Let’s show up for the people of Houston
by Will Lawrence, Sunrise volunteer organizer
My heart is heavy and my eyes are on the news from Houston. I know I’m not the only one.
Join me in supporting the people of Houston — donate to the relief fund here.
Sunrise hubs are preparing their own responses including vigils and fundraisers. If you want to do something but you aren’t sure what to do, just bring people together to talk about how you’re feeling. We could all benefit from having somebody to talk to. When you do bring people together, pass a hat around to collect donations for the relief fund.
I’m particularly heartbroken for the thousands of people who fled Katrina, made a new life in Houston, and are now reliving an old nightmare. As in Katrina, it is the poor, many of them black or Latino, who are most at risk in the days to come.
In the coming days, we’ll hear the usual officials saying things like, “Nobody could have predicted this.” That’s crap. A symptom of climate change is storm systems that carry more water and stay in place for longer periods of time. That’s exactly what happened here. But climate denial, funded by billionaire oil executives, has prevented an honest public conversation about the risks. This conversation could have led to preventative measures in Houston.
There will be a time for uplifting words and a plan of action in the weeks to come. But for now I’m sad, and I’m angry, and that’ll have to be enough. If you’re feeling that way too, you’re not alone.
