“We believe in science, we believe in the truth. We are not going to be lied to. The sweetness and bitterness of our past present and future resilience, that is the message today.”
On Friday, September 27th, 2019 at the Brazilian Consulate in downtown Los Angeles a few thousand of all age brackets gathered for a massive Global Climate Strike focusing on a stable climate for future generations, protecting people’s rights to clean air and water as well as deforestation, land invasions, indigenous people and violations of indigenous territories, and the fires in the Amazon. It is estimated that over 2 million people took part in over 2,400 protests taking place across 4,500 locations in over 150 countries as a part of the Global Climate Strike inspired by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg from Sweden. There were drum beats, many musicians and speakers throughout the day, lots of burning sage and plenty of honking horns in support of those gathered.
Paola
“My name is Paola your MC for today, I’ll be presenting the speakers. I’m an organizer for SoCal 350 we helped put on today’s event. We’re out here today at the Brazilian Consulate because we are witnessing a rise in late state capitalism. We’re seeing a lot of transnational coordination between fascists, between colonizers who are continuing the legacy of colonialism, so our job is to defend the Earth.”
-Paola
Miren Pino
“I didn’t go to school today, I came out here to protest. I live in Idyllwild three hours away. Especially recently because of everything I’ve been seeing on social media climate change has been bouncing around in my head a lot more. It’s become a fear of mine what we are getting ourselves into, and it shocks me that more people aren’t out here fighting for this because this will affect all of us a lot sooner than we think.”
-Miren Pino
Michael Williams
“I found out about this protest through Extinction Rebellion. I heard there was another protest going on today so I came here because the climate is dying, the Earth is on fire and we’re out here trying to change it.”
-Michael Williams.
Amado L. & Raquelle L.
“He’s missing a history test to be here. I emailed his teacher, and the irony of this story is that although she was incredibly supportive about him being here, he is still getting marked absent in class. I said it’s ironic that he’s missing a history test to participate in a part of human history that really needs more participation.”
– Raquelle L., Mother of Amado
Karen Flaherty
“My name is Karen Flaherty. I’m from New York. I’m on a 10,000-mile climate emergency tour which includes Extinction Rebellion talking to people. The station I belong to is great, I work with organizing and they’re absolutely fabulous. ”
-Karen Flaherty
“Our representatives are really shy about speaking because they still have loved ones in their homelands that are being attacked and being killed. I just want to thank you, my heart feels good because 3 years ago we were talking about Dapple, defending water there for 22 million people all across the world. The youth Indigenous runners from Standing Rock to Washington D.C. set this off. We stand with Greta (Thunberg), we stand with the Indigenous youth from Standing Rock who are now young adults. Much love and respect. “
Article and Photographs by Maggie St.Thomas
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