New Mexicans gather for climate protests across state

More than a thousand New Mexicans in Albuquerque and Las Cruces protested inaction by the nation’s leaders on climate change Friday, joining in a day of action that swept through cities across the globe. 

In Albuquerque roughly 1,500 climate protesters, young and old and from various backgrounds, began in Robinson Park at Central Avenue and Eighth Street where speakers motivated the crowd to fight for change and to demand no more delays. Protestors in Albuquerque turned out with signs and demands for the nation’s leaders to act on climate change Friday / Bianca Hoops for New Mexico In Depth

A sense of determinism rippled across the crowd as people urged the speakers on, including the city’s mayor, Tim Keller. 

“For the first time in decades our city has to issue ozone warnings again,” Keller said in a raspy voice to a rapt crowd. “We have to tell children not to go to soccer practices because the ozone levels are too high if you have asthma. I am not making this up. It is because of climate change.

New Mexico students lead global climate strike across state

Emily Phan, Vice-President, Fight for Our Lives. Photo by Bianca Hoops. Today, people from all over the world will be walking out of work and schools to send a message that the world is experiencing a climate emergency. 

The “global climate strike” comes from a youth-led movement sparked when a 15-year-old Greta ThunBerg started cutting classes and camping out on the steps of the Swedish Parliament in September 2018, sparking similar youth climate actions around the world. Thunberg said in interviews she was inspired to begin her climate protest by the student led “march for our lives” protests after mass school shooting in Parkland, FL. In New Mexico strikes will be happening throughout the state, in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Silver City, and Del Norte.