Rally Remarks by Climate Justice Activist Anna Siegel

We were delighted to welcome Anna Siegel as one of our speakers during our Rally for Democracy on October 15.

In case you missed it, her remarks are posted below.

Hello, Lincoln County Voters! My name is Anna Siegel. My pronouns are she/her, and I am a climate justice activist and student from Yarmouth, Maine. I am the Campaigns Director of Maine Youth Action and a Core member of Maine Youth for Climate Justice.

I’m excited to be talking to so many voters today—yet I believe that you can be more than voters. You can be climate voters. The climate crisis is the defining issue of our time, for this election and all those to come. We need to be voting for candidates who embrace the values of climate justice and have committed to be climate champions. What is climate justice, though?

Climate justice is the concept of pursuing climate action and social justice in tandem, crafting a livable and equitable future for all. That may seem heady and theoretical, but through grassroots power and advocates such as yourself, we can create that world. Voting is a simple tool to mitigate the climate crisis and fight for climate justice.

Identifying climate champions in your area, up and down the ballot, is also simple. Local organizations such as Maine People’s Alliance and Sierra Club Maine have found them for you and endorsed them. A quick Google search will show you those endorsed candidates. You can support these champions with your time by volunteering in these crucial weeks before the election, putting up a yard sign, and of course—voting.

For smaller municipal elections such as school boards or town councils, there may not be a scorecard that tells you who the climate champion is. Perhaps no one has positions on climate action! You can create climate champions out of candidates by letting them know what issues are important to you and educating them on environmental policy.

To find resources on climate champions, how to support them, and what questions to ask your local candidate to see if they’re a climate champion, check out maineclimateaction.org/voteclimatejustice! Share these resources with your friends, family, and community. On November 8th, vote for democracy—and climate justice.

Thank you.