“What do we want?” “Climate Justice!” “What do we want?” “A Green New Deal!”

The Sunrise Movement Chapter of Dickinson College led a march and hour-long protest in Carlisle on Monday, September 20th, demanding state action to support resolving the issue of climate change.

Around twenty people marched from Britton Plaza to the Cumberland County courthouse in the center of Carlisle, where they were further joined by a dozen more people supporting their cause–many of whom traveled from areas as far as Lewisburg. At the courthouse, protestors carried various yellow and black signs as speeches and chants were given demanding that Cumberland County “disinvest” in fossil fuels, pass Biden’s Human Infrastructure bill, and call for Representative Scott Perry (R-PA) to support the idea of a Green New Deal.

The Sunrise Movement is a relatively new club at Dickinson, created just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The club’s goal is to be a force of action for climate and economic justice, with members trying to solve issues like that of climate change, stagnant middle-class wages, and money in politics. Club members have a number of policy goals, but the biggest is supporting the Green New Deal: a large, Roosevelt-style public spending initiative to solve environmental problems. The Sunrise Movement sees this proposal as a way to both “save the planet” and “give a hand to working people in America.” They seek to do this by pressuring politicians and rallying people via protests such as this one, calling offices, and advertising to educate others on these issues.

If interested in joining or would like more information, contact  [email protected].