Power Shift is happening April 1-4 in DC this year! Sign up to be a coordinator for your school or community and learn more below!
Please visit: http://energyactioncoalition.org/powershift2011/organize
Or don't be shy and just shoot me an email at: ljubica@energyjustice.net
Power Shift 2011
Lets talk about Power Shift 2011. Power Shift is the name of an annual youth summit focused on climate change policy, which has been held in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other Power Shift Conferences are also being organized in Africa, Japan and India. Energy Action Coalition (which EJN is a part of) organized the first Power Shift Conference in November of 2007 with around 6,000 students and young people in attendance. Due to this high attendance rate it seems that Power Shift became the largest activist youth event on climate change in history.
According to those who attended past Power Shifts, it can be a life changing experience — an incredible and rare opportunity to meet and connect with other young people who are passionate about the same issues. Power Shift isn't just talk either. It is a space where people find themselves emboldened by numbers. It has led to break out movements and groups. Additionally, on the last day, there is a lobbying component when attendees take to D.C. and take action! In 2007 for example, a rally of between 2,000 and 3,000 people marched on the steps of the Capitol building.
The event has traditionally been attended by various famous and powerful keynote speakers, which included former Vice-President Al Gore in 2007, and Van Jones, Bill McKibben of 350.org, Ralph Nader, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in 2009.
Clearly this conference is an exciting and unique opportunity. However, before we get to ahead of ourselves, we need to plan how to get there. There are important issues to consider. For example: How many people are coming from your school or community? How much will it cost to get you and your group there, back, and fed? What is your school's budget policy? What kinds of deadlines are we working with? What about transportation? Can you rent vans? Will you need busses? Etc. With all these questions Power Shift can seem less like an incredible opportunity and more like an impossibility.
Fear not friends, for you're in luck. Thanks to the awesome planning structure EAC has set in place for the event, you're not alone! I will be available support you; help you figure stuff out; and generally make this trip a success!
So if you're interested in attending and you haven't already done so,
please visit: http://energyactioncoalition.org/powershift2011/organize
and sign up to be a coordinator for your school or community.
Or don't be shy and just shoot me an email at: ljubica@energyjustice.net
Power Shift 2011 is talking place April 1-4 at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC and is being built from the ground up, literally. We'll create our own conference space outside RFK Stadium using massive tents and our creativity. This year's Power Shift is going to be the best yet, but we can't make it happen without you! Please help us by planning and getting involved, and come show the nation how important the environment is to you!
For EJN this is Ljubica Sarafov
Peace.