Students gather to demand action against climate change
Protesters display signs at the Climate Change Strike at the Capitol on Friday. The protest was organized to demand government action against climate change.
September 21, 2019
Students from various schools gathered at the California Capitol Friday to demand government action to combat climate change.
The protest was a part of Fridays For Future’s “Week For Future”event. Fridays For Future is a global organization that follows Swedish activist Greta Thunburg’s action against climate change. Global protests were planned for Friday and Sept. 27.
According to their website, 1,280 people registered for the event at the Capitol.
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Strikers head to State Capitol West Steps demanding #ClimateChangeJustice @TheStateHornet pic.twitter.com/2qCFDe3Ht3
— Kendra Linnette (@iamkendralinnet) September 20, 2019
Supriya Patel, 13, is the founder of Fridays For Future’s Sacramento Chapter and was the first student to speak.
Patel demanded Gov. Gavin Newsom take responsibility for the state’s role in the current environmental climate crisis.
“We demand that our government officials co-sponsor the National Climate Emergency Declaration,” said Patel. “We demand that Governor Newsom not authorize any more fossil fuel projects.”
Sacramento State’s Environmental Student Organization attended to support the strike.
“We came out to the strike today to show that we care and that we want to make a difference,” said Sele Martinez, the president of the organization. “We want to declare Sacramento in a climate emergency”.
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Sac State’s #EnviornmentalStudentOrganization ‘s Treasurer Oscar Velez talks about the strike and why ESO came to support it @TheStateHornet pic.twitter.com/bPWhhe7OvJ
— Kendra Linnette (@iamkendralinnet) September 20, 2019
Sac State student member Katelyn Rosenbauer said that the strike should show legislatures that Sacramento wants action against climate change.
“The Sacramento community is coming together to raise awareness for climate change, to make the legislatures listen to what we have to say,” Rosenbauer said. “And let them know we care about the environment and so should they.”
Hana Uhler, 17, a Lincoln High School senior, also spoke at the event.
“We cannot allow politicians to tell us that they are on our side unless they plan on meeting our demands,” Uhler said. “We have nothing to lose if we do act, and everything to lose if we don’t.”