Blog

American University's Fossil Free campaign wrapped up the semester today with an Open People’s Board Meeting just outside the room where our Board of Trustees was considering our divestment proposals and the support we’ve gained over the last few months.  After the Board refused to let a representative from our campaign present, Fossil Free decided the best way to get our message across would be to hold this open meeting, allowing for the opportunity for all AU voices to be heard.  We had previously been told that a voice through Student Government leadership was our only option f

A small victory! As much as Kinder Morgan wishes to turn Milford, PA into a nineteenth century company town, residents still can't be guilty of trespass on public land. In a victory for Pike County's rural heritage, I was found not guilty today of trespassing for my March 4th parking job blockade of the Tennessee Pipeline access road in the Delaware State Forest.

On the morning of May 8, I joined an action more than one hundred people strong calling on the US Environmental Protection Agency to enforce the Clean Water Act.  Dozens of Appalachians had traveled hours to the heart of our nation’s democracy in Washington, DC.  They came all the way from the hollers of West Virginia and the mountains of Kentucky.  They came seeking justice for their families and communities.  They came because their survival and their futures depended on it.

They weren’t there alone.  The crowd was composed of allies from DC and up and down the East Coast.  It was populated by students calling on their universities to divest from the very industries that harm Appalachia – students from Georgetown University in DC all the way to Middlebury College in VT.  “I felt called to take action and come to DC.” said Greta Newbauer, a student divestment activist who traveled all the way from Wisconsin to stand in solidarity with Appalachia Rising "because their fight is my fight - our struggle for justice is the same."

Originally posted, Feb 13, 2013

Summer of Solutions Ithaca is seizing what was once considered to be unimaginable and inaccessible in our time. Reminder, with the histories of revolutions, thus, the ability to see ourselves in mirrors, our generation is doing the imaginable and accessible. This summer, Ithaca will be multiplying this effort for a Sustainable Future. As a generation, we are proving to confront our courage by creating spaces where fear is molded into endurance. In case you are wondering, a Sustainable future is a solution already. Now, what do we do?

As you may have heard, New York State announced yesterday afternoon that the February deadlines will be missed, the reason given being that more time is necessary for the state’s health review. This is a magnificent opportunity to move forward with action and reaching out to more communities to ensure our voices are heard. Today enriches our generations goal by making evident that action asks and promises solution. This morning marks the day when Governor Cuomo was due to release the SGEIS and in doing so move ahead with fracking. Today, communities are sending appreciations to everyone’s courageous commitments and amazing work; we are celebrating all efforts. Though, we are aware of this journeys extended commitment, we are in agreements that this is also a beginning to a beautiful solution.