UPDATED, Sept. 29: The United Auto Workers are on strike nationwide for better pay, but another kind of strike was held Friday, Sept. 20 — a worldwide action calling attention to the Earth’s warming climate.

Arlington did its part, participating in the visibility event, called a climate strike, at Boston City Hall Plaza, followed by a march on the State House.

Crowds of people also jammed the lawn at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist, 630 Mass. Ave., at 5:30 p.m. that day, to protest climate change.

At left, Arlington High student Genevieve Baldwin (photo by Susan Gilbert) was one of several speakers.

Joining millions of people in solidarity around the world to save our planet, more than 300 Arlington students and local residents, including state Sen. Cindy Friedman, rallied in advance of the Sept. 23 United Nation’s Climate Action Summit.

“We’re trying to get climate change legislation, including100 percent renewable energy, carbon pricing, a green infrastructure and environmental justice,” explained Lori Kenschaft, Climate Action working group member, First Parish Unitarian Universalist.

Hundreds of environmental groups involved

Arlington’s rally and demonstration were organized by local climate groups. The Unitarian Universalist’s Climate Action working group spearheaded the effort, with support from organizations such as the League of Women Voters, Mothers Out Front and Sustainable Arlington.

“More than 200 organizations across the state—including child welfare, economic justice and environmental groups—are working together to promote climate change,” said Kenschaft.

Speeches

Chloë Briedé, First Parish Unitarian Universalist intern minister, welcomed the crowd. “I’m proud and honored to have our youths organizing for climate change. Our faith has a long history of fighting for our planet, and I pray this will be a step toward the action needed to preserve our planet for future generations.”

Baldwin said, “The Amazon is burning. Oceans are rising. Polar bears are dying. People are being greedy. We’re desperate and frustrated. Because we’re young, many people don’t take us seriously, but they should. This isn’t a ‘young-people’ problem, it’s an ‘everyone’ problem.”

Ottoson student Samantha Raugh said, “It’s important that we do everything we can to save the planet because there’s no replica of Earth in the solar system, and we can’t just trash planets and get a new one. We have to act now, or there won’t be time to save our planet.”

Brucie Moulton, Arlington Mothers Out Front co-coordinator and Sustainable Arlington co-chair, summed up the students’ activism. “Today’s youth, awake to the climate crisis, are working to build public awareness and understanding of the climate crisis and are demanding action.”

Demonstration

After the speeches, the demonstrators spread out to all four corners of Mass Ave and Pleasant St adjacent to the First Parish Unitarian Universalist.

Holding and waving handmade signs, with statements such as “There is no Planet B,” they publicized to the myriad of people and vehicles at rush hour passing by the need for major changes. Drivers loudly beeped their horns, creating an almost nonstop chorus of car honking, in solidarity and support for the need to address climate change.

Thompson

The Thompson Green Team held a climate rally before school at 7:50 a.m. that day, near the playgrounds, as part of the global effort.

Students are invited to dress as superheroes or animals and make their own signs for the rally.

A group of elementary-school students have been writing postcards to Gov. Charles Baker, to be delivered to State House later that day by Arlington families.

Students participate, comment

At the Boston rally, the AHS Young Progressives from Arlington High School group is expected to lead more than 40 student protesters.

Elizabeth Gromfin, an AHS junior, who plans to attend, told YourArlington intern Ella Gomes:

“This strike is important to me because climate change is directly affecting the world around us and will continue on impacting the world, unless we band together with a common mission and purpose, and so I think the climate strike in Boston is a great chance for thousands of people to unite with a common purpose and speak out for what they believe in.”

The Youth Climate Strike MA is among the leaders, calling for solidarity with Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg and the widespread concern for the future of life on our planet.

Add your voice to the many organizations involved. They include:

League of Women Voters of Arlington,
Sustainable Arlington,
Mothers Out Front,
Sunrise Movement Boston,
350 Massachusetts,
Extinction Rebellion MA,
UU Mass Action,
GreenRoots,
League of Women Voters of Massachusetts,
March For Our Lives MA,
Clean Water Action,
Divest Harvard,
Mass. Sierra Club,
Climate Action Now,
Toxics Action Center,
Massachusetts Teachers Association,
Our Climate and
Oxfam.

For further up-to-date information, see strikewithus.org/boston/

Janger’s email about absences

On Friday, Sept. 13, in anticipation of the strike, AHS Principal Matthew Janger posted this email:

“In the past few years, there have been a number of strikes and walkouts promoted around the country for different political causes. As a public school, we do not want to be in the position of approving or disapproving political speech.

“If students miss school for these events, it is up to parents to excuse them. Parent excused absences will be treated the same whether they are going to a family event or a political event. There are no disciplinary consequences and students have time to make up missed work. They count as ‘unexcused absences’ for the purposes of the policy that allows up to 6 absences per term.

“Discourse around meaningful issues is at the heart of what we do as a high school.

“No matter your stance on the walkout, I strongly urge all of you to educate yourself about issues that matter to you. Political speech and organizing are constitutional rights and a powerful means of communicating your stance on an issue, but it’s not enough.

“If you want to make a lasting change, you need to make the effort to be informed about the issues at hand. Ask questions and seek answers, and not just from people who already agree with you.

“Once you’re informed, commit yourself to putting in the work necessary to change society for the better. Sustained and often painstaking efforts are what is needed if you want to truly make a difference. And, of course, if you have questions about what you can do IN school, please work with administration so that we can support your learning while being respectful of our school limits under the first amendment and other laws.

“I am proud of our students thoughtful efforts to organize and have a positive impact. We have a great deal of power to make our communities safer and more inclusive by getting involved, organizing, and volunteering.”

Additional information: https://firstparish.info/climate/

Globe, Sept. 19, 2019: Boston-area youth behind strike efforts

Globe, Sept. 17, 2019: Older generations broke the climate. It’s up to young people to fix it

This news announcement that includes a public appeal to participate was published Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019, and updated Sept. 29, to add a photo by Susan Gilbert.