Local Activism Roundup

March & Rally for Climate Justice: 

Led by two Bay Area students, Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition is a nonprofit organization that strives to contribute to a more eco-friendly environment and promote sustainability within the local community. At the annual March & Rally for Climate Justice, the club hopes that the City Council can actively reduce carbon emissions immediately and create an attainable goal for zero-plastic use in the atmosphere.  “Our main theory of PASCC is that local action drives tangible climate justice, which is why it’s so important the youth can see opportunities to create that change,” Julia Zeitlin, Co-Founder of Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition said. 

Poetry for change:

Throughout her life, Lauren Lin has always been fascinated by the power of poetry. The Castilleja Junior said her passion for poetry could allow her to express a complexity of emotion in such a simple way. After a climate rally, Lauren spoke about how being oblivious to the effects of climate change leads to an overwhelming feeling of helplessness in today’s youth. “I loved performing at the rally, poetry really ignited some fire within me,” Lin said. 

Postcards for Mukema Indigenous Tribe:

Organized by Paly’s Social Justice Pathway for their Mukema Awareness project, students have accumulated over 600 postcards to protest justice for the Mukema tribe. The Mukema Ohlone, the indigenous tribe located in the Bay Area, is currently fighting to be restored as a federally recognized tribe. Gaining this would mean finally identifying themselves as a specific indigenous tribe on federal documents and empowering them to have the right of self-determination. “These postcards allow Congress to give back to the Mukema what was taken away from them, the freedom to live their own life.” Siri Schaefer Bastian, co-organizer of this effort, said.