Ad Hoc Climate Justice: People's State of the State Rally & Pan-Demonium at VT Statehouse

Description

From Jerome Lipani:

January 9, 2020 Climate Activists gather in the freezing cold to address Vermont's lack of definitive action needed to reach our legislated climate goals as the State itself prepares for Governor Scott's State of the State speech in the House Chamber shortly afterward.

Coalition sponsors in support of Extinction Rebellion VT include Upper Valley Affinity Group, 350VT.org, VT AFL-CIO, VT Workers Party, and Others.

The VT XR People’s State of the State Address demanded "...that our elected officials and all Vermonters acknowledge the climate crisis and work to enact emergency measures during the 2020 legislative session to eliminate carbon emissions and promote a just transition to a regenerative economy. "

Featured Speakers include:
-- Samantha Peterson - #ExtinctionRebellionVT, XRVT
-- Rachel Smolker, biologist & lifelong activist, currently co-director of Biofuelwatch, an international organization focused on land use, biodiversity, energy and climate. Rachel has been active over the past several years in opposing Vermont Gas' ANGP fracked gas pipeline as a member of Protect Geprags Park.
-- Liz Medina, Vermont State Labor Council AFL-CIO District Vice President for Washington and Orange counties and chair of their Green New deal committee.
-- David Van Deusen is President and Danielle Bombardier Secretary-Treasurer of the Vermont Vermont State Labor Council AFL-CIO
-- Stephen Leslie has been farming for more than 25 years. He is especially fond of draft horses and does all the horse powered work on the farm. He is the author of many books and magazine articles on draft power and sustainable agriculture.
-- Carmen Richardson-Skinder goes to Montpelier high school and is part of extinction rebellion youth and youth lobby.
-- Gus Speth is a retired Professor of Law at the Vermont Law School and a senior fellow at Vermont Law School, the Democracy Collaborative, and the Tellus Institute. During the Carter Administration he served as member and chairman of the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality. Gus has a long career of working at the intersection of government and environmental protection, including providing leadership to many task forces and committees whose roles have been to combat environmental degradation, including the President’s Task Force on Global Resources and Environment, the Western Hemisphere Dialogue on Environment and Development, and the National Commission on the Environment.
-- Asma Elhuni is the lead organizer for Upper Valley Interfaith Project. Growing up as a person of color in the US and an immigrant from a working class family has led Asma to want to organize around these important issues.
-- Gwendolyn Hallsmith, #YouGoGreta, #XRNEK, Extinction Rebellion Northeast Kingdom, #PlanetaryPandemonium
-- The Red Rebel Brigade.