The global climate strike, held on Sept. 20, shut down Congress Street in Portland with a crowd of over 2,000 people. When we invited the city councilors and mayors, we had a very specific ask: for the cities of Portland and South Portland to declare climate emergency.
Two months and lots of work later, it’s accomplished. On Nov. 18, the Portland City Council followed South Portland’s lead and voted unanimously to pass the emergency resolution.
During that process, youth organizers have already moved forward. There is now a new goal in sight: the state declaring climate emergency. Building on the momentum of the Sept. 20 strikes, the next global strike that the United States will participate in is Dec. 6. On that day, kids and adults will gather in Portland and Brunswick, to rally, chant, sing and strike.
Since I wrote my first letter to the editor last year, Gov. Mills has taken enormous steps in policy to combat the climate crisis here in Maine. However, there are steps to be taken further, and we believe that climate emergency is the way to do it.
So join us from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6 at Portland City Hall, or noontime at Brunswick Town Mall. Come to be a part of this global movement.
See you there.
Anna Siegel
Yarmouth
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