We felt the urgency for climate action and the force brought from the over 6 million students who struck worldwide on that day.
The Global Climate Strike is a youth organized strike initiated by Greta Thunberg and her Fridays For Future movement. When I heard that Friday, September 20th was the Global Day of Climate Action and students around the globe were planning many massive strikes particularly on this day, I knew that my school needed to get involved.
I reached out to my high school's dean and proposed the idea of a school wide strike. There already were two strikes happening near our area, so all the school needed to do was create banners and attend. The dean of students helped me to plan the schools attendance. The week leading to September 20th, teachers set class time aside for students to research about the event and make signs to carry in the strike. On Friday, the 6th-12th grade students were bused down to the University of Nevada Reno, excited for the events of the day.
At the strike, we met with other youth and environmental advocates to hear their take on the crisis. As the leader and planner of my school's attendance, I was one of the students selected to speak in the megaphone at the start of the event. I also was chosen to be interviewed by KOLO 8 News. I spoke eloquently about the need for youth to enact change now to ensure the future of the planet. I referenced the recent hurricanes and how my family's home in the Bahamas was completely destroyed.
This event was extremely motivational, not only to me, but also for many of the other students at my school. We felt the urgency for climate action and the force brought from the over 6 million students who struck worldwide on that day. Being part of a larger movement, solely led by youth is incredible and ultimately how we are going to bring about change.
Here is the article from school that highlights the event.