Eight members of the Climate Action Team joined hundreds of other activists at Climate Action Campaign’s “Fight for Our Future: Georgia Rally for Climate, Care, Justice, and Jobs” on Saturday, April 23, at Liberty Plaza, across from the state capitol. The group included Lee Cook, Carole Galanty, Nicole Haines, Lizanne Moore, Bert Pearce, Susan Perz, Julie Simon, and me (Jon Reese).
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Rev. Gerald Durley joined a half-dozen speakers who represented various organizations, including the Poor People’s Campaign and Georgia Conservation Voters,
“I was happy to see most participants were young,” CAT co-leader Lizanne Moore noted, “and it was racially diverse, including the speakers.”
“Children did cartwheels and blew bubbles,” Susan Perz said. “People listened with quiet intensity. I felt uplifted, which was nice.”
Several of us had hoped to see Liberty Plaza overflowing with concerned Georgians. “While the speakers were impressive with the breadth of their knowledge, and a few really inspiring, I was very disappointed in the turnout,” Lee Cook said. “I think the smallish crowd points to a continuing lack of urgency and depth of knowledge about the issues by the general population.”
The closing comments from Rev. Durley, a student leader of the 1960s Civil Rights movement and a national climate activist, stood out to Perz. “I found it very helpful that [he] recalled the negative ‘you will never change anything’ messages that the Black community got, and yet look how much change has happened!”
The event drew a wide array of co-sponsors, including Sierra Club Georgia Chapter, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, EDF Action, Moms Clean Air Force, Green New Deal Network, Georgia WAND, Partnership for Southern Equity, Environment GA, The People’s Agenda, Sustainable Georgia Futures, EV Noire, Georgia Conservation Voters, Climate Reality Project Atlanta, GALEO, Represent Georgia, Poder Latinx, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Poor People’s Campaign, Change the Chamber, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Sunrise Atlanta, Green The Church, Black Voters Matter Fund, New Georgia Project, Georgia STAND UP, and Mi Familia Vota.
The Climate Action Team is eager for you to join us in this important work! Sign up for the Climate Action Team on UUCA’s Realm platform and plan to attend our next virtual meeting on May 16 at 7:30 PM. Contact co-leader Bert Pearce at bertpearce1@comcast.net for details.
Large group photo in second row by Susan Perz.