United for Change

One student shows his school pride.

The air was electric as an estimated 150 Adelphi University students, faculty and staff began the two-mile trek for the People’s Climate March on Sunday, September 2014. Everyone stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the muggy heat, with the total number of people estimated at over 300,000, shattering the record number of protesters at an environmental march.

Students showing off their banner

“We were fantastic!” said Deborah Little, Ph.D., an associate professor of anthropology and sociology and one of the organizers of the event. “This is a global problem and the globe turned out in marches and rallies from NYC to Tanzania to Australia to Nepal,” she said. Her favorite part of the day was when a Brooklyn drum line led participants to the end of the march, giving them spirit and energy for end of the journey. Other Adelphi organizers included Associate Dean of Student Affairs Della Hudson and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Kathleen Watchorn.

Adelphi was well represented by broad coalitions of students as well as faculty and administrators from across the University. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Sam L Grogg, Ph.D., came, as did students from the Environmental Action Coalition (EAC), the Levermore Global Scholars program, the anthropology department, the School of Social Work and the performing arts department.

Senior Chase Sizemore, there with the EAC, said his reason for coming was to “spread awareness and show that more of us are concerned about this than people think.” He added that the masses “need to be conscious of this,” referring to the overwhelming number of people cheering and waving signs for change.

The Environmental Action Coalition represents Adelphi at the People’s Climate March.

Dr. Little was also impressed by how interracial and intergenerational the event was. Adelphi students held up banners beside grandmothers with walkers, gregarious young men with vegetables taped to their heads, and Hare Krishna devotees playing colorful percussion instruments. Everyone in the throng of people stood unified for a single cause: protecting the earth.

From first year students who had never ridden a subway before to faculty who brought their children, members of the Adelphi community contributed to the momentous march and showed their personal commitment to changing the status quo.