GRANDMOTHERS KEEP SHOWING UP
We Helped Stop Manchin’s Dirty Deal!
(from 350SF) The Legislative Working Group is happy to report that on the federal level, due to the work of grassroots groups throughout the country, including the 350 Bay Area Federal Action Team, and our own 1000 Grandmothers Legislative Working Group, Joe Manchin’s Dirty Deal, where he went for new fossil fuel projects in exchange for his support for the Inflation Reduction Act, FAILED! WOO HOO!
Idle No More: Appreciation for Grandmothers Showing Up.
The Indigenous Women of the Americas Defending Mother Earth Treaty group designated the last 10 days of 2022 as a time to express appreciation to “organizations, elected officials, Land Defenders and/or Water Protectors who have done so much for the sacred system of life.” We are honored to receive this appreciation:
Dear 1000 Grandmothers Bay Area,
In the midst of so much chaos and uncertainty, one thing we can always count on is that the Bay Area Grandmothers will always show up, whether early on at our Idle No More SF Bay actions or constantly present to block the streets for Youth Vs. Apocalypse and the younger generation everywhere, or by providing amazing clear opportunities for involvement to defend and protect and honor our sacred Mother Earth and Sky and Waters through your amazing newsletter. You’ve been with us all in the streets, risking arrest, at Line 3, modeling beautiful and honorable apologies, creating amazing signs and puppets, backing indigenous sovereignty, rising up with integrity, being present at the Shellmounds, in front of banks, painting the streets, and so much more.
We are deeply grateful for each and every one of you and the collective beauty of the heart work you do in our community and wherever you are called to be.
With love always,
Alison Ehara-Brown
and everyone at Idle No More SF Bay
#solstice #gratitude #indigenouswomenrising #wintersolstice2022
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HAVE YOU HEARD?
*GOOD NEWS
Environmental Justice Activists Actually Claimed a Long List of Wins in 2022
https://capitalbnews.org/climate-justice-wins/
The Inflation Reduction Act has made fossil fuel alternatives more profitable than gas; Canary Media reports that institutional investors like TIAA can no longer claim otherwise.
The Guardian reports that Puerto Rican towns devastated by Hurricane Maria are using racketeering laws (RICO) to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for their “decades of deception” in the first ever climate racketeering lawsuit! They’ve hid the direct link between their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
*BAD NEWS
The biggest climate polluters in 2021 were some you’ve never heard of!!
The Anti-Incentive: the CPUC just increased public utility profits—and discouraged new rooftop solar installations—by cutting customer compensation for exporting solar power to the grid by 75%.
Oil company documents, subpoenaed for the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into climate disinformation, prove that the industry’s approach is to (1) push “solutions” like carbon capture (CCS) that keep fossil fuels profitable through federal subsidies, (2) control campus narratives by corporate investing in universities, (3) bully the media. Details provided in this Intercept report:
https://apple.news/Ao4fdSMH7SpCddPWnEZAZcQ
How Global Warming Makes It Freezing Cold
Read this article for an explanation of how the Arctic Ocean’s diminishing ice cap combined with a weakening polar vortex now allows cold Arctic air to push down to the mid-latitudes bringing record breaking freezing weather to the U.S. At the same time the fossil fuel industry is enjoying record-breaking profits.
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PUZZLING OVER “FALSE SOLUTIONS”
Let’s take a break from exposing what’s wrong with the false, corporate “solutions” to think about what real solutions could help prevent the worst climate catastrophes. Developing new and better technologies for renewable energy production and transmission is essential – and these kinds of encouraging developments are happening all the time. But we also have to keep pushing for a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels. So far, the growth in renewable energy has accompanied a growth in fossil fuels – and GHG emissions.
And -- we can’t solve the problem by doing everything the same but with renewable energy.
The way production, transportation, and daily life are now structured, especially in rich countries, is based on an unsustainable level of energy use and waste of materials and land. It’s hard to imagine how to transform the way a whole society is set up, but we can support changes that would move in that direction, such as:
- Massive investment in clean-energy public transportation to reduce the use of private cars. That sounds scary because the public transportation systems we have now are so inadequate. But we could have buses running in many more places, much more frequently, with neighborhood mini-buses to fill in the gaps. This is also an important economic justice measure. It would improve the lives of people who depend on public transportation and give people an alternative to the financial burden of buying and maintaining cars.
- Land-use density and complete walkable communities, to reduce the need for transportation and leave more land for natural carbon absorption. With lots of street trees to produce shade and feed our souls.
- Public subsidies for retrofits that can drastically reduce the use of energy in buildings (insulation, heat pumps, electric induction stoves) and make the savings available to the people who can least afford high energy bills.
- Alternatives to throw-away packaging -- mandating vendors to change the way products are sold so we can use refillable containers.
- Serious recycling (not fake “plastic recycling”), especially of mined minerals from iron to lithium. Mining causes huge damage to the health of miners and frontline communities.
- Producing much more of our food and manufactured goods closer to where they are consumed. Healthy communities could include manufacturing powered by clean energy, which could also provide good jobs.
- Laws that mandate the “right to repair” and require manufacturers to make equipment and components in standard sizes, so you don’t have to throw away something away when a part is worn out.
- More residential compounds and co-housing communities where households can share equipment (laundry, exercise machines, tools, etc.) It might not be as convenient as having everything in your own house. But those things would become more accessible to people who can’t afford that now. Such communities could also foster new forms of cooperation and reduce the current epidemic of personal isolation.
- Transferring the money we save by doing all those things to the countries least responsible for – and suffering the most from -- climate change.
Some climate activists use the term “degrowth” to talk about the need to reduce our consumption of resources. To many people that sounds like deprivation. But restructuring our society to share more and use less could mean better lives for everybody. Indigenous Bolivian former president Evo Morales called this concept “buen vivir.”
The current Sierra Club magazine has an article exploring the issues of “degrowth”:
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/can-we-address-climate-crisis-degrowing?suppress=true
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GRANDMA SAYS
This month, Grandma would like to share an article that was particularly moving, written by Erica Hellerstein https://www.codastory.com/rewriting-history/grieving-california/ . The article is about grief and the climate crisis. It links the author’s grief at the loss of her friend, ( who was the daughter of one of our Grandmas in 1000 Grandmothers) and Ms. Hellerstein's grief about the climate crisis. Because of how much grief we grandmothers hold about so many things at our age, and in this moment of history, I believe her article is particularly poignant and relevant to our lives and our work in 1000 Grandmothers.
Having shared the article with a number of grandmas in our organization, not surprisingly, I got a number of different reactions. Everyone was touched by the article. Some were struck by the intensity and immediacy of younger people's feelings of grief about the climate crisis. Most found it moving. There were also some concerns that the article was limited by not dealing with class or race or the impact of ideology on our ideas about our feelings. One Grandma wrote: “I have problems with a kind of pure, essentialized representation of emotional states like grief in the context of socio-political (realities) ... In the article, mental health and states of mental health are descriptive and not embodied in the ideological frame of capitalism, extractive settler colonial and neoliberal frames…” Another Grandmother said, “ It seemed to lack any class analysis that would put in perspective the emotional reactions of people with no resources to rebuild, compared to those ‘at the top of the hill. Where is the understanding of the feelings of people like farmworkers whose shanty or limited housing burned down and they lost their livelihoods too because the fields burned too?”
This is an important discussion. When/why is there value in hearing a voice that is speaking from a white middle class frame of reference? When/where is it important to dive into the deeply personal and subjective -- even when it may not always speak with the voice of the most marginalized? Many of us with privilege are aware that expressions from white middle class experience have functioned to re-marginalize (and often re-injure) other voices. But when is criticism based on that recognition itself a presumption that we know what others' reactions will be? How do we know when, or for whom, an authentic, eloquent voice may be identified with, unite, and move others? Another question: what is the relevance of excavating the deeply personal dimensions of grief about the climate crisis, when we know that the changes we need cannot be made through individual actions alone (see last month's Grandma Says about individual vs. collective action)
Personally, I was very moved by the article. I was struck by the connection Ms. Hellerstein made between the heartbreaking grief of losing a beloved friend, and the loss of our beloved environment . Like others who reacted, I was also struck and shaken by the intimate account of a younger person's grief about the climate crisis. When reading her article, I found myself freed up to feel more deeply than I often do when reading things about the climate crisis, precisely because of its lack of rhetoric and jargon that i listen to and speak every day as I try to organize people to engage in the climate justice movement. And I was reminded that the hugeness of the problem is an aspect of why so many people block what feelings we have about facing the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced. I believe, ultimately, political engagement, engagement in the needs of others, engagement in doing the work (even when we may not see the results of our labor) --all these things grow out of deeply personal feelings - like those expressed by Ms Hellerstein.
As I mentioned in last month's newsletter, 'to change everything, we need everyone'. Many of those who we need to activate to build the power of the climate justice movement, are also White, and or middle-class. I believe articles like this one have the potential to wake people up and move them closer to feeling the necessity to act.
We won't get to where we need to go, if there aren't huge learnings about reciprocity, accountability, power and privilege. And there is the question of whether, if we don't acknowledge inequities embedded in the climate crisis, are we drawn to solutions that reinforce them? But I believe our capacity to greatly increase our numbers and the power of the climate justice movement, also rests on our ability to build a movement that makes space for vast numbers of people to tap into their own feelings of grief and loss. This kind of article, - with deep personal sharing - has the power to open peoples hearts as well as their minds.
We are interested in others' reaction to the article... feel free to write them to us, and maybe we will have the space to print some. jeantepper@gmail.com
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1000 GRANDMOTHERS WORK: THE INSIDE STORY
Current Committees, Circles, & Working Groups:
Committees: 1000 Grandmothers Coordinating Committee, Engagement Committee, Communications Committee,
Working Groups: Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA), NVDA Art Working Group, Banking on the Future Working Group, Legislative Working Group, Book Group,
Circles: SF Circle, Redwood Circle, Marin Circle, Long Haul Circle
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Announcement #1 - follow-up info
INTERESTED? WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 1000 GRANDMOTHERS?
Join one of our MONTHLY INFORMATION SESSIONS on Zoom!
Learn about our history, the Principles that guide our work, and all the various ways to get involved!
Next sessions: Wednesday Feb. 8, 7:00-8:15 PM. & Sunday, March 5, 4 PM
Email Nikkisachs@gmail.com to register and receive a zoom link. (In the subject line: "Info Sess" and the "date" you want.) All welcome, whether you are new, curious, or already involved!
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COORDINATING COMMITTEE:
1000 Grandmothers Coordinating Committee has been talking about two issues that have been coming up more and more frequently:
first, 1000 Grandmothers is being asked to do more and more fundraisers (many of which we would love to support). A decision was made that 1000 Grandmothers would go ahead and do the fundraising campaign initiated by our SF Circle in support of youth climate activists, but that we will do no more that one or two fundraisers/year (because we do not want to become yet another organization asking for money like all the others each of us receives every day)
second, We have been talking about some of the challenges of keeping our different individuals and groups connected into one organization. Even though our connections are helped by our newsletter, and our wonderful Engagement Committee - both of which developed only over the last couple of years, it is still difficult for people to think about how they are part of, and impact, the whole organization rather than their being connected only to the group(s) that they are working with.
The pandemic has undoubtedly made this issue more challenging, but there are also other factors. Our demographic is notably averse, at this stage in our lives, to doing things because others tell us to do them. Likewise, given our wisdom and experience in working on social justice issues over our (long) lives, many of us can feel like we each of us knows best how to move groups through things, (and therefore may have less patience with 'process' - i.e. how much time it takes to communicate and work together effectively). The tension between 'local' and 'central' pieces of any organization's work, is a common challenge in movement organizations. But 1000 Grandmothers is particularly committed to supporting each individual to do what she wants to do in this work, because we believe that that is what will augment her engagement in climate justice work. At the same time, we want to be able to continue to preserve our good reputation, and a clear focus on climate justice organizing as one organization. We continue to chew on how to increase people’s sense of accountability (going both ways) between smaller groups and the group(s) caretaking the ‘whole’.
We also continue to talk about the relationship between POC communities and leadership, and the 1000 Grandmothers’, as well as the interface between what has been named ‘climate justice’ and ‘environmental justice’ work. More on this, in later newsletters.
BANKING ON THE FUTURE - WORKING GROUP
Keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming activities as we Grandmothers are partnering with Third Act for the Banking on the Future campaign (see last newsletter). Our Working Group is all-hands-on-deck to build momentum towards the March 21st National Day of Action. We’re writing an open love letter to our children and grandchildren explaining what moves us to action. We intend to use it and other materials at Wells Fargo banks both in San Francisco and the East Bay.
We’ll begin in the next few weeks and may let Wells Fargo know on Valentine’s Day that with profound love in our hearts for all children and this gorgeous planet, we will break up with them if they don’t break up with the fossil fuel industry.
If you’d like to know more or keep informed of our actions at the banks, please email us and we’ll put you on our list:
China Brotsky chinab999@gmail.com
Nancy Kurshan nancykurshan44@gmail.com
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Announcement #2 - Society of Fearless Grandmothers NVDA training - follow-up info:
“Society of Fearless Grandmothers Non Violent Direct Action - NVDA -Training #1” for all interested 1000 Grandmothers, Saturday, February 11, 10am to Noon. Watch for more information on Zoom registration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0uJ6yYbECE
The younger generation have asked the elders for help to ensure a living planet that is safe for future generations. This is a hands-on training for those of grandmother age who are willing to risk arrest and support arrestables in actions protecting justice, clean water, air, and soil. Led by experienced Society of Fearless Grandmothers NVDA trainers Pennie Opal Plant and Alison Ehara Brown. This training covers topics such as creating or joining affinity groups, liaison with police, how to create beautiful actions, and how to provide jail support and other topics.
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Nonviolent Direct Action - Working Group
The NVDA Working Group is for members of 1000 Grandmothers who want to engage in peaceful protest, blocking streets for indigenous allies, participating in group demonstrations, and street art. The group generally meets by Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month, 5:30-7 pm. For more information, and to learn more about upcoming actions and educational opportunities, please contact Denice Dennis at deniceadennismph@gmail.com.
NVDA - Art Working Group
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This fall the Art Group met to discuss the popularity of our East Bay grandmother puppet and her presence at various actions. Together we decided that additional puppets could lend additional visibility to her and to our efforts. So in November we embarked on a new puppet-making project with guidance, again, from David Solnit and Jemma Searle. Our emphasis this time was on a tall grandmother puppet for the SF Grandmothers' group, a tall Water Puppet that could be seen above the crowds, and a retinue of other smaller puppets... Wind, Hummingbird, Flowers...to accompany the Grandmother and Water puppets and give other grandmothers in our group opportunities for direct action with puppets.
.  . all art photos by Peg Hunter
check out Peg's wonderful vimeo: https://vimeo.com/785860227
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Announcement #3 follow-up info:
LAUNCHING SOON! 1000 GRANDMOTHERS TO SPONSOR A YOUTH CLIMATE ACTIVIST
The SF Circle is initiating a Go Fund Me campaign to raise $10,000 for the Youth vs. Apocalypse “Sponsor an Activist” program. The Coordinating Committee has endorsed this effort as a wonderful opportunity to manifest one of our Organizing Principles: “Support the leadership of youth in the Climate Movement.”
Watch for more information coming soon about how to donate and spread the word.
What does it mean to sponsor a YvA activist?
As Grandmothers, we’ve witnessed the work of YvA activist/organizers in the streets. We’ve marched, protested, and been inspired by students–predominantly BIPOC, from Bay Area middle and high schools–who have been educated, motivated and empowered by YvA staff organizers to demand an end to fossil fuel and chemical pollution in their communities.
What you might not be aware of is the work of YvA organizers in the classroom. Youth vs. Apocalypse lets educators know that their staff is available to do climate-crisis education in the schools. These staff organizers are trained by YvA to do interactive classroom presentations on the climate crisis and just solutions, and to assist in the formation of student climate justice clubs (currently in 22 Bay Area middle and high schools).
When interested teachers make requests, YvA assigns an organizer as funding allows. YVA pays each youth organizer at least $10,00 annually for 400 work hours. . .And each year, there are teacher requests for more organizers than YVA has the funds to hire.
That’s where we Grandmothers can step in and step up! We hope you’ll welcome this opportunity to support the next generation of climate justice activists, give generously, and get everyone you know to support this example of intergenerational loving action for Mother Earth and all who depend on her for life. Watch for the GoFundMe campaign launch soon!
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San Francisco Circle
This has been a busy couple of months for the SF Circle.
We had two editorials published in the San Francisco Chronicle: Judy Rosenfeld wrote about the lack of action for years by the U.S. Navy in cleaning up the toxic contaminants in the Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) shipyard, and Kathie Piccagli wrote about Uber escaping the City’s regulations on safety, accessible service, and environmental responsibility.
Also, in November, many Grandmothers, along with 350 Bay Area Action and other organizations, met on zoom with House Speaker Pelosi’s aide, Bea Dinsmore, to advocate for opposing Manchin’s dirty bill, cleaning the environmental hazards in the BVHP shipyard, collaborating with Republican Congressional members who are on board in addressing the climate crisis, and encouraging Pelosi to use her influence with the President to declare a Climate Emergency.
Then in December, SF Board of Supervisors District 9 constituents, including Anita and Roni, met on zoom with Supervisor Ronen’s aide, Jennifer Ferrigno, and discussed several climate actions, including implementing the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), and urging the Supervisor to vote (the following day!) in favor of adding a Government Bond to fund climate goals.
Also in December, Judy Rosenfeld and Rosemary Jarrett gave an excellent presentation in our monthly meeting on the history of the BVHP Naval shipyard contaminated site and the community’s ongoing struggle to clean the area, particularly considering the rising groundwater. Mishwa Lee, who lives in the Bayview, added to the discussion by describing her experiences.
In January, we met with BVHP Advocates (Arieann Harrison and Dalila Adolfo) and 350 SF members and discussed how we could best support efforts for the BVHP cleanup and implementing the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP).
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RESOURCES
Two-minute powerful video on how the bond market and other financial institutions deliver funding for fossil fuels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m89CU_RQfek
Indigenous women in the Amazon fighting big oil and winning. This video and article from Amazon Frontlines tell the story of this successful resistance.
Teaching for Climate Justice, a just-released free PDF booklet from Rethinking Schools, is an invitation to educators to join the national conversation about how they can help their students understand what is happening to our climate, why it is happening, who it is affecting, and what we can do about it. It’s a collection of the "Earth, Justice, and Our Classrooms" columns that appear in every issue of Rethinking Schools magazine.
We want to hear from you:
If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or anything else you want to say to the editors of this newsletter, please feel free to contact Nancy F or Jean at jeantepper@gmail.com
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