Passing through the groups of people sprawled out on the grass adjacent to the American History Museum, I pushed my way into the dense crowd, packed in for at least the length of a football field behind the stage framing the Capitol. Voices joined in unison, forming a chant that hummed behind the staccato of the Reverend’s passionate calls to action.
“Clean Air,” Reverend Jesse Jackson demanded.
“NOW,” we responded.
“Clean Water,” he continued.
“NOW,” affirmed the crowd.
Green Jobs. NOW.
There is a reason they call it a rally. The feeling that I got, squashed in among peers, letting my voice be bolstered and carried by the chant that echoed across the National Mall, left me feeling pissed off, invigorated, and determined to make change. This is a feeling that I love, a feeling that gets me high, psyches me up, and encourages me to continue fighting for what I know is right, despite what sometimes feels like insurmountable opposition. Being a part of that crowd is the reason that I came to the Climate Rally on the Mall on Sunday, April 25th.
But for those that don’t respond the way that I do to this group sensation, or for those who just wanted to come up for air, this particular event offered much more.
Despite an ominous weather forecast, the day of the rally was warm, and mostly sunny. A group of Frisbee enthusiasts (woot!) formed a circle behind the stage, tossing the disc back and forth while jamming to The Roots, Passion Pit, John Legend, and many other awesome bands throughout the day. Some people chose to sit slightly farther back from the stage, with space to stretch out, enjoy a picnic, and take in the day’s incredible line up.
Nick Dodril came to Earth Day to hear the speakers, listen to music, and peruse the various information tents set up about a quarter of a mile back from the stage. WeatherizeDC had a table at the back, and Nick stopped by to see what was up. Though he had heard about weatherization in the past, he was interested in receiving more information about the weatherization process. After learning about what WeatherizeDC is trying to accomplish, he signed a petition for creating a model green city.
A woman from Northern Virginia talked to WeatherizeDC staff about green building work that she was doing, and requested that a staff member come to her organization’s next meeting in order to create alliances and share information.
Elena Digiovanna came to volunteer at Earth Day with a group of returned Peace Corps Volunteers. She said that her favorite parts about the rally were that 1) it wasn’t raining, and 2) that people were getting out on a Sunday and learning something new. Although she had been to a green building event in the past, she hadn’t heard of WeatherizeDC before, and was happy to have the opportunity to learn about our mission. When I asked her what she thought about it she said, “It gives people jobs, and that’s what people need right now.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Clean Air. NOW.
Clean Water. NOW.
