Join us as students and adults walk arm-in-arm into downtown Asheville to the steps of City Hall as we STRIKE for climate justice! See schedule below for details on the flow of the event. Bring signs! Bring flags! Bring banners! Bring your voice!

WHO

Middle school students, high school students, college students, 20-somethings, millennials, businesses/organizations, and any individuals in alignment with the Global Climate Strike occurring in unison. Coordinated by members of Sunrise Asheville, Community Roots, Youth Climate Strike, and Fridays for Future.

WHAT

Walk out of work or school to disrupt "business as usual" and demand that the climate crisis gets the attention it deserves! The walkouts will be followed by a central demonstration in downtown Asheville thereafter: hear from youth speakers, followed by an 11-minute "die-in" by those in attendance to symbolize that we only have 11 years to undo the climate crisis.  

WHERE

Walkouts will occur from various middle schools, high schools, and businesses throughout the city. All participants are encouraged to convene on the steps and sidewalks in the Asheville City Hall Court Plaza area (behind Pack Square Park) for the demonstration. (Address is listed above.)

WHEN

Walkouts: 11a – gather around Vance Monument in solidarity and to create visibility

Sidewalk March: 12-12:15 – from Vance, down College Street, onto Court Plaza, and assembling peacefully in front of Buncombe County Courthouse steps (all on sidewalks). (In the case of overflow, march leaders will have the group gather in the amphitheater at Pack Square Park.)

Speakers: 12:15-12:35

Spread out and setup for die-in!: 12:35-12:40

11-minute die-in and closing: 12:15-1p – a bell will be run at the top of every minute, to symbolize another passing within the 11 years that we have to undo the crisis.

WHY

Since Greta Thunberg’s first school strike for climate a year ago, young people have revolutionized the way humanity perceives the scope of the climate crisis. On September 20, 2019, young people will kick off a worldwide week of action with an international strike. September 20th will be the largest mass mobilization for climate action in human history. This time, adults will be joining the youth-led call for climate action to demand world leaders take meaningful steps to address this crisis with the urgency it requires. Youth and adults will stand arm-in-arm in the fight together for the future of humanity.

Call-to-Action

We turn to the City of Asheville to treat the climate crisis like the emergency that it is and join cities around the country and world who have taken part in the Climate Emergency Mobilization to take real action. We urgently ask our elected officials to propose and pass a Climate Emergency Resolution and commit wholeheartedly to a plan that meets the resolution. More info here: https://www.theclimatemobilization.org/climate-emergency-campaign

Schedule

11:00-11:55a–Walkouts will be occurring from schools, work, and other places to disrupt throughout Asheville. If you arrive before noon, please gather in front of and around Vance Monument by the road with your signs, banners, or whatever else you decide to bring! We encourage chants and songs to be led during this time, to build energy.

Noon–We will lead a march from Vance, down Biltmore Avenue, turning right on College Street, down the road around Pack Square Park, turning right on Court Plaza to then walk along the sidewalks in front of the Courthouse and then to gather in front of the steps of city hall. NOTE: Please stay on the sidewalks!

12:15-12:40p–Welcome from MC and youth student speakers. We will have amplified sound for speakers and to coordinate the die-in, so if there is not room directly in front of the city hall steps, we will have volunteers guiding you to various surrounding sidewalk areas (we have to keep off of the roads and leave space for people to pass on sidewalks).

12:45-12:50p–Cue for die-in from MC. We will spread out along the sidewalks in front of City Hall, and if need be will utilize space in front of the adjacent courthouse steps. If further room is needed we can utilize the amphitheater behind as well as the grassy areas.

12:50-1:01p–11-minute die-in. We will ring a bell at the top of each minute to symbolize each passing year along the 11-year timeline that we have left to remedy the climate crisis.

1:01-1:05p–Closing remarks and wrap-up! Be sure to sign-in with a volunteer, register to vote, sign the Community Roots petition, and come back for the rally at 5:30, if you can!

PARKING

Please consider carpooling if you can as parking downtown is limited. We recommend the College Street Parking Deck (across from the parking deck), 164 College St, Asheville, NC 28801. If that lot is full, then the Rankin Avenue Parking Garage, 68 Rankin Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, is two blocks away from the Pack Square Park area. There is also some very limited street parking available.

BUS

The closest bus stop is at the courthouse. Please use Google Maps to get your transit route based on where you would be coming from.

Later that Day

The Climate Strike kicks off an entire week of action! We'll continue our participation by returning to downtown Asheville from 5:30-7:30p for the Asheville Climate Justice Rally, where we will be doing voter registration, tabling, and also partaking in the speaker panel.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/904960179860415/