The Hamilton Environmental Action Group (HEAG) led 30 Hamilton students to Washington, D.C. for the People's Climate March on Saturday, April 29. This student-organized and student-led trip began with a 1 a.m. departure from campus to reach D.C. in time for the march.
The group arrived near the U.S. Capitol building, where they enjoyed numerous forms of protest and celebration including chanting, music and art. Participants lined up in different sections for the march from the Capitol to the White House.
Many students participated in the "Guardians of the Future" section, which focused on youths and students. When they arrived at the White House, they joined more than 200,000 others and surrounded the building. The march ended at the Washington Monument, where there was live music and a diverse set of speakers, including civil servants, poets and activists.
Phoebe Keys '19 particularly enjoyed this part of the event. She said, “The [speeches] that we heard were a lot about how climate justice is the same as social justice. And when you address environmental issues you also address social issues.”
Minh To ’19 added, “I was really impressed by not just how many people showed up, but by all the different groups including young people, old people, students, professors and nonprofits. It's empowering to see the overwhelming support and the meaningful work that these groups are doing to protect the environment.”
HEAG officers hope that with this type of organized public action, they can demonstrate to elected officials that they care about environmental issues, and demand action accordingly.
This trip would was made possible with the support of Student Assembly, the Student Activities Office, and the Community Outreach and Opportunities Project (COOP).
