RACINE – Local activists and environmentalists will gather Friday for the first in a series of events to “March Forth to Earth Day.”
The event, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Cesar Chavez Center, 2221 Douglas Ave., will focus on halting the re-construction of Enbridge Line 5, a 68-year-old pipeline that carries crude oil, synthetic crude and natural gas liquids beneath areas of Northern Wisconsin. Indigenous tribes are objecting to the pipeline crossing the Bad River watershed.
The event will open with words of prayer from Sister Janet Weyker from the Eco-Justice Center and Pastor Danielle Linstrom from Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church. Featured speakers will be Mark Denning, Cultural Educator from the Oneida Tribe, Starla Thompson, Otter Clan of the Forest Potawatomi and Santa Ynez Chumash Nations and Diane Lange from the Social Justice Committee of the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church.
“March Forth to Earth Day” is a series of in-person and virtual events planned for Racine and seven other Wisconsin cities scheduled for eight Fridays from March 4 through April 22.
Event topics include no new expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure; the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls; rapid facilitation of clean and renewable energy sources; and the declaration of statewide and national climate emergencies.
Racine area organizations involved in “March Forth” include Greening Greater Racine, Coming Together Racine, Zero Waste, Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice, Sierra Club, Eco-Justice Center, the Social Justice Committee of the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church and Dominican Center for Justice Resources.
Other local opportunities for “March Forth” events
Kenosha is hosting an event at Civic Park from noon until 1 p.m.
Janesville is hosting an event in front of the US Post Office, 1818 Milton Ave.
There will also be a virtual movie screening event held by Building Unity, March Forth to Earth Day Project, and others. The movie will be The Reluctant Radical, “an intimate portrait of climate activist Ken Ward,” according to the event description. The film begins at 6:30 on Friday, March 4. A more in-depth description of the movie as well as a link to register is provided on the event page.
Visit the “March Forth” Facebook page for more information and to keep up with the campaign’s progress.
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