John,
I’m from Redwood Valley, California, and right now, my state is on fire.
Over 10 wildfires are burning this week. So far, the fires have consumed 90,000 acres of land and forced more than 200,000 people to evacuate from their homes, without knowing what will be left when they return. And hundreds of thousands more people across the state are without electricity as the utility PG&E is shutting down power lines to avoid sparking even more fires.
Let’s take a deep breath, because this is intense stuff.
We know why this is happening: Scientists say that because of climate change, California wildfires have gotten 5 times riskier and are burning twice as much land1--endangering twice as many families and homes.
And yet, so many politicians--including California congresspeople Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein--are still failing to take any serious action to stop the climate crisis.
That’s why yesterday, I joined more than 50 Sunrisers in taking over Pelosi and Feinstein’s offices to demand that they stand up to protect the lives and homes of the Californians they represent by backing the Green New Deal. 21 of us were arrested as we sat-in peacefully.
Me, standing with fellow Sunrisers in Nancy Pelosi’s office as I talked about what I and other Californians are facing with these fires.
Heading into 2020, we’re putting politicians everywhere on notice--if you won’t stand up for our future, our generation will vote you out. We started that yesterday in DC, and we’re gonna keep it up through the next round of nationwide US climate strikes on December 6th.
Pledge to strike on Dec 6th to send a message to all politicians: this is an emergency, and you need to act like it by joining our fight for a Green New Deal that can stop this crisis and build a safe future for everyone.
These fires shows why it’s so important for us to keep striking, to make sure that our need for a Green New Deal to stop this crisis stays front and center as 2020 primary season heats up.
Right now, I deeply feel the anxiety of all my fellow Californians who’ve had to flee their homes, who are watching the fire maps creep closer, or who live hundreds of miles away from the flames but are without power and can’t go outside without breathing smoke.
But at the same time, I know that a better future is possible. We have the solutions to stop this crisis. And if we can get our leaders to champion the Green New Deal, we can build a future in which everyone can thrive.
Let’s seize that future. We have the power to demand it, and that’s exactly what we’re gonna do when we strike on December 6th. Join us.
Claire Tacherra-Morrison
P.S. The UndocuFund for fire relief in Sonoma County is helping undocumented families who’ve been displaced by the Kincaid Fire. Undocumented immigrants don’t qualify for relief aid from FEMA, so funds like this are one of their only sources of support right now. Can you chip in to help people who’ve lost homes get shelter and rebuild?
1. https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmt/status/1189568666146398208
