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An annual event, Powershift has participation from about 10,000 youth from around the United States and works to fight for clean energy in order to help protect the environment for future generations.
Gina Caldwell ‘11, co-President of LEAF, was excited to participate in this year’s four-day-long rally.
“This is the first rally for most of us and we are all really excited to learn more about the environmental movement and learn new ways to bring activism back to campus,” she said. “I think it’s a great movement to be involved in and I’m going to be able to tell my kids someday that I was there and that I was part of the change.”
Reflecting on their experience this past weekend, participants all greatly valued their time spent in D.C.
“I would definitely do it again – I didn’t want to leave,” said Dana August ‘11, the other co-President of LEAF.
“I am 100 percent happy,” agreed Alicia Bissonnette ’12. “Literally, I would go back tomorrow.”
Specially invited guest speakers taught participants about the workings of environmental politics, and ralliers also participated in workshops. These two different components worked together to help participants start “thinking about the whole process of activism on a local level, so we can bring it back to our campus and inspire others and create goals and plans,” explained August.
Although the direct educational aspects of the rally were beneficial, “actually being out there on the streets was the most amazing thing, that’s not something you get to do every day!”said August.
The atmosphere at the event was one of the most influential parts of the entire rally for the Fairfield students.
“There’s something really inspiring about being with a huge amount of students who care about the same issues that you do, it’s really empowering,” Bissonnette explained. “It’s a good atmosphere of activism; it’s really friendly, and there’s a lot of great energy.”
August agreed, noting the community atmosphere she felt during her time at the rally was one of the best parts of the event.
“The feeling down there is just so progressive and inspiring,” she explained. “You felt that instead of being a single, you were a part of an entire community of people who understood the necessity of being there.”
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