Yesterday was a long day. From 8:00 am – 11:00 pm Power Shifters roamed the DC Convention Center to attend panels, workshops, network (sleep on the floor occasionally), and hear from speakers like Jerome Ringo, Jessy Tolkan, and Rep. Ed Markey.
It was late by the time The Roots finished shaking up the crowd with their funk (especially Tuba Gooding Jr!!). I was ready for bed, and so were many around me. But as we wandered slightly dazed out of the main hall, a new energy ignited around us, and it was contagious.
A fresh and fiery spark swept through the crowd and lifted us up in the name of that very clean energy revolution that brought us all here this weekend.
Alliance for Climate Education brought Flip Video cams to try and capture moments throughout Power Shift and after last night, we definitely have some to share.
Here’s a video from the rally on the steps of the Convention Center (after we were politely asked to leave), getting ready to head to the White House to see if Obama was still awake:
Check out below the fold for more!
And backing up just a step, the sheer number of folks raising their voices inside of the Convention Center halls:
Many people are sleeping on floors, sharing couches, rooms, or simply not sleeping at all! But the energy here is enough to keep us going right through the rally (in the snow) tomorrow.
Wow!
We are sitting here in Brussels after an amazing meeting to organise the European Youth Climate Movement. We are inspired by your energy, and can guarantee that it is reaching across the Atlantic, and will be not only maintained but will escalate until Copenhagen and beyond. It begins now, and manifests at Bonn in one month.
We’ll see your PowerShift and raise you a Climate Revolution!
I was lucky enough to be one of those 12,000. It was absolutely indescribable to come out of the Roots concert to the roar of that crowd. If that kind of energy keeps up, there’s no way we can be stopped. I only hope the media catches on so the whole world can hear us!
I posted some of my photos from the march on the University of Oregon Power Shift 09 site. Check it out!
http://uopowershift09.org/2009/03/02/spontaneous-march-to-the-white-house/
Miss you guys heaps! Wish I was there, so many memories from PowerShift 2007… but we are working hard on organising ours for July. Good luck for the action!!!
HEY! GREAT vids! Really short tho:-) they certainly capture the energy before the march. I can’t believe we did that! THIS is what democracy LOOKS LIKE!!! but i’d like to see these all over youtube, and the longer ones that i hope exist somewhere of the march itself:-) yay! KEEP UP THE REVOLUTION MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!
why would you rally in front of Obama’s house that late at night? HE IS FOR CLIMATE CONTROL, NOT AGAINST IT! i think that was a bad move
This was amazing! Thanks to all who shared in this amazing experience. While it may not have been the most strategic event/action, it was incredibly empowering and at the very least helped me gain an understanding of what our movement is capable of!
much love!
keep on, keepin’ on!
obama says he’s for controlling the climate but he continues to fund coal. so it’s always good to apply pressure to him reminding him that this is the incorrect position.
i didn’t participate in this event myself and I have a lot of critiques of Powershift but I just want to clarify for J’s sake that Obama has as of yet paid only lip-service to climate action meanwhile designating billions of dollars for the coal industry in the economic stimulus package.
willie