Thank you to everyone who joined me, Anjali, and Bill this weekend for our powerful discussion on the climate contradictions of this political moment - in Vancouver and around the world. In a time of right wing resurgence and fossil fuel impunity, I was so refreshed by an evening filled with camaraderie and a shared determination to truth and struggle.
For those who couldn’t make it, we certainly understand. It is a long weekend, and sometimes even the most dedicated activists need a little downtime! I wanted to share some highlights with you and invite you to keep connected, as I'm planning more events like this one in the coming months. Watch this space...
And read on for some nuggets from last night - special thanks to my Connect For Change comrade Barrett Bryan-Soron for note-taking and consummate event everything!
Highlights from Bill and Anjali
Our speakers, Bill McKibben and Anjali Appadurai, were fierce and insightful. Bill, with his deep wisdom and decades of activism, reminded us why it's crucial to stay upbeat and creative in our fight against powerful polluters and their paid-for politicians. Anjali, with her relentless pursuit of safety and justice for everyone, inspired us to listen deeply to people who are thinking more about affordable housing and food prices than the damage of burning fossil fuels - and yet, who are still open to connecting the dots when we offer a story that makes sense of overlapping crises and connected solutions. Bill gave us a tantalizing sneak preview of a new global campaign he's helping to launch. He didn't give it away, but he urged us to keep next summer's solstice free for an uplifting, artistic global action.
That's unsurprising, coming from Bill, who was one of the founder of 350.org - a global movement that burst onto the world stage in 2009 with coordinated global mobilizations in every country in the world (except North Korea!) In recent years, Bill has continued to ignite activism across generations. If you haven't already, I highly recommend following his work and joining his efforts at Third Act, where he mobilizes older humans to engage in bold, urgent climate action.
Anjali, a fierce climate justice advocate, brought a local perspective with a global resonance. Her work in Vancouver and beyond showcases the power of grassroots movements and diaspora communities. At the Climate Emergency Unit, Anjali is working on a campaign to bring the rest of the world into Canada's climate conversation - through the concept of "fair shares", a science-based framework for determining exactly what it looks like for each country in the world to do its part in the climate fight. Spoiler alert: Canada falls short by an order of magnitude. But if we embraced this historic moment, we could play an electrifying leadership role in humanity's escape from a world of poisonous pollution and serial disasters.
Stay Connected
The challenges we face are all connected. They're converging. They're accelerating. That's why we need to keep connected and expand our work together. I invite you to join my newsletter. It’s a space where I'll share updates on critical issues, upcoming events, and ways to get involved in our collective fight for a safer, fairer world.
Once again, thank you for your support and commitment. Let’s carry the spirit of last night’s discussion into our daily lives and continue to fight for a sustainable and just future.
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend, and remember: even when the path looks tough, our collective action can turn the tide.
