On April 22, 2020, the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, millions of young people all over the country and world were planning to strike in the streets. As COVID-19 continued to make gathering unwise, Sunrise Dartmouth decided to participate instead in a digital strike. We called on everyone in our community to make a poster about why they support climate justice and the Green New Deal, take a photo of themself holding it, and post it to social media. The response was amazing, with hundreds of students and community members participating. We also had 30-40 people attend our open meeting, where we connected with each other, watched the galvanizing video "A Message From the Future with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez" and plugged new members into the movement.
The climate crisis is threatening the people we love and the places we call home. And now, COVID-19 is threatening our communities, forcing us to isolate ourselves in a time when banding together is ever more important. Both the climate crisis and COVID-19 make it clear that we are living under a system that does not work for everyone. Both crises require us to rely on collective action. Our Earth Day work reminded us that this kind of action is both possible and inspiring.
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