Below are the remarks from our Chapter Director Lisa Young from today's Election Reflection gathering with other amazing Idaho organizations, which Idaho Sierra Club was grateful to be part of:
For me, a theme of this year has been trying to find and build togetherness - community - even while we're so isolated, far apart, and facing terrifying circumstances. And I'm so grateful to be together with you all, with all these amazing organizations rooted in community, doing just that today.
The results of the year’s elections, in Idaho and across the U.S., show some glimmers of hope, with of course the defeat of Trump, historic voter turnout, and the election of several LGBTQ, BIPOC, young, and progressive leaders, but simultaneously a disturbing trend in the other direction, as well.
More than ever, we must continue to build that togetherness, that community, that solidarity, to continue growing our collective movement for justice in our communities - for racial justice, for Indigenous justice, for immigrant justice, for LGBTQ justice, for economic and worker justice, for climate justice.
We can build the world we know is possible, that we need, that communities deserve, through that collective power, that togetherness. Having Biden in the White House is not going to automatically solve all the structural inequities we face in our society, all the systems of oppression, the climate chaos brewing in our atmosphere, all of which existed long before the last four years of the Trump administration.
It will be up to us to continue organizing together in our communities, following the leadership of BIPOC and LGBTQ visionary strategists, shifting the public imagination of what’s possible, building that collective vision for communities on the margins to not only survive but thrive, and holding our elected officials accountable to the will of those communities.
Housing, healthcare, education, criminal justice, environment, jobs, and human dignity and respect. We know what change is needed, and we know that we have a lot of work to do.
We are sitting on the shoulders of so many powerful movements of the past - and are in fact sitting shoulder-to-shoulder right now as powerful movements of the present. This is our moment to come together, in solidarity, to address these intersecting crises in a transformational way, to lift up those on the frontlines of these fights and center our values of equity and justice every step of the way.
For Sierra Club, that’s what climate justice means, that’s what it looks like.
Here in Idaho, we are shutting down toxic coal plants, winning local commitments for 100% Clean Energy For All, fighting for customer and community-owned solar power, fighting to save the sacred salmon from extinction. But we have a lot of storms - of all kinds - to weather ahead, as evidenced by this year, these election results, and frankly the long stormy history of this country. Together, in community, in solidarity, in mutual aid, we can build the strength to withstand and calm those storms.
Thanks again to all the amazing organizations, all the badass organizers, and everyone joining this community space today to build just that.
Watch the full recording of this virtual event here.
