For the people we love
By Laura Mandelberg
Last Monday, I held a box full of the hopes, dreams, and fears of over two hundred people.
Over the weekend, we had taken part in a Sunrise summit in Providence, Rhode Island, learning new skills and building power with Sunrisers from all around the Northeast. The summit culminated in an action on Monday morning, when we marched to the offices of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Governor Gina Raimondo to demand that they treat the climate crisis like the emergency it is.
Outside the State House, all two hundred protesters lined up to drop letters to Governor Raimondo into a box, which it was my responsibility to carry, labeled “For the people we love.” As each person placed their letter in the box, they said one or two sentences about what they are fighting for.
(Photo credit: Abby Bresler)
I picked up the box: heavy with grief for everything we’ve already lost and fear for the uncertain future, but also light with solidarity and hope, with the promise that we can and will build a world that leaves no one behind.
Then, we took over the State House, and filled the rotunda with song.
We’re gonna rise up, rise up ’til it’s won.
(Photo credit: Corien Dijsselbloem)
A small group sat in the governor’s office and risked arrest, while the rest of us sang, chanted, and told stories: about being personally impacted by climate change, about how politicians like Gov. Raimondo refuse to take action because they’ve taken so much money from the fossil fuel industry.
When the people rise up, the powers come down.
In the end, the police chose not to arrest the sit-in group, and the governor snuck out the building’s side entrance — after her staff had told us that she was out of state. As she and her driver got into an SUV and drove away, we sang, Which side are you on?
(Photo credit: Hailey Asquin)
The arrest-risking group marched out of the State House triumphantly, and we joined hands with them and circled the entire plaza. Then we all ran into the middle of the circle, dancing and chanting, I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!
I believe that we will win.
By winning, I don’t mean that everything will be ok — that we will somehow 100% stop climate change and come out the other side unscathed. Even if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide tomorrow, there’s already a certain amount of warming baked into the climate system. As heartbreaking as it is to accept, even in a best-case scenario, people will die.
But what we can do is rise to the challenge of the climate crisis. We can still prevent the worst of climate catastrophe. We can still save countless lives.
When I say, I believe that we will win, what I mean is: I believe that we have the power to transform society. I believe that we can overthrow the old, profit-based, oppressive systems and build something better. I believe we can create a just and equitable world.
They try to stop us, but we keep coming back.
When I look around at all the brave, brilliant, beautiful people in this fight with me, how can I not believe it?
