Dear partners for a clean, health, just, and livable community and climate:
At our Wrapping Up 2024 Party, we took some time to recount our activities for the year. This was a busy year! A few of the highlights, with apologies to anyone whose efforts we inadvertently omitted:
Starting the year:
We did internal direction setting, solidifying our strategic priorities, our Land Acknowledgement, and our stance on war and genocide as climate issues.
We also updated our coalition goal to be more accessible and accurate: “Mobilizing collective power to ensure equitable access to a clean, healthy, just, and livable community and climate”
As we moved into the middle of the year:
We ran our Climate Voter Campaign for a second time!
This campaign was recognized and replicated by other communities in Michigan.
In Kent County races, commission candidates who responded to our Climate Voter questions prevailed in 56% of races.
In the Grand Rapids Mayor and City Commission races, all of the winning candidates completed our Climate Voter questions with strong responses—giving them a mandate to act on climate and giving us as residents power to hold them accountable to delivering on strong climate priorities.
In the days leading up to the election, we held a Climate March on October 12th where we strengthened connections, and candidates were present.
Throughout the year, we:
Met with elected officials.
Further linked arms on shared goals, events, and advocacy priorities with our collaborative partners the Community Collaboration on Climate Change (C4), Urban Core Collective (UCC), and Michigan Climate Action Network (MiCAN).
Partnered with wonderful Sponsoring Members whose donations made our work more sustainable and effective.
Participated in events, including the Westside Community Cleanup in April, the MI Green Amendment film screening in June, the Pleasant Peninsula Festival in August, and the Michigan Climate Summit in September.
Made time to connect with one another, through social events at The Meanwhile in July, Garfield Park in August, and our year-end party earlier this month.
Gained organizational members, ending the year with 99 members. Plus many, many valued individual supporters like you!
On the City advocacy front, we:
Launched the Beyond a Number Campaign to pressure City of Grand Rapids leaders to back up the community-wide goal with action.
Engaged the Community Master Planning process, ending up with a passed 20-year land use plan which, if implemented, we think will drive a more climate- and justice-forward future.
Provided input on draft chapters of the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which continues to move ahead.
In short: we have (or will soon have) some big pieces in place to increase community-wide climate justice action. Thank you to everyone who has contributed!
As we turn the corner into 2025, we don’t know what the year will hold. We expect the federal and state support for climate action isn’t going to be what we want. But we have opportunities on the local level to build the movement, work toward achieving the community goals, and build a broader and better connected movement with our members and collaborative partners.
Our 2025 strategic priority process lies ahead, and our members and community supporters will be a critical part of it. Let’s prepare to roll up our sleeves, link arms, and work together for our community and climate.
With thanks and in solidarity,
Janet Zahn & Nate Rauh-Bieri, coalition co-chairs
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