On occasion students bear the burden of change. This change in particular pertains to switching from fossil fuels to renewable resources like coal to solar, natural gas to wind or from oil to geothermal energy. A coalition consisting of over 10,000 students, teachers and hardworking Americans united together to discuss different ways to incite change. The name of the coalition, Powershift.
The life altering events started for me on April 15th. It’s a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I remember walking down the street excited and nervous not knowing what I would find my first time in Washington, DC and my first time at a protest so to speak. I turned the corner and saw the Walter E Convention center; from the outside it seemed like a normal convention center but when I walked in I found something else entirely. Walking through the doors you’re greeted into a hub of busy energy. There was a flow similar to a bee hive.
After getting registration out of the way I began exploring the convention center and the people I was to be rallying with. The convention center itself was massive but I was more interested in getting to know the people of and behind Powershift.
There were keynote speeches, grassroots organizing, film screenings and sessions for people to just sit down and get to know each other. The first night had two headlining speeches from Al Gore and Van Jones. Keynote speeches felt like being front row at your favorite rock concert with laser lights, a wide stage, jumbo tron and booming speakers.
Each key note speaker brought something unique to the table and looked as if they were planned quite elaborately and strategically. Al Gore started Powershift off so to speak. What Al Gore brought was clarity and decisiveness. The next speaker was the opposite; Van Jones brought energy and life into the picture.
Most would say that ended the first day of Powershift but I cannot recall the end of one day to the beginning of the next. Continuing my education I learned more from my companions I shared common bonds with. We explored each other’s knowledge; as well as, life experiences in our time beyond the convention center.
If the second day were a meal it would have been the most nutritious breakfast imaginable. The event that started the morning at the convention center was called, “Movement Building Sessions: Training and Planning.” We gathered in groups according to the states we belonged to. This was purposeful in learning to become leaders and gathering a network to help organize communities and schools to help fight for renewable energies.
After was lunch and even then I learned. After standing in line for an hour to get a sandwich I chatted with the sandwich maker after he was going to give me a styrofoam plate for my sandwich. I politely asked if I could just save the plate and put it on a napkin. Instantly he became defensive and said no I would drop it and force him to make another sandwich. I was taken aback by his defensiveness though I talked to him and he agreed to save the plate and use the napkin. I learned from such a minor change a person can change from a friend to an enemy within a second.
Following lunch panels and workshops started. I attended a panel called: “What to do when Presidents just not that into you?” The discussion was about Mr. Obama’s track record for renewable initiatives featuring: Bill McKibben, Jane Hamsher and Lt. Dan Choi. It was less like a panel and more like a turn based ramble session. Mr. Choi’s story found my ears and heart being that it was quite inspirational telling the audience, “Your fight is my fight!”
Later in the day featured speeches from Bill McKibben and Tim DeChristopher who were electrifying. Mr. McKibben brought scope but depth to our cause of environmentalism. Mr. DeChristopher basically came out and metaphorically slapped the audience in the face. “Sometimes the truth isn’t very nice and it needs to be said anyways,” said Mr. DeChristopher as he explained the harshness of realities.
On the eve of the rally there was a follow up, “State breakout session” where college’s from your particular state gathered to talk about ways to help advance the schools budgets for green initiatives, composting ideas and ways to get more students involved.
Four days of learning were concluded with the dirty energy rally. The march began right outside of the White House in Lafayette Park. The streets of DC became a verifiable sea of people. Marchers held signs high and chanted loud as lungs could produce. They wanted big polluters to hear and see that this is their future and they aren’t willing to go down without a fight.
