Hey John,
The coronavirus has laid bare the brutality and injustice of our current economic system. Millions of people have lost their jobs, are no longer able to pay their rent, student loans, credit card bills, utilities, or healthcare costs. Now, when we need it most, we find our social safety net torn apart by corporations and right-wing politicians.
Normally, in response to a crisis, we take to the streets — marching, holding rallies, planning in person actions, and so much more. We can’t do that now, but we will still organize to win.
On April 22-24, millions of people around the world are going online for a three-day mobilization to strike for the climate, divest from fossil fuels, and vote for a sustainable future for all. Activists, performers, influencers, and thought leaders are coming together to host this digital event full of teach-ins, performances, and more.
Right now, fossil fuel companies are elbowing to be first in line for corporate handouts and tax breaks. The Trump Administration has classified Keystone XL as “essential work, putting Indigenous and rural communities at greater risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, federal judges are hearing cases and revoking key permits for the destructive pipeline. And the coal industry is also arguing it should no longer have to pay into a Black Lung fund that provides healthcare for 25,000 sick miners.
The coronavirus has turned off the global economy but we have a chance to change the system before it is turned back on. We know that even before the coronavirus pandemic, financial institutions and fossil fuel companies were destroying our livelihoods. Instead of allowing them to continue to maintain power, we need to take power back for the people, and steer our economy in a more just and equitable direction.
The global crisis we face right now is terrifying, but our best hope in moments like these is to work together. Let’s reimagine what social movements can look like in the digital age.
Onward,
Emily
350.org is a global movement that fights for a just and equitable world by stopping the fossil fuel industry from continuing to destroy our climate.
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