How the world the world is changing. We have melting ice. Smoke clouds heading into the Pacific from California. The oceans hitting their limits of carbon dioxide absorption. A shrinking, threatened Amazon. Story after story showing a world being damaged by CO2, other emissions, and by warming. It is not hard to find reasons for serious pessimism.
But there are other changes occurring.
One is that more people are finding their voice, are recognizing the threat, are moving to take action to have their voices heard and mobilize others to confront the threats of Global Warming.
A little more than a week from now, PowerShift 2007 hits the University of Maryland and the Halls of Congress.
The short story: Power Shift will bring together over 3,500 students and youth from all 50 states to wrestle with our generation’s greatest challenge and our greatest opportunity: The climate crisis. At the conference, attendees will learn new skills, share ideas, connect with fellow activists and ultimately use their collective experience, enthusiasm and commitment to forge a powerful movement to end the climate crisis and make their innovative and inspiring new vision of a sustainable, just, and prosperous future a reality.
The conference will be held November 2nd-5th in College Park, Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C. Power Shift’s agenda includes: keynote addresses from seasoned and inspiring activists, politicians, and leaders; up-to-the-minute issue briefings from the nation’s leading scientists and policy experts; expert-led training sessions on crucial movement-building skills including organizing, advocacy, and media relations; an “opportunities fair” featuring some of the country’s leading environmental employers; a lobby day on Capitol Hill; and plenty of opportunities for young activists to network and strengthen the bonds of a nationwide youth movement.
On Saturday, November 3rd, the activities of the thousands of young people attending Power Shift will join with and be amplified by the hundreds of actions taking place in communities across the nation as part of the second nationwide Step It Up.
And as if there won’t be enough packed into a weekend of organizing, training and action, on Monday, November 5th, more than a thousand youth and students will converge on Capitol Hill to flex their collective political muscle and do exactly what Thomas Friedman seems to think today’s young people are too timid to do – something most citizens are too timid to do – sit face-to-face with their representatives and senators, and speak the truth to power, demanding committed action to end the climate crisis.