Guest Post – from Kerstin Johansson, Global Climate March Austin Organizer
On Sunday, November 29th, the day before the UN Climate Conference in Paris, thousands of people will gather in Austin on the State Capitol grounds to join the Global Climate Movement. We are coming together for a rally and a march to build awareness and demand that our global and local leaders take serious action on climate change and climate justice. There will be speakers highlighting the challenge of climate change for different communities, organizational tables to talk about different issues and give out information, kids’ activities, music, and a march down Congress Avenue that loops around back to the capitol.
Our goal is to foster connections among diverse groups and people in Austin to fight environmental racism and promote a fossil fuel free economy.
In early 2014, over 400,000 people marched through Manhattan and hundreds of thousands more rallied in over 2,000 communities around the world to demand bold legislation on fossil fuels. This year hundreds of thousands of us — women’s and youth organizations, environmental and climate justice groups, communities of color, faith groups, trade unions, indigenous groups, farmers and peasants, as well as families and all concerned citizens — are building an unprecedented global mobilization to demand climate justice.
In and near Austin, climate change is affecting us right now. In the past two months alone, we have experienced tragic and deadly flooding in multiple areas including the Onion Creek neighborhood, along with drought, tornadoes, and wildfires. The 2015 Halloween Weekend flooding is a tragic repeat of the 2013 Halloween Flood, and the 2015 Hidden Pines fire in Bastrop County echoes the devastating Bastrop County Complex fire of 2011. These extreme weather events disproportionately impact communities of color and working class communities, communities who are already greatly marginalized. In Austin, we are coming together to demand justice.
Make your voice heard. Join us on Sunday, November 29th at 1pm at the State Capitol! Bring everyone you know- We are all in this together! For more information, visit the Facebook event page at gcmaustin.com. #globalclimatemarchatx #ClimateMarch #COP21
