How I Built This with Guy Raz How I Built Resilience: Varshini Prakash of Sunrise Movement
Nov 5, 2020
Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement, shares her journey in climate activism. She discusses how frustrations over political inaction ignited a youth-led movement and the strategic protests that followed, including a notable action at Nancy Pelosi's office. Varshini emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives and addresses criticisms of their approaches, while also linking climate activism to historical civil rights movements. Her inspiring narrative highlights resilience and the need for political engagement among young activists.
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Sunrise's Humble Beginnings
- Sunrise Movement's founders were initially a small group of young climate activists spread across the US.
- They began by studying other successful social movements to learn effective organizing strategies.
Organizing for Impact
- Building mass movements requires intentional organization and amplification of voices.
- Don't expect spontaneous gatherings; invest in the hard work of mobilizing individuals.
Pelosi Sit-In
- Sunrise started small, canvassing and holding training sessions with limited attendance initially.
- Their sit-in at Nancy Pelosi's office with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dramatically boosted their visibility and membership.
