Pam Lau Tee, ITR Delegate in Earth Island Journal: "No state of emergency will keep the people from building and strengthening the work for climate justice"

The Earth Island Journal spoke to It Takes Roots delegate and veteran organizer and peace activist Pam Tau Lee, on grassroots activists' plans to mobilize for COP21."Time and time again, it is has been proven that people and not governments make the peace," says Pam. Read the article


Maine-Based ITR Delegate Meaghan Sala on NPR!

Tune in online to Maine's NPR station where ITR Delegate Meaghan Sala shares her story and why she is joining the It Takes Roots delegation in Paris. Listen to the Archive Link


MEDIA ADVISORY: It Takes Roots Statement on the Protest Ban in Paris

MEDIA ADVISORY
November 23, 2015

No War, No Warming - Build an Economy for People and Planet

Despite the ban on Protest in Paris, we will be there to raise our voices against war, racism and pollution profiteering. We stand in solidarity with the countless victims of recent violence in Paris, Beirut, and Mali, as well as their families and loved ones.

The It Takes Roots to Weather the Storm delegation of over 100 frontline leaders from climate impacted communities across the US and Canada, including the Arctic, united under the slogan: No War, No Warming - Build an Economy for People and Planet. We stand against the criminalization of the defenders of Mother Earth and the illegitimate criminalization of protest, in particular during the COP21. Civil society, popular movements, indigenous movements and society in general have the right to raise their voices in dissent, especially when our futures are being negotiated. The voices of Indigenous peoples, youth, women and frontline communities need to provide guidance in these negotiations, now more than ever.

Climate justice seeks to address much more than greenhouse gas emissions, but the root systemic causes of climate change itself. Climate justice is about social and economic justice, and how democratic, peaceful and equitable solutions, not military violence, best serve the interests of humanity. The fossil fuel economy is a driver of this multi-faceted crises facing the world: causing resource wars; polluting our air, water and land; creating illness and death to people and of ecosystems; privatization of nature; economically exploiting Indigenous communities, communities of color and the working poor; forcing mass migrations; and, depriving millions of adequate food, access to water, housing, healthcare and healthy and safe employment.

As part of a global climate justice movement, we oppose the bombing of Syria. Over many decades we have witnessed that Western militarism has only increased the instability of the Middle East and other regions. This militarism abroad has also escalated the military complex at home in the United States, where communities resisting the industries causing climate change, have been heavily policed and targeted by police violence.

Our delegation is made up of grassroots leaders from Indigenous, Black, Latino, Asian and working class white communities. We know first-hand the violence and repression of state racism that exploits tragic moments like this. We reject rising Islamophobia and racism across Europe and North America, as well as the scapegoating of migrants and refugees. The global community has a human rights responsibility to refugees fleeing violence and fleeing for their lives. The roots of the Syrian crisis are linked to climate change, and those seeking refuge because of drought, repeated bombing, and the lack of humanitarian support from world governments.

We are in solidarity with undocumented peoples, migrants and people of color facing repression, raids, and police brutality in France and Europe. We know that people of color face extreme violence within and because of colonial States. We support our comrades in this time as we know they face even more racism, attacks and nation-State violence. We call for continued support for these communities and their organizing efforts. Understanding that our struggles are inextricably linked through globalization, militarization, and neo-liberalism, stemming from a long history of colonialism.

Taking action on climate is a essential to global stability and peace. Peace also includes the need to have peace with Mother Earth. Our movements are aligned across issues of migration, climate, human rights and rights of Indigenous peoples, Earth jurisprudence, jobs and housing. We are calling on world leaders, and President Obama in particular, to move toward inclusion over exclusion, renewable clean energy over pollution profiteering, cutting emissions at source over carbon trading and offset regimes, and peace over militarism.

We are inspired by the tenacity and humanity of people around the world, and we will continue to mobilize for Paris and to use our love, creativity and solidarity to make our presence known and felt. The protection of Mother Earth, as we know her, and our collective survival is at stake.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Media Contacts: Jaron Browne 415-377-2822, [email protected]
Dallas Goldtooth 708-515-6158, [email protected]
Preeti Shekar 510-219-4193, [email protected]

Follow us at: ittakesroots.org
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, @ggjalliance
Indigenous Environmental Network, @ienearth
Climate Justice Alliance, @cjaOurPower


ITR Delegate Rossmery Zayas on Pacifica Radio's La Onda Bajita Show

Listen to It Takes Roots Delegate Rossmery Zayas share her reflections and perspectives on San Francisco-Bay Area based KPFA 94.1 FM radio's La Onda Bajita show. Listen to the archive show (scroll to 20 mins into the segment)

 


It Takes Roots Delegates Diana Lopez and Shawna Foster On Uprising Radio

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Diana Lopezpicture-1737-1438541248It Takes Roots Delegates On Uprising Radio with Producer Sonali Kolhatker, November 20, 2015

GUESTS: Diana Lopez is an organizer with the Southwest Workers Union for worker rights, environmental justice and community empowerment in San Antonio, Texas and has attended several UN climate conferences;

Shawna Foster, veteran of the US National Guard where she served as a Nuclear Biological Chemical Weapons Specialist. She is currently the Board chair of Iraq Veterans Against The War. Both Akuno and Foster are members of the It Takes Roots delegation to COP21.

The French government has canceled two major climate justice marches that were organized around the upcoming Conference of Parties talks in Paris (COP21) in late November, early December. The recent ISIS attacks in Paris that resulted in 129 dead, were impetus for the announcement. Tens of thousands of activists from around the world are expected to converge between November 30th and December 13th outside the international climate conference to demand that country representatives hash out a strong agreement to curb global warming and to fund adaption efforts by developing nations.

Activist groups in the United States representing people of color, and poor and working class communities, have planned a significant presence at COP21. Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, the Climate Justice Alliance and the Indigenous Environmental Network are leading a delegation of over 75 activists called It Takes Roots.

For more information, South West Workers Union and Iraq Veterans Against The War.


Cindy Wiesner in Origin Magazine's Special Focus on Women in Climate: Solutions on the Road to Paris and Beyond

Check out It Takes Roots Delegate and National Coordinator of the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, share her opinion on the role of women of color in climate leadership: "We must look to the strategic leadership of women of color leading intersectional movements for our survival and building new alternative economic models based on an internationalist strategy ..." Read the full article


Video: Voices of the People's Climate March - Climate Justice Alliance

Grassroots Global Justice, the Indigenous Environmental Network, and the Climate Justice Alliance along with allies and friends mobilized in force to the streets of New York City on September 21, 2014 to demand Climate Action rooted in Justice for frontline communities across the U.S. and around the world.  Seven frontline community members from across the U.S. and around the world spoke at the official press conference of the March. See below for a video of the speakers and the amazing People’s Climate March, followed by a press round-up of select articles.

http://www.ourpowercampaign.org/peoples-climate-march-video-and-press-round-up/