March for Climate Justice

A meticulously-organized demonstration by the Portland Interfaith Pilgrimage for Climate Justice drew about 150 people (by my rough estimate), despite misting and then pouring rain. The sunflower umbrellas* are the symbol of a local climate action group called 350PDX. The march began at the Jewish Congregation Havurah Shalom, proceeded through parks and various faith homes, including St. Ignatius Catholic, Congregation Beth Israel, St. James Lutheran, First Presbyterian, Trinity Episcopal, First Baptist, Insight and Heart of Wisdom Buddhist groups, and First Unitarian. There were drummers and at least two Native American elders and many people wearing clerical collars. These were not the "usual suspects" involved in Portland protests, though a few are stalwart members of our Buddhist Peace Fellowship.

The flier distributed at the march reads in part: "Our Earthly home and all of the life it supports is experiencing the devastating effects of climate change, including more droughts, wildfires, increasingly destructive storms, hurricanes and floods, melting glaciers and ice caps.... These effects are already taking human life, damaging and destroying habitats and human environments, and threatening countless species with extinction. In the absence of immediate, cooperative, and decisive action, this is just the beginning of the climate disruption destined to follow."

I took over 300 photographs, many of them portraits of the beautiful people who marched. Spirits were high, there was a feeling of peace and cooperative action, and at every stop, members of the clergy offered prayers for the earth and all beings. I spent half my time wiping tears from my eyes and the other half pressing the shutter button. It will take me some hours to process the rest of the photos, but they will be very pleasurable hours.

*Update from Barbara Ford, who has led the local effort to create sunflower umbrellas: "The sunflower is an international symbol of environmental justice, not just for 350 or 350 PDX. Sunflowers "turn toward the sun", and also are soil healers in that they help to remove heavy metals and toxins from soil. You will find this symbol used a lot by indigenous and frontline environmental justice communities, as well as other groups like 350PDX. The umbrellas are a fun, Pacific NW iteration of this symbology."