Recent attacks on democracy and justice have given rise to many movements to resist and fight back. However, what often seem to be disparate struggles are heavily intertwined, and those engaged in them are stronger together. The Light Brigade Network is working with the Global Climate Convergence (GCC) to bring the interconnected nature of these movements to light.
The GCC is a broad coalition that is staging a series of education and direct action efforts within the 10-day window between Earth Day and May Day. It is building collaborations across national borders and fronts of struggle, in order to harness the transformative power we already possess as a multitude of social movements across the planet. Earth Day to May Day 2014 is the first in a series of planned annual actions.
The Light Brigade Network regularly gives visibility to this wide array of struggles through their unique lighted messages, and many brigades have already taken out Earth Day to May Day messages.
The recently formed DC Light Brigade joined The Other 98% and Oil Change International for a visit to the U.S. Environmental Agency. Once there, they staged a solidarity action with Reject & Protect, a week-long protest against the Keystone XL pipeline in Washington DC organized by the Cowboy and Indian Alliance.
Post by 350.org.
The Overpass Light Brigade carried out actions in two different Wisconsin cities in support of the GCC. In the first, the group held “PLANET OVER PROFIT” on the Ring Street pedestrian overpass bridge over northbound I-43 traffic leaving downtown Milwaukee.
In the second action, the group chose to visit Madison, where the headquarters of “Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce,” the state’s Chamber of Commerce affiliate. The group is known for their rightwing, corporatist influence peddling and promotion of unregulated extractive industries. OLB’s primary message was STOP FUNDING CLIMATE CHANGE, which they held for both photographers and passersby on the busy thoroughfare.
They then changed out that message to hold three others: PEOPLE OVER PROFIT, PEACE OVER PROFIT, and PLANET OVER PROFIT.
Post by Overpass Light Brigade.
In Germany, Light Brigade Cologne / Germany also got in on the action, with multiple messages supporting the GCC.
Post by Light Brigade Cologne / Germany
The Detroit Light Brigade joined the Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands (MICATS) in front of the Chase Building in downtown with a message and a projection. The group was pushing the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment campaign happening at universities around the globe to pull institutional money from companies that pollute for profit.
Post by Valerie Jean.
Meanwhile, the Denver Light Brigade put pressure on the city to change a shameful piece of legislation that criminalizes homelessness. The Urban Camping Ban Ordinance, passed by the Denver City Council in 2012, essentially makes it illegal to sleep outside anywhere in Denver with so much as a blanket.
Post by Denver Light Brigade.
The North Texas Light Brigade visited a busy section of Dallas and held a “LOVE MOTHER EARTH” message for all to see. They also handed out GCC flyers explaining the purpose of the Convergence.
Post by NTLB North Texas Light Brigade.
In New York City the NYC Light Brigade deployed a message for passersby to see…
Overpass Light Brigade – San Diego stood on an overpass bridge towering over busy traffic with the GCC’s Earth Day to May Day slogan “People, Planet & Peace Over Profit”.
The Orlando Light Brigade was joined by members of Fix the Blue Marble, who are working in Central Florida on the KXL Pledge of Resistance. Nearly 100,000 people have signed an online “Pledge of Resistance“ to engage in non-violent civil disobedience if needed to stop the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Over 100 actions are ready to deploy on short notice across the country should the decision be made to go through with the pipeline.