts: Zero gets an A, state awards
May 11, 2019: Thompson, town schools go green, and state awards efforts
This news summary was published Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.
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