Climate Strike: SF Bay Area Youth Strike in Oakland

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar

Jan 17,2020, Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. It is hard to believe that sane, or what passes for sane among humans, people are seriously taking about the end of life on earth. The sanest are those most at risk, young people who stand to be robbed of their future.

Youth has coalesced into many organizations such as Youth V Apocalypse, Planting Justice, and Mycelium that attempt to teach those who can make the necessary decisions.

From their event announcement:

The climate disaster is burning and flooding California. Collective action is survival! We are marching, occupying and rallying to educate, activate and instigate change

Join Oakland youth for a community Resilient Village to raise awareness on climate resilience and how youth can stand up for climate justice, with hands-on workshops on herbal making, civic engagement, art, water catchment, live art making, youth performances, an open mic, and more.

This event will provide youth with strategies for addressing climate change within their families and communities and ways to work for climate justice on a local and global scale. This action is youth led and co-hosted by YVA, Mycelium Youth Network, Planting Justice and others.

There were interactive displays about healthy eating and avoiding industrial processed foods and tables offering delicious organic and vegan foods (I felt guilty eating the tuna fish sandwich I had brought).

There was an emphasis on local food and energy production to avoid fuel intensive transportation systems.

One display illustrated a solar - battery power system. There were letter to politician writing tables and many post-it notes with suggestions.

There was dancing and music throughout for a mellow and informative event.