Rally for more green jobs

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Dozens of people from the Sunrise Movement South Bend joined together for a rally in Downtown at the Jon Hunt Memorial Plaza hoping to inspire local leaders, to create a more livable future. The city of South Bend has been given $63 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and members are hoping some of this funding will go towards the creation of green jobs.

The group has been calling for action against the climate crisis since 2019, but after a year full of many job losses they’re encouraging local leaders to do their part by creating more green jobs.

“We as the people, especially as young people, we’re going to be living through this crisis. It’s going to be the fight of our lives," said Adam Griffin, Sunrise Movement Actions Team Lead.

The pandemic disrupted many industries and as the Biden administration works towards passing a $2 trillion infrastructure plan.

The group wants local leaders to create these new jobs in the hopes of helping the community bounce back after so much loss.

“This is the moment where it’s gonna take all of us to rebuild and we have a historic moment to rebuild in a way that creates sustainable jobs. That transitions our economy to a cleaner and more sustainable form," said Garrett Blad, Sunrise Movement Organizer.

With concerns growing over natural disasters like flooding here in south bend - it’s prompting more parents to also join in on the movement.

“She’s not even old enough to go to kindergarten and we’ve already had drastic changes here in south bend and I want a livable world for her and I think the Green New Deal is the only way," said Allison Franklin, Sunrise Movement Member.

The group gathered today along with 70 other chapters across the U.S. as part of National Sunrise Action Day.