On Monday, July 21st, PCC founder Eileen McGinnis joined Texas parents and allies in front of the White House to mourn the children who died in the recent flooding and demand action to protect our kids from future climate disasters.
Right now, the Central Texas community is facing immediate needs. You can find links to mutual aid resources here and mental health resources here.
At the same time, this moment demands a national conversation about how we are going to protect kids and communities from future climate disasters.
As McGinnis put it, “This collective grief that we are experiencing, is a sign that we need to adjust our priorities. To take action, to protect what we love… I believe it’s vital to connect one of the worst disasters in Texas history to a larger story. Kids around the world are bearing the brunt of climate change’s impacts, and we are failing to protect them.”
Fellow Austin mom and executive director of The Healing Project Nyeka Arnold called on government to take leadership: “It’s people before politics. We cannot keep asking the most impacted communities to show up. To be both survivors and first responders.”
Samantha Gore, a Houston native who grew up attending summer camp along the Guadalupe, underscored the message that protecting kids “is not a partisan issue. All peoples’ lives are at risk; nobody is safe from this. All parents need to come together at this moment to demand all our weather services are fully funded, and to demand an end to the climate crisis.”
Read about the action in The Guardian or watch news coverage here.
Please let us know how we can support you in the coming months. We are planning to resume our climate cafes this fall, share resources on disaster-readiness for families, and highlight advocacy opportunities so you can add your voice to those of the Texas parents who spoke in D.C.
