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For Immediate Release
February, 24 2019, 11:00pm EDT
Contact:
Stephen O’Hanlon, Sunrise, stephen@sunrisemovement.org, (610) 955-7398, Garrett Blad, 513-808-6395
TODAY: Led by KY youth, 250+ with Sunrise Movement preparing to confront McConnell over Green New Deal
Today, February 25th, over 250 young people from around the country will join Kentucky high schoolers in Washington DC to confront Mitch McConnell around his upcoming Green New Deal show vote -- a shameful ploy that's playing games with young peoples' futures -- and pressure Senators of both parties to co-sponsor the resolution.
WHAT: Action will include a rally and march and the delivery of 100,000 petition signatures at McConnell's Senate office. It will include singing, chanting, and compelling speeches.
WASHINGTON
Today, February 25th, over 250 young people from around the country will join Kentucky high schoolers in Washington DC to confront Mitch McConnell around his upcoming Green New Deal show vote -- a shameful ploy that's playing games with young peoples' futures -- and pressure Senators of both parties to co-sponsor the resolution.
WHAT: Action will include a rally and march and the delivery of 100,000 petition signatures at McConnell's Senate office. It will include singing, chanting, and compelling speeches.
WHEN: Monday, February 25 at 9:00 am ET through 11:30 am ET
WHERE: Gather at Columbus Circle, in front of Union Station
WHO: 200+ young people with Sunrise Movement (15-30), including high schoolers from Kentucky. Speakers will include:
- Varshini Prakash, Co-founder and Executive Director of Sunrise Movement
- Lily Gardner. Eastern KY high school student with story about the need for the Green New Deal in coal country
- Scotty Monteith.Louisville, KY high school student and former conservative
- Destine Grigsby. Louisville, KY high school student who was turned away from McConnell's office this week [video]
- Judith, worker-leader with SEIU 32BJ, which represents 163,000 workers across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
- Jessica Juarez Scruggs, Legislative and Policy Director for People's Action
- Other speakers TBA, all Senate co-sponsors are invited to speak
WHY: We're delivering the message to Senators on both sides of the aisle that Americans want a Green New Deal, and that young voters will remember where Senators stand.
Polling shows that over 80% of the general public agrees with the principles of the Green New Deal. The rushed vote proves once again that Sen. McConnell is more interested in scoring political points than finding solutions to solve the most critical issue of our time.
Every day this past week, young Kentuckians were turned away at McConnell's Louisville office. They wanted to ask him to look them in the eyes and explain why he was doing the bidding of his oil and gas donors, instead of protecting their futures. On Thursday evening, they camped outside his office overnight. [Link]
VISUALS: Banners will read: "Oil & gas $$ or our lives?", "Green New Deal", "Mitch, Look us in the eyes"
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Following the rally and before the petition delivery, there will be opportunities for interviews with Varshini Prakash and select speakers. Following the action, there will be opportunity for interviews with all spokespeople.
"I am here because people in my community don't have jobs, are starving and turning to opiods and dying. Mitch McConnell refuses to do anything about. His own constituents -- high schoolers -- have traveled here to meet with him. All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors." - Lily Gardner, 15. Lexington, KY.
"Kentucky youth travelled here today because their state needs a Green New Deal. Mitch McConnell's Green New Deal vote is a political stunt to score some points for his wealthy donors. We're here to warn him and all Senators: if you refuse to back the Green New Deal, young people will remember next time you ask for our votes."- Varshini Prakash, Sunrise Movement Executive Director
Sunrise Movement is a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.
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