By Jaidacyn Madrigal, Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator
MLK Day and the Inauguration all on the same day? Seems like an oxymoron, right?
MLK Day is a day to remember Martin Luther King Jr., a fierce leader and a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, which fought back against racial discrimination and injustice. Martin Luther King Jr., led with peace and courage, and was a voice for the oppressed. He stood up for justice and equity and demanded change. In many ways Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement started the foundation for many of today’s mass people’s movements including peaceful protest, civil disobedience, and sit-ins.
On this same day is the Inauguration of a president who stands for something very different. A president who actively seeks to rollback people’s rights – women’s rights, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, etc. For the next 4 years, many of our friends and neighbors will live in fear; fear of not having control over their own bodies, fear of being deported, and fear of not being able to live freely. It’s scary to not feel protected, and even nonprofits helping to protect people and the planet could be at risk of having their nonprofit status taken away. It feels as though we are reverting back in time.
To top it all off, we are swearing into office a climate change-denying president, who’s cabinet members have vested interests in fossil fuels, all in the midst of a major climate disaster. The devastating fires in Los Angeles are a stark reminder that without climate action, worsening natural disasters are our new normal.
If you feel paralyzed, scared, and anxious for the future – you are not alone. But it’s times like these that bring people together and make movements stronger and more powerful. You have our word, that we will continue to hold politicians and big oil companies accountable to pay for the damage they caused. Our Youth v. Oil and Legislative Team at SD350 is working on the “Make Polluters Pay” state legislation to force fossil fuel companies to pay up for climate damages.
Dr. King said “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” So let’s be loud – Day 1 of Trump in office is day 1 of us combating his rollbacks and fighting for the rights of all people and our planet. Once in office, we foresee Trump abandoning the Paris Climate Accord, opening up federal lands to drilling and mining, and killing incentives for electric vehicles and renewable energy projects. We will lead nonviolent direct actions in response to the imminent environmental rollbacks and continue to hold local and state elected officials accountable to strengthen climate policies. We are also planning a large-scale Climate Justice March in coalition with other organizations in late April. San Diegans will show the nation that California won’t be bullied and will continue to lead and take bold action forward.
Help us take control of our future by taking action!
- Join us at the People’s March this Saturday, January 18th and the MLK Day parade this Sunday, January 18th.
- Join our Climate March Planning Kickoff on Saturday, January 25th.
- Get to know our volunteer teams at our All-Teams Open House on Monday, February 10th and fill out this form to join a team.
- Donate to support local climate action.