Above photo: Anthony Chen.
Youth and elder activists demand swift action on climate crisis.
Over the President’s Day weekend more than 70 activists from 10 states and representing countless organizations convened once again at 909 Centre Road, a Delaware Department of Transportation right of way near President Joe Biden’s home. This event was attended not by centrist environmentalists but rather by organizations at the intersection of climate, class, racial and environmental justice.
The demands of Occupy Biden are that President Biden declare a national climate emergency and pledge to allow no new fossil fuel projects. A peaceful but vocal and committed crowd of mostly teen and young adult activists took these demands to Biden’s residence along with drummers, banners, and solidarity chants such as “climate change is class war.” The final event was a picket line in front of Biden’s home where each participant was given a chance to say why they were attending Occupy Biden. A few of the statements made were:
“I’m here because I’m tired of being part of the generation that has no option but to mourn our planet. Joe Biden be bold!” Tim, event participant
“I’m here because I don’t want to live in a world with millions of refugees and mass starvation.” Anonymous, event participant
“I’m here because when climate inaction happens, it happens to all of us on the ground, it happens to everyday people, and if Congress will be stagnant on this issue like the festering swamp that it is, then we need executive action to be brave, and to be bold, and to declare a climate emergency.” Alexandra Hunt, Congressional candidate 3rd district, Philadelphia
“As an elder, it was inspiring to see so many young people leading the fight. Because my generation — the Boomers — should have done more because we knew enough, I often worried about how I would be accepted by young people engaged in the fight to save a planet hospitable to human life. I needn’t have. Young people are leaders on that front, too.”
Over the weekend mini events were held including: a war and climate speaker series; a community organization climate-focused roundtable; a Zoom discussion about the international climate crisis and its impacts with Fridays for Future Ugandan activist Nyombi Morris; and a Heading For Extinction talk…the introductory discussion of climate science and the social science of direct action, given by Eric Moss of Extinction Rebellion Philadelphia.
Saturday afternoon brought snow squalls and 50 mph winds; on Sunday the low was 19 degrees; and on Monday temps were nearly 60 and dandelion blooms and tree buds were popping out at our Occupy Biden site. Vegan and vegetarian food with reusable table ware was offered, bought from locally owned small restaurants; power was provided by solar panel-charged battery packs; many carpooled to get to the event.
Occupy Biden will be back if their two demands are not met. In addition, there are many direct actions being planned up and down the East Coast and across the country this spring to demand swift action on our climate crisis. It is globally accepted by scientists and governments that we have a very short window of time left to take action, and people are fed up with the U.S. Executive branch not doing everything they can to address our climate and ecological crisis.