The words “climate activism” stir different feelings in different people in a town like Seattle. Known around the world for being a city that isn’t afraid to “shut it down” for a cause, Seattleites have seen their share of climate activists shut down streets, banks, railroad tracks, and even the Port of Seattle. For some, images of Greta Thunburg speaking to world leaders might be the peak of climate activism; for others, it’s the grassroots community building and support for those most affected by global climate change that motivates their determination.
Less than three months ago, a heatwave like we’ve never seen before gripped the Pacific Northwest killing over 1,200 people in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Black, Brown, and poor people were hit first and worst — low-income neighborhoods recorded by far the highest temperatures — but everyone suffered in one of our region’s worst natural disasters.
