Worcester and Springfield Residents Come Together for Climate Day of Action

WORCESTER - Hundreds of people rallied at Institute Park in Worcester to demand elected leaders take action to create a safe, healthy, sustainable, and equitable future. This event was one of over 400 taking place simultaneously around the world. Ralliers stood in solidarity with marchers in San Francisco who flooded the streets demanding action from governors and business leaders at the Global Climate Action Summit, while communities across the nation came together to galvanize engagement in the midterm elections.

Organizers and participants called on Governor Charlie Baker and other elected officials to invest in green and living wage jobs, shield residents from state violence, and commit to a just transition to 100% renewable energy statewide. A just transition away from fossil fuels must include meaningful participation from local entities and community members who have previously been excluded from the clean energy revolution.

Featured speakers included Lucelia de Jesus of Amar Para Puerto Rico, Eugenia Gibbons of Green Energy Consumers Alliance (formerly Mass Energy Consumers Alliance), Israel Pierre of SEIU 509, Wayhia WolfPaw of Ex-prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA), and Eduardo Samaniego of Pioneer Valley Workers Center.

“Fighting climate change means creating jobs that are just, family sustaining, and provide livable wages.” said Errica Saunders, a volunteer leader with 350 Central Mass. “These jobs are here now in the renewables and green industries.  Access to these jobs and the trainings that go with them should be made available to all our communities, but by making them available to our most vulnerable communities means we are fighting climate change in a just, sustainable way.”

“The significant threats to our environment and our health can be addressed if we tackle the energy system.” said Luz Vega of Renewable Energy Worcester. “We need to move to an energy economy that relies 100% on renewables, one that is owned and controlled by empowered communities using democratic decision-making processes.”

Organizers from national environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and Clean Water Action said they hoped the event was able to lift up local voices and help build relationships between movements in Central and Western Massachusetts.

The event closing was led by Nichole Nelson, a junior at West Boylston Middle/High School; Rachel Omotosho, a freshman at Becker College; and Mekhi Garry, a sophomore at North High School. The students shared their vision of a world free of the impending threat of climate change where immigrants do not live in fear of state violence.

"It may be too late to prevent climate change, but can we look our kids in the eye and say we’re not going to do anything to try to fix it? We can and we must try. We need to talk to strangers, and we need to turn small talk into BIG TALK.”  said Gaylen Moore, a volunteer with Mothers Out Front Worcester. “We need to think big and talk big to anyone who will listen because if we don’t, the world our kids and grandkids live in will be unrecognizable—and unsafe.”

Activists from Springfield, Northampton, and Amherst carpooled and even rented a bus to join the event in Worcester.

Worcester RISE for Climate, Jobs and Justice was hosted by 350 Central MA, The Massachusetts Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, Mothers Out Front Worcester, Renewable Energy Worcester, WooRides, Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, Arise for Social Justice, Climate Action Now, and Sugar Shack Alliance.

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