Thousands of UUs Join Climate Strike/Next Steps Webinar October 16

The sheer power of the people resisting at this moment is breathtaking. Millions mobilized around the world to demand that our governments address the climate emergency. Thank you for your part in the Global Climate Strikes. We’re in awe of the images from around the world, demonstrating the fierce urgency of this movement. UUs came out in the thousands across the country. Our movement is energized! We’re grateful to the youth who are leading this movement around the world, we’re dedicated to continue to follow their leads and remain committed to fighting for their future now.

THANK YOU.

And as we celebrate what we achieved this past week, we know we have the capacity for more and we are preparing. We have a What’s Next? webinar planned for 10/16 so register now. Below are the three main things we need everyone to do.

BUILD LOCALLY

Our youth-led the way and propelled the Climate Strikes into one of the largest climate strikes in history. We want to center the brilliance and power of our youth and encourage you to build with local youth-led movements and create relationships in an effort to learn and adapt. Support your youth ministries in your congregation. If you need help, reach out to our Youth and Young Adult Ministries. Remember, it is not only up to the youth to save us, but for us to work in alignment with their visions for our future’s future.

MOVE NATIONALLY

We the people create and sustain change locally, state-by-state, regionally — and we must continue to build nationally! A broad new vibrant coalition has come together through the climate strikes that include 350, Future Coalition, Our Children’s Trust, Sunrise Movement, Move On, faith communities, and others. Together, we are developing a diverse set of strategies to address the climate crisis

We UUs can do our part to organize our faith community as strongly as possible.

Join our What’s Next After the Climate Strike Webinar on Oct. 16, 4 pm PT.

We will hear from local, regional and national leaders on the impacts of the Climate Strikes and explore new opportunities and reaffirm avenues to create a sustainable economy for our climate and a just transition for our people. This will be a lively conversation and learning opportunity. Please register to join us live or be notified when the recording is available.

ACT GLOBALLY & VOTE YOUR VALUES

We know that each of the guiding principles of our faith and our campaigns for justice are unattainable in the face of widespread climate injustice and chaos. The current US government and many state governments sanctions state violence to protect the fossil fuel industry gains and criminalize water protectors, climate protesters, and indigenous peoples. It persecutes climate refugees through cruel, harsh immigration policies. It perpetuates environment racism. We are called to engage this at every level possible. We can bring our vision, our resources and our selves into relationship with communities most impacted who are leading the way into sustainable and equitable futures.

The Youth Climate Strike coalition has issued a set of concrete demands. Use these demands to guide your electoral work — which must be one of our strategies for achieving justice.

As Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray wrote after the strikes: “I’m so proud and moved to see the many ways and many places that Unitarian Universalists showed up for the youth-led #GlobalClimateStrike. Following the leadership of young people, whose lives will be deeply impacted by our patterns of consumption and extraction today, we faithfully embodied our values in what is likely the largest climate action in history. Onward, friends!”

Subscribe to our Create Climate Justice newsletter and connect with other UUs on CreateClimateJustice.net to continue the conversation and build your skills to create a more just climate!

Thank you again for your witness this week. We’re in this together.

Yours in solidarity and resistance,

The UUA Organizing and Strategy Team