Here at Step It Up HQ, we are completely stunned by the photos and reports we are getting in. Step It Up has succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. It has been an amazing day thus far, and the sun hasn’t even set on the West Coast. Highlights include thousands in New York City for “Sea of People,” hundreds in New Orleans, Boulder, Madison, and Chicago. There are actions from underwater to the tops of mountains, from churches to city parks. We’re getting reports of great speeches, powerful rallies, and talk of actions and plans to come. This is what a movement feels like.
In Washington, D.C. we’re still working hard to pull in photos, get them up on the website, and share all of the momentum with people around the country. We’re also sharing it with the media – - we’ve given interviews to television and newspapers around the country. The BBC World Service called in to do a spot with our organizers and said they were stunned to actually see people here, in America, stepping it up for change.
Congress is also hearing our message. A number of Senators and Congressman attended ralllies, many more sent messages of support (our Vermont Representative Peter Welch sent a message from Iraq and Afghanistan). We’ll be working our hardest, with the help of our incredible allies, to take this message even further, making sure that every member of congress gets a copy of the photos from his or her district.
Make sure to check out the Step It Up website at www.stepitup2007.org to see a live webcaste of our final gala to celebrate this incredible day. Bill McKibben, Frances Beineke, and an array of youth leaders (some of IGHIH bloggers) will be speaking.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Let’s keep this movement growing, keep it rolling, and take it straight to where it needs to be seen most: Congress.
Jamie, you guys did good. Damn good. 1,400 actions is an amazing accomplishment. You and the other Step It Uppers have thrown down the gauntlet to Congress, the president and the rest of the climate movement to get serious about fighting global warming. We need to keep in the front of our minds that the climate crisis is not just about polar bears, trees and the spotted owl. Its also about people. Global warming is not going to just change the climate, its going to change the way we live.
It was great seeing you, however briefly, at the DC event. You and the team should get some much needed rest because we are going to need your intelligence, passion and creativity if we are ever going to solve the problem.