By: Kathy Slaughter

    Inauguration Week could have been an immensely dispiriting time for environmentalists and human rights proponents. The Women’s March and many other opportunities for action and camaraderie instead made that week feel exciting and empowering. A coalition of twenty groups came together in October and formed Western Colorado Days of Action. Sierra Club and many other groups planned activities which counterbalanced the grim reality of Trump’s inauguration.

    Many activities filled the week. On Monday Sierra Club joined the Martin Luther King Day march through downtown Grand Junction to Handy Chapel. More than 300 people attended the march, more than twice than previous years. Through the week we attended readings, a film on immigrant lives, a storytelling event, and finally the Women’s March. Many of you in the community attended that historic march. More than 3,000 persons (some estimated up to 5,000) marched and chanted for women’s empowerment. So many community activists joined together to be sure our presence and voices were known. 

   So that the momentum is kept going, Western Colorado Days of Action continues to meet and plan events. Weekly postcard writing and phone calling on Thursday mornings at Main Street Bagels is keeping the pressure on for a voice in congressional actions. Several rallies have been held in front of Senator Gardner’s offices to draw attention to our opposition to presidential cabinet nominees and to request a town hall meeting. 

    The week of Earth Day in April is to be filled with several events as well. On April 22 there will be a Science March from another city park to Lincoln Park in Grand Junction at noon. Plans are being finalized to gather at Sherwood or Hawthorne Park and walk to Lincoln Park where the Arbor Fest/Earth Day festival will be taking place. Days of Action is planning several environmental speakers at the south end of the park near Gunnison Street and in the Lincoln Park barn.

    Sierra Club will share information on apex predators that we will also discuss after a film the Wednesday before at the library. See the calendar of events for more on that.

    Join us for the film, the march or the festival to show your support for the environment. Sierra Club will have a booth at the fair as usual, and we need volunteers to hand out literature at the booth. Join us in planning as well. Check the Western Colorado Days of Action Facebook page for information on how to join that group.