Hi John,

My name is Mahreen and I joined Sunrise Movement Kansas City in 2019. For a long time I didn’t see myself or people like me represented in any climate movements, not even my local Sunrise chapter until they hosted a walkout at my college in September of that year.

Following that, I got to meet and hear from leaders who looked like me and who had similar experiences as me. Since then I’ve helped lead our local campaigns, planned climate strikes and won the most progressive climate action plan that my city has ever seen (so far).

We’ve had some exciting wins, but we know we have a lot more work to do to win a Green New Deal for all cities — to make sure that regardless of the color of your skin or the neighborhood you live in, you have access to clean air and water, good affordable housing, and reliable public transportation. To get to those wins, we need to build a much bigger base, especially with Black, Latiné, and working class people that are being affected worst by environmental injustice.

Last Monday, I got back from a national training with 40 other hub leaders in the Green New Deal for Communities program from around the country. This in-depth training prepared us to run local Green New Deal campaigns to build the base we need to achieve meaningful change in our communities.

After the training, I feel like I have the skills and confidence I need to get out and do the work this summer and fall in my hub.

The work and growth that gets done at these training is invaluable — and it’s thanks to donors like you, who believe in our fight for a Green New Deal. Can you continue to help the work our Communities Teams are doing by chipping in any amount?

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I didn’t just learn organizing skills — we built community with other leaders across the movement and this training made me feel empowered and re-committed to our fight. 

It helped me see where we could be as a movement. What it would be like in a year in Kansas City and around the country, and even what it would feel like after we launch all of our campaigns. It’s not just me and my team here in Kansas City, it’s Erica and her team in Philly, it’s Vianni and her team in San Diego, and it’s Avi and his team in Chicago who are all in this with me.

Your support allowed Sunrisers from around the country to get this training. And we’re so excited to show you all the work we have planned for this summer and fall. If you are too, please consider making a donation today to make sure this cohort of Green New Deal for Communities chapters launches their campaigns even more powerfully!

With care,
Mahreen