It was a grueling 94 degrees at the peak of the day. We marched, we chanted, we sang and we danced, as we sweat out liters and liters of much needed water. The heat was symbolic of what we were marching for. We were marching against climate change, for a transition to greener, cleaner and more just environment, against the powers and profit motives of the fossil fuel corporations, and for renewables, against a culture of disregard for the earth and her creatures, and for a culture of caring and connection to nature and all of its wonders.
Another way is possible, and Raíces EcoCulture pulled together a small contingent of like-minded eco-warriors to carpool with us (the local charter bus headed down was completely full!) and headed out from Central NJ to Washington D.C. at about 4am, during a raging thundersorm, a.k.a. Mother Nature and the forces of nature sending us their blessings for a successful and safe journey. We went with the intent of marching for the earth, and infusing art and music wherever we could. We were headed to the right place, because we found creative people all around. Music, hand-painted signs, puppets, costumes, floats, cultural expressions and ceremony…hundreds of thousands of individuals joining together in one voice, calling for respect for the Earth, our home, and for us human beings to move forward in finding another way, a better way, a renewable, sustainable, clean and just way…a way that can make our descendants proud to call us their ancestors.
The need is still there. We are still working towards that goal every day, and we know many of our friends and neighbors are too. We are already planning to attend the 2018 gathering and hope we will see you there! Check out more about it at the People’s Climate Movement’s official website. If you want to join with Raíces EcoCulture initiatives to fight for and work towards a more sustainable, more resilient future, please sign up for our mailing list in the sidebar and get involved with our programs. You can always contact us and tell us you want to get involved and we will find a project that is best suited to your interests.
Check out our gallery from the 2017 People’s Climate March below:
-
- People’s Climate March 2017
-
- Resist
-
- National Mall in the early morning before the 2017 People’s Climate March
-
- Intersections of Art, Ecology and Justice
-
- Renewables are the way of the future. We are the ones who can start the shift…
-
- The Mercy for Earth balloon before the march.
-
- Preparing to march.
-
- Art for the earth!
-
- Gathering on the mall, getting into the spirit.
-
- Matt, who came in the Raíces contingent, banged on the drum all day
-
- Marchers joined in to the play with the Raíces crew
-
- Eli, a 2017 Raíces intern in herbal healing, and part of the Raíces Climate March Contingent, playing the cowbell, keeping festive early in the morning.
-
- Raíces Director Francisco G. Gómez with the Mercy for Earth Balloon before the march.
-
- The Raíces contingent’s signs and banners.
-
- The Raíces contingent waiting to march
-
- Obama Lama Ding Dong
-
- Climate change affects us all
-
- There are no sides in climate, we are all affected, and we must all rework our culture into a culture of caring and solutions.
-
- If the bees go, we go.
-
- Checking out the signs around the National Mall.
-
- Raíces crew member Eli was moving and grooving from early on in the day.
-
- Greenpeace…RESIST!
-
- Trump’s disdain for the environment was a clear theme in many marcher’s signs.
-
- “The REAL cause of global warming”
-
- “We’re with her”
-
- Salvemos los bosques. Let’s save the forests!
-
- “Tarsands Kill, Pipelines Spill”
-
- Even our animal relatives joined in the march.
-
- Raíces crew member Amanda Hungerford.
-
- Music on the march…the heartbeat of the Earth.
-
- Raíces crew members Matt and Eli stuck near the Friends of the Earth Big Drum throughout the entire march.
-
- The bicycle brigade.
-
- “The is no Planet B”
-
- Divest Oil – Go Solar
-
- Amanda came on the Raíces contingent and helped us keep the beat and keep our spirits up on this super hot, 94 degree, April day!
-
- Fossil Fuels = Climate Change
-
- Keeping the pulse of the earth through the entire march.
-
- “Rethink consumption.”
-
- 99% of polar bears agree…Climate Change = Extinction
-
- There were an estimated 200,000 marchers in the D.C. March alone.
-
- The march ended with speakers, music and gatherings at the Washington Monument.
-
- The Lorax…she speaks for the trees.
-
- This marcher gave a new meaning to the term “Eco-Head”
-
- Art, Culture & Ecology combine, and Grandmother Earth watches over.
-
- Cultural practices for the earth.
-
- An Aztec altar.
-
- At the Washington Monument.
-
- For Mother Earth!
-
- People from all cultures came together to fight for Earth Justice.
-
- Mother Earth!
-
- Family and friends fighting for climate justice together.
-
- Raíces contingent member Matt talking to one of the Azteca dancers after there ceremony.
-
- Clean Energy Revolution. The time for renewables is now, and we are the ones responsible for creating a culture of caring for the earth and all of her creatures!
-
- Marchers came from all backgrounds, all ages, all cultures to fight for earth justice!
-
- Giant banners that could be seen from above during the march.
-
- Highland Park Residents Kira & Rocio Herzog met up with the Raíces contingent.
-
- Another giant banner that could be seen from above during the march.
-
- If they go, we go…
-
- Make the planet green again!
-
- “It’s not easy being green”
-
- “Trumpty Dumpty Will Fall From His Wall”
-
- Solar van.
-
- Even businesses were represented at the Climate March. This is Ben and Jerry’s global warming cone.
-
- “Trump-Get Your Head out of the Tar Sand”
