The youth-led Sunrise Movement held a three-day sit-in outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee to demand a climate-specific 2020 debate. (Photo: Sunrise Movement)
Jul 03, 2019
With the DNC set to vote next month on whether to host a 2020 presidential debate focused specifically on the climate crisis, the youth-led Sunrise Movement is planning a mass mobilization aimed at ensuring the Democratic leadership approves the grassroots demand that is backed by nearly every Democratic presidential contender and 64 percent of the party's voters.
"We're going to show up at the offices of our local DNC members and make sure that they feel the pressure."
--Sunrise Movement
During the DNC's national meeting on August 22-24, committee members from each state are expected to vote on a resolution calling for an official climate-focused debate, which activists argued is more necessary than ever after the first two Democratic debates in Miami, Florida devoted a combined 15 minutes to the planetary emergency.
Ahead of the vote, Sunrise said it plans to hold demonstrations at the local offices of DNC members nationwide to make clear that "the people demand a climate debate."
"For the next seven weeks until that meeting," Sunrise said in an email to supporters on Wednesday, "we're going to show up at the offices of our local DNC members and make sure that they feel the pressure."
"To win, we need to make Democratic Party members in every state feel the urgency of the climate crisis and the absolute need for a climate debate," the group said. "That means we're going to need demonstrations at Democratic Party offices across the country: Whether that's a speak-out outside their office, an office takeover, a sit-in, or sitting-in outside."
\u201cElection season is just getting started and the grassroots energy is already putting points on the board. Dem candidates and voters both support the #ClimateDebate. \n\nWe have 7 weeks to get the @DNC on this hype train. \ud83d\ude82\ud83d\ude82\ud83d\ude82\n\nhttps://t.co/J0TPQ4J4fC\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1562174220
Last week, as 2020 Democratic presidential candidates debated inside the Knight Concert Hall in Miami, dozens of youth Sunrise activists camped out on the steps of the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. to demand a climate debate.
It appears the pressure campaign had an impact, despite DNC chairman Tom Perez's opposition to a climate-specific debate.
On Saturday, HuffPostreported, the DNC executive committee voted unanimously to send a climate debate resolution to a vote before the full committee.
Now, Sunrise said on its website, "It's time to turn up the heat."
\u201c@DNC After mounting pressure, the @DNC scheduled a #ClimateDebate vote at this August \ud83e\udd73 \n\nWe have momentum on our side, but need local support to win. Last night, we asked the 700+ ppl on our mass call to attend or plan an action near them. Join our fight! https://t.co/F8Rm36SRkr\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1562085923
Sunrise will not be alone in mobilizing in support of a climate debate before the DNC's vote next month.
In an email to supporters on Wednesday, 350 Action said it is "building an army of volunteers to keep the pressure on the DNC ahead of their August 23rd decision."
"In the first two debates, just six percent of questions were climate-related. Giving mere lip service to the greatest existential threat the world faces today is unacceptable," said Jenny Marienau, program manager at 350 Action. "The climate crisis deserves more than 6% of our attention--we need a 100 percent focused climate conversation if we are serious about solving this existential threat."
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With the DNC set to vote next month on whether to host a 2020 presidential debate focused specifically on the climate crisis, the youth-led Sunrise Movement is planning a mass mobilization aimed at ensuring the Democratic leadership approves the grassroots demand that is backed by nearly every Democratic presidential contender and 64 percent of the party's voters.
"We're going to show up at the offices of our local DNC members and make sure that they feel the pressure."
--Sunrise Movement
During the DNC's national meeting on August 22-24, committee members from each state are expected to vote on a resolution calling for an official climate-focused debate, which activists argued is more necessary than ever after the first two Democratic debates in Miami, Florida devoted a combined 15 minutes to the planetary emergency.
Ahead of the vote, Sunrise said it plans to hold demonstrations at the local offices of DNC members nationwide to make clear that "the people demand a climate debate."
"For the next seven weeks until that meeting," Sunrise said in an email to supporters on Wednesday, "we're going to show up at the offices of our local DNC members and make sure that they feel the pressure."
"To win, we need to make Democratic Party members in every state feel the urgency of the climate crisis and the absolute need for a climate debate," the group said. "That means we're going to need demonstrations at Democratic Party offices across the country: Whether that's a speak-out outside their office, an office takeover, a sit-in, or sitting-in outside."
\u201cElection season is just getting started and the grassroots energy is already putting points on the board. Dem candidates and voters both support the #ClimateDebate. \n\nWe have 7 weeks to get the @DNC on this hype train. \ud83d\ude82\ud83d\ude82\ud83d\ude82\n\nhttps://t.co/J0TPQ4J4fC\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1562174220
Last week, as 2020 Democratic presidential candidates debated inside the Knight Concert Hall in Miami, dozens of youth Sunrise activists camped out on the steps of the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. to demand a climate debate.
It appears the pressure campaign had an impact, despite DNC chairman Tom Perez's opposition to a climate-specific debate.
On Saturday, HuffPostreported, the DNC executive committee voted unanimously to send a climate debate resolution to a vote before the full committee.
Now, Sunrise said on its website, "It's time to turn up the heat."
\u201c@DNC After mounting pressure, the @DNC scheduled a #ClimateDebate vote at this August \ud83e\udd73 \n\nWe have momentum on our side, but need local support to win. Last night, we asked the 700+ ppl on our mass call to attend or plan an action near them. Join our fight! https://t.co/F8Rm36SRkr\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1562085923
Sunrise will not be alone in mobilizing in support of a climate debate before the DNC's vote next month.
In an email to supporters on Wednesday, 350 Action said it is "building an army of volunteers to keep the pressure on the DNC ahead of their August 23rd decision."
"In the first two debates, just six percent of questions were climate-related. Giving mere lip service to the greatest existential threat the world faces today is unacceptable," said Jenny Marienau, program manager at 350 Action. "The climate crisis deserves more than 6% of our attention--we need a 100 percent focused climate conversation if we are serious about solving this existential threat."
With the DNC set to vote next month on whether to host a 2020 presidential debate focused specifically on the climate crisis, the youth-led Sunrise Movement is planning a mass mobilization aimed at ensuring the Democratic leadership approves the grassroots demand that is backed by nearly every Democratic presidential contender and 64 percent of the party's voters.
"We're going to show up at the offices of our local DNC members and make sure that they feel the pressure."
--Sunrise Movement
During the DNC's national meeting on August 22-24, committee members from each state are expected to vote on a resolution calling for an official climate-focused debate, which activists argued is more necessary than ever after the first two Democratic debates in Miami, Florida devoted a combined 15 minutes to the planetary emergency.
Ahead of the vote, Sunrise said it plans to hold demonstrations at the local offices of DNC members nationwide to make clear that "the people demand a climate debate."
"For the next seven weeks until that meeting," Sunrise said in an email to supporters on Wednesday, "we're going to show up at the offices of our local DNC members and make sure that they feel the pressure."
"To win, we need to make Democratic Party members in every state feel the urgency of the climate crisis and the absolute need for a climate debate," the group said. "That means we're going to need demonstrations at Democratic Party offices across the country: Whether that's a speak-out outside their office, an office takeover, a sit-in, or sitting-in outside."
\u201cElection season is just getting started and the grassroots energy is already putting points on the board. Dem candidates and voters both support the #ClimateDebate. \n\nWe have 7 weeks to get the @DNC on this hype train. \ud83d\ude82\ud83d\ude82\ud83d\ude82\n\nhttps://t.co/J0TPQ4J4fC\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1562174220
Last week, as 2020 Democratic presidential candidates debated inside the Knight Concert Hall in Miami, dozens of youth Sunrise activists camped out on the steps of the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. to demand a climate debate.
It appears the pressure campaign had an impact, despite DNC chairman Tom Perez's opposition to a climate-specific debate.
On Saturday, HuffPostreported, the DNC executive committee voted unanimously to send a climate debate resolution to a vote before the full committee.
Now, Sunrise said on its website, "It's time to turn up the heat."
\u201c@DNC After mounting pressure, the @DNC scheduled a #ClimateDebate vote at this August \ud83e\udd73 \n\nWe have momentum on our side, but need local support to win. Last night, we asked the 700+ ppl on our mass call to attend or plan an action near them. Join our fight! https://t.co/F8Rm36SRkr\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1562085923
Sunrise will not be alone in mobilizing in support of a climate debate before the DNC's vote next month.
In an email to supporters on Wednesday, 350 Action said it is "building an army of volunteers to keep the pressure on the DNC ahead of their August 23rd decision."
"In the first two debates, just six percent of questions were climate-related. Giving mere lip service to the greatest existential threat the world faces today is unacceptable," said Jenny Marienau, program manager at 350 Action. "The climate crisis deserves more than 6% of our attention--we need a 100 percent focused climate conversation if we are serious about solving this existential threat."
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