Until We Win

By Emma Brown

I’ll be honest, my heart is feeling heavy today. Right now, five young people—Abby, Paul, Kidus, Ema, and Julie—are outside the White House in Washington D.C. on hunger strike until Joe Biden and Democrats deliver on their elected mandate and pass climate policy that matches the urgency and the scale of the climate emergency. Abby and Paul are good friends of mine and it hurts me to see my friends, now on day 7 of their hunger strike, putting their bodies on the line like this. We must pass the full scope of this bill or we will spiral deeper into the climate crisis. The urgency of now cannot be understated: this could be our last best chance to pass federal climate policy for the rest of the decade and we won’t back down without a fight. 

In New York City, taxi drivers have also been on hunger strike since October 20 calling for meaningful debt relief, including a proposal from NYTWA that would cap outstanding medallion loan debt at $145,000 and monthly payments at $800. While taxis probably aren’t your first thought when you think of climate solutions, we must remember that climate justice and economic justice are inextricably linked. 

Meanwhile, hourly workers across the country are quitting their jobs in droves, and unions are voting to authorize strikes (like nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Philadelphia SEPTA transit workers, and John Deere workers in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas) in response to unfair working conditions and inadequate contracts. But here’s the thing you’ll notice across all of these stories: it’s not that people don’t want to work, it’s that they won’t tolerate poor working conditions any longer. In the United States alone, over 700,000 people have died from COVID-19 (and its variants), and as a result, many folks are unwilling to put themselves at risk of illness for employers who will not treat them with respect and prioritize their safety. (I want to pause here to express my gratitude to Deb and the Sierra Club leadership for continuing to hold our safety as the top priority). 

There is federal legislation to invest in the needs of working people in the United States currently in the halls of Congress, but it’s being held up in particular by Senator Joe Manchin (WV). The reconciliation package (also referred to as the Build Back Better Act) is a mammoth set of legislation that includes investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency, creates a Civilian Climate Corps, provides financial assistance to small businesses, invests in affordable housing, guarantees family and medical leave for every worker in America, expands healthcare coverage, increases college accessibility and affordability, and provides relief to families with children. I am only scratching the surface with this list; there’s so much in the reconciliation package that I haven’t listed, but there are many resources that I’ve found helpful for digging in, especially related to climate: 

• What Does Cloture Have to Do With Climate Change? 

• Here’s what’s in the damn bill

• MEMO: President Biden is the one who can deliver the climate wins we need 

• How Joe Manchin and Republicans Could Destroy the World

• We must invest in a transportation transition — and workers

• Key to Biden’s Climate Agenda Likely to Be Cut Because of Manchin Opposition 

Let me reiterate: every person in America will benefit from the reconciliation package, but it needs to include bold climate policy. We all deserve the right to a livable future, regardless of our employment status, our income level, our citizenship status, our marital status, our race, our gender, our ability, or any of the myriad of ways that people in power oppress and exclude others. 

Here’s where you come in: our elected officials respond to pressure from the public. We need your voice to urge President Biden and members of Congress to pass the biggest and boldest legislation possible. Speaker Pelosi set a self-imposed deadline for the infrastructure deal (included as part of the Build Back Better Act) to pass by October 31st, when the authorization for surface transportation programs expires. If the bill has not passed by October 31st, Congress would need to pass a short-term extension to avoid a gap in transportation funding. That means President Biden and Congress need to hear from you today. 

• Call President Biden and leave a message demanding he deliver on his campaign promises to go bold on climate. Note: The White House public comment line is only open from 11am-3pm Eastern / 8am - 12pm Pacific Tuesday-Thursday so we want to concentrate all of our calls during that period.  

• Post your support on social media (be sure to include graphics!) and retweet/ share posts from Sierra Club and other climate leaders 

• Call Your Members of Congress! 

• Text 'THRIVE' to the number 69866 to be connected to your representative. 

• Text 'SENATORS' to the number 69866 to be connected to your senators.

• Support Abby, Paul, Kidus, Ema, and Julie as they continue their hunger strike 

• Follow & amplify the hunger strike on Twitter and Instagram  

• VOTE! Tuesday, November 2nd is election day in Massachusetts, and we’re counting on you to elect climate champions across the state. We need leaders at every level of government who will fight for climate justice, and who understand the intersectionality of climate justice with racial, economic, gender, housing, and labor justice. If you aren’t sure who to vote for, check out our 2021 municipal endorsements.