By: Kathryn Link-Oberstar, Fundraising Team Co-Lead
This year has been a whirlwind. From pandemic lock-downs, a tumultuous election season, and the largest racial justice uprisings in our country’s history, I am grateful for every volunteer and supporter who has helped us weather this storm. The vulnerabilities in our society revealed and amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic have reinforced the urgency of a people-powered movement committed to climate justice for all. We need a mass movement of engaged community members to achieve climate justice action at the scale and speed necessary to avert disaster — and to build that movement we need everyone: people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. And we need the tools, training, and support structures to empower them.
SanDiego350’s initiatives are powered by 100 active members and dozens of dedicated team leaders. The fundraising team is run by dedicated volunteers just like you, committed to building grassroots financial support to amplify each of our members’ impact through leadership development, training, coaching, and paid staff to provide support on key projects. In 2020, with the support of our incredible donors, volunteers, collaborators, and supporters, we empowered dozens of high school students, engaged more than 3,000 San Diegans in 2020 through virtual actions, expanded our organization, and established the new Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team to lead anti-racism initiatives.
SanDiego350 is ready to get to work in 2021. With local election results creating significant new opportunities for climate action, we know that we have the chance to achieve a climate mandate, but nothing is guaranteed. Now more than ever, we must stay in the fight for a just, sustainable future by reshaping and growing diverse climate leadership, mobilizing our community, and leading bold, effective campaigns. With your support, we can continue to expand programs that empower youth and leaders of all ages to fight for a Green New Deal, better Franchise Agreements, building electrification, and more!
We are building a movement for the long haul, engaging the future leaders of San Diego’s climate movement in these key ways:
- Building youth power in the movement through the Youth4Climate Summer Camp, Youth4Climate Action Summit, Eco-club support, and Fellowship program.
- Providing tools, training, and support for our volunteers and leaders through workshops, training, and coaching, and
- Mobilizing San Diegans to take meaningful action.
Our leaders and volunteers are also committed to advancing key campaigns, including:
- Creating a diverse county-wide coalition to advocate for building electrification
- Transportation Justice and Transit
- A Strong County Climate Action Plan, and
- Fight for a better franchise agreement with Sempra
We are at a critical moment for the climate movement, and we must continue to mobilize our people in even greater numbers in 2021.
I encourage you to donate SanDiego350 before the end of the year. Your contribution will help us amplify the work of our volunteers and continue the vital work of fighting for climate justice, and building a more livable, sustainable, and equitable world.