Climate change touches everyone. It’s a collective crisis requiring a collective response. Multi-cultural, multi-generational coalitions raising their voices and demanding large-scale action to preserve the planet that we share. Climate activist Bill McKibben recently said, “If you can get grandparents answering the call of the Sunrise Movement generation, then we’ve got a chance for political shifts that will make rapid progress easier.”
San Francisco Village and Ashby Village, membership organizations made up of older adults, many of whom are grandparents, are organizing to answer that call. Their first Climate Action Summit last month brought together 65 older adults from several Villages in the Bay Area. Participants were introduced to five local organizations making a difference. You may see a summary of that session here. The consensus was they wanted to know more!
Beginning April 9 and continuing for five consecutive weeks, Village members are invited to Friday Morning Climate Talks with a featured speaker from each organization. Learn more about organizational efforts and what role you might play in advancing their cause. The talks are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Feel free to attend as many sessions as you like.
April 9: 350 Bay Area — Nan Farley
April 16: Active Allies — Felix Kramer & Costanza Gonzalo
April 23: Elders Climate Action — Todd Weber
April 30: Sierra Club Bay Area — Jacob Klein
May 7: 1000 Grandmothers — Carol Rothman & Rochelle Towers
If you plan to attend, please RSVP for each climate talk by emailing info@ashbyvillage.org. Your confirmation will provide you with the Zoom link. You’ll also receive a reminder email the day of the session with the same Zoom link.
A second Climate Action Summit is scheduled for Friday May 14 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. to discuss what we’ve learned and plan for what’s next. We’ll also explore climate justice and how climate change disproportionately affects communities of color. Be sure to save the date!
The events of the past year have left many older adults feeling isolated and overwhelmed with the state of our world. As we continue to navigate an uncertain future, we can find strength in connecting with others in a common cause. Join us in doing all that we can to ensure our children and grandchildren inherit a planet that will sustain them.
Sara joined the team in 2018. She brings with her 20 years of experience in community development, philanthropy, and organizational management. She completed her bachelors at George Washington University and her masters at UC Berkeley. Her career focus has been on evaluating how community groups run from year-to-year and strengthening daily processes to increase institutional success. Sara loves travel and global development issues, particularly a non-profit she founded 10 years ago focusing on students’ access to school in Cambodia. Sara is raising her family here in San Francisco.
Maya is a public relations and communications professional with more than a decade of experience; her expertise includes consumer products and technology PR, as well as event management and content development. She has been a pro-bono consultant with the Taproot Foundation since 2012, and has participated in three service grants to date. Maya attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated with a BA in mass communications and a minor in political science.