Photo courtesy of Amira Odeh
Youth around the world are standing up to fight against the fossil fuel industry and the government officials who have allowed them to destroy our planet and communities for their own private benefit. On September 20, the streets will be filled with people who care about our future as part of the global Climate Strike called by Greta Thunberg and other amazing climate organizers. I will be striking for Puerto Rico—the places, the people, and the culture I love.
Young people are tired of seeing politicians discuss over and over again what they will do about climate change without seeing them taking bold decisions and showing leadership to stop the climate crisis. Every year we see in the news more meetings about climate where leaders sign treaties that don’t mean much and don’t require urgent action. Meanwhile, people in Puerto Rico fear more disasters fueled by climate change, and young people can’t see ourselves living a safe future.
While striking in Puerto Rico on September 20, we will also be remembering the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria. We will think about the lives lost, the families separated, the memories destroyed, and the thousands of families that still live with a blue tarp instead of a roof due to government inefficiency. We are not prepared to live through another hurricane, yet we know that hurricanes are becoming more intense every year due to the climate crisis.
In addition to larger and stronger hurricanes, Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean face drought, heat waves, coral bleaching, sea-level rise, and more dengue fever outbreaks. All of these are issues that will be hard to manage, not only because of increasing temperatures but also because of the economic problems caused in large part by the history of colonization in the region.
In Puerto Rico our Climate Strike will demand that AES safely dispose of their poisonous coal ash pile, and call for an end to plans initiated by disgraced former Governor Rosselló to build three new liquified natural gas terminals on every side of our island. The people of Puerto Rico want solar—not dirty gas that will leave our island dependent on imported fossil fuels for generations.
We need to stand up and show that lives are more valuable than profits and that our voices are powerful. Young people like me are worried about our future. This September 20, we will show the entire planet that we are ready to fight for a world that is safe and equitable where everyone can have access to the resources they need to survive.
The Climate Strike has been called by youth, but we can’t fight for our futures alone. We call on people of all ages to walk out of their jobs, homes, and schools on September 20 to show elected leaders that we won’t wait any longer for action on climate.
Join the movement. Find a #ClimateStrike near you by visiting sc.org/climatestrike today.