The Sunrise Movement is a national organization with over 400 hubs in cities across the United States, including Dallas. Sunrise is a youth-led movement that aims to “stop climate change and create millions of good-paying jobs in the process,” according to the organization’s website.
Sunrise Dallas was founded in 2019 and mainly focused on economic and racial justice. In 2020, Sunrise Dallas organized to try and strengthen the Dallas Climate Plan; the group also wrote a new ‘Green New Deal’ for Dallas.
Thirteen-year-old Sam Posten, St. Mark’s student and Sunrise Dallas member, spoke to the Dallas City Council in February 2020, urging the Council to push harder to prevent climate change.
Posten’s suggestions included switching to electric buses and garbage trucks to cut back on emissions and implementing solar panels for city buildings.
Poster said he was speaking to the Council because he had been worried about climate change for a long time.
“I am most worried about climate change because of how real, but also how preventable it is,” he said. “It is also especially urgent because I know that I and my generation will almost certainly have to endure its effects unless we do something now,” he added.
Aside from their climate advocacy work, Sunrise Dallas is also working to create new jobs.
Kidus Girma, Dallas Sunrise Hub Coordinator, Electoral Co-Lead, and City Council Coalition Lead explained to the Dallas Express the connection between fighting against climate change and creating new jobs.
“For us to get to the GND [Green New Deal], we need to structurally fix our economy away from extraction and to replenishment. This means green union jobs,” Girma said.
Although green jobs currently pay more than oil or coal jobs, Girma said this is not enough.
“In Texas, the green industry, in [a] number of jobs, is exploding, but if we replace coal barons with wind barons as AOC said, we won’t have saved the world,” Girma said. “One of the things we are fighting for is a Civilian Climate Corps, which would hire people in good jobs to fight the climate crisis, whether that’s more firefighters in California or coastal restoration in Louisiana.”
In 2022, Sunrise Dallas hopes to launch their local campaign focused on green policy targeting the City of Dallas. Girma said the organization is also working toward “mutual aid where we drive Sunrisers to partner groups.”
Girma said Sunrise may also get involved in state/federal races as they fight for their cause.
“We also recently launched a Movement house in Dallas to create a space for organizations across Dallas to use for gatherings,” Girma added.
Though the movement is youth-led, people of all ages are encouraged to join, and everyone is welcome.
“Our hub has members from thirteen to [members] in their sixties,” Girma said. Those interested in learning more about the Sunrise Movement can visit their national website or Dallas hub site.