Westside’s September offering to organizations aligned with our values is Sunrise Tarrant, https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetarrant/ , a local chapter of the national environmental advocacy organization, the Sunrise Movement, https://www.sunrisemovement.org/about/#theory. The Sunrise Movement formed in 2017, arising out of discussions in 2015 between young activists and organizers in separate parts of the climate change movement.
From the Sunrise Movement website, “Our movement has redefined climate politics in the United States. In 2017, tackling the climate crisis was barely mentioned by politicians.” There are now hundreds of chapters across the US and other countries. In those first years, the Sunrise Movement helped plan global climate strikes, and forced politicians to finally take the crisis seriously.
Sunrise Movement’s work has pushed politicians to endorse the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal is the environmentalist movement that calls for public policy to address climate change, along with achieving other social aims of job creation, economic growth, and reducing economic inequality. It combines former President Franklin Roosevelt’s economic approach with modern ideas such as renewable energy and resource efficiency.
Local chapters are working to put the Green New Deal into practice now. We can’t wait for Congress to act. Sunrise Tarrant is working with other locals such as Weston Gardens and Echo Heights Stop Six Environmental Coalition to stop expansion of data centers in Fort Worth.
Sunrise Tarrant is also practicing the movement principle of fighting inequality, combating the state violence of ICE. In June, rather than holding a fundraiser for itself, Sunrise Tarrant, held a fundraiser for families torn apart by ICE, raising more than $2000 for a tarrant response Mutualista fund.
Stacy Mela of Sunrise Tarrant writes that we want to “create a world where everyone has clean air, clean water, affordable housing, and lives filled with joy. Please donate to fuel our fight for a future we can all believe in.” Thank you!
Give online through the church’s giving page or by using the Vanco Mobile App. Select the “Service Project” fund. You can also mail a check to the church (901 Page; Fort Worth, TX; 76110). Thank you for your contribution!
