Yesterday, 150 or more activists rallied together in Atlanta to support Obama's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP) and a strong federal implementation policy.
The day started at the Sam Nunn Federal Building, where doctors, scientists, clean energy business owners, parents, faith leaders and more drove the morning session, with only one testifier from the opposition speaking.
At the lunch break, supporters jumped on a bus over to Morehouse College, where more than 50 student activists from Morehouse, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University joined.
Rev. Raphael Warnock, Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church began with an uplifting speech on the health and economic benefits of the CPP; particularly those benefits for the communities of color disproportionately affected by burning fossil fuels.
Other speakers included the National Bar Association President Ben Crump (who represented the families of both Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown); Mothers & Others for Clean Air founder Laura Turner Seydel; Rev. William Flippin of the Georgia NAACP; Morehouse student and COP21 HBCU delegate Kaylon Patterson; Spelman College activist Kayla Hunter; local pediatrician Dr. Yolanda Whyte and White House Champion of Change Dr. Rev. Gerald L. Durley.
After Dr. Rev. Durley rallied the crowd in his usual fashion, the Sierra Club, Mr. Crump, Georgia Chapter Director Colleen Kiernan, and Rev. Flippin all met with Morehouse College President Dr. John Silvanus Wilson Jr. Dr. Wilson shared his vision for working with the Atlanta University Center Consortium presidents to make their institutions HBCU climate leaders.
Back at the Sam Nunn Federal Building, Southern Company and the Heartland Institute attended the afternoon session and Montessori School third-graders Katy and Harper made a strong case for a strong CPP, asking their EPA to clean up our air and protect our common home.