🔗 Share this article

While the present administration cracks down on restrictions on not only environmental policies and progressive organizing, the Sunrise Movement, famous for championing the sweeping climate legislation, is expanding its goals to confront autocratic governance.

“Every day, federal leadership is consolidating control and undermining the Constitution,” stated the group's lead organizer in a public message. “What everyday citizens do in the next few months will determine whether those in power can solidify control and turn this country into a exclusive domain for the wealthy elite.”

In contrast to the majority of the group's past efforts, its recent projects will not always focus on the environmental emergency. However, a co-founder clarified that these actions aim to create a society where climate action is possible.

“In order to achieve the sweeping changes needed to prevent environmental disaster, we’re going to need a nation where we have the right to dissent and protest,” she said. “How can we succeed in environmental policy under authoritarianism?”

Key Initiatives

• Student activism to pressure schools to resist efforts to control their academic programs and policies around free expression.
• Quick mobilization to administration use of military forces and immigration policies in cities, and efforts to “infringe on our freedom of speech”.
• Training young activists to “identify autocratic tactics” and oppose it using peaceful methods.

This missive formalizes efforts already underway at the organization. Last month, the organization supported student walkouts at multiple Washington DC universities to protest the use of the national guard and harassment of organizers and migrant communities.

Additionally, regional groups have been engaging in localized struggles for expression rights and immigrant rights. As an instance, at a campus chapter, organizers have prioritized defending a respected university employee whose immigration status was revoked by the federal government, causing the termination after two decades.

“To win a climate and jobs plan, climate justice, workers' rights, equality, etc … we’re gonna need to overcome autocratic governance,” said a student activist participating with the university chapter, who described the current political climate as an “unmatched expression of fascism”.

Future Plans

Planned efforts could include countrywide movements to halt immigration enforcement, support city officials standing up to federal pressure, and actions to resist cuts to medical services. The movement will also build toward a mass youth action on May 1, 2028, coinciding with a appeal for a general strike.

The refocus comes years after the movement captured national headlines when its activists stormed the office of a prominent elected official, demanding the swift elimination of fossil fuels, the creation of good jobs, and the strengthening of social programs across the US.

“This climate plan is critical for presenting an alternative vision from the one that the administration is portraying,” they explained. “We’re going to keep talking about that, continue advocating for that vision, but in the short term, we need to address their assault on our neighborhoods and on our rights.”

This shift also comes as climate concerns decline somewhat down the list of electoral concerns in compared to economic issues, though evidence indicates most people still support to reduce carbon output.

“I suspect you’re not going to see a lot of politicians using the word ‘climate,’ because people see that as a secondary [concern], not a must-have, and right now they’re in the essential mode,” remarked a former energy secretary.

Communication Strategy

In contrast to past electoral efforts that focused on vague concepts of governance, the organization will concentrate on the need for sweeping reforms, including the exclusion of business influence such as the fossil fuel industry from politics.

“We’re being very clear that certainly, we need to protect rights to free speech, [but] we also need to be focused about reforming our democracy so that we are not in a position where someone like the current leader can amass control in this kind of way in the future,” stated the co-founder.

This broadening comes amid an comprehensive attack from the federal government on not only green protections and progressive organizing. Since recently, the president has reversed numerous of environmental rules and eliminated incentives for clean energy.

Moreover, in recent measures have designated specific activist groups as “threats to security” and released a directive aimed at reining in what the administration calls a radical domestic “terror network”.

Recently, the leader also suggested that a well-known philanthropist could face legal action for unstated charges. The organization had previously received funding from philanthropic groups linked with the philanthropist.

“We will speak out against this authoritarian abuse of power,” declared the lead organizer.

The situation is additionally highlighted by latest moves indicating plans in a possible, unconstitutional extended tenure.

“We are simply seeing outright disregard for our legal freedoms, and we must oppose that,” stated the co-founder.