UVU students and congressional hopeful protest climate change

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Joining over 5,000 protests, in over 140 Countries around the World, UVU students came together to protest Friday, Sept. 20. Led by Russ Fugal, a candidate for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District, these students gathered outside the Fulton Library to protest peacefully for an end to the use of fossil fuels to avoid further climate breakdown. 

“I’m rallying for my future, my nephew’s future and my future children’s future,” said Julia Cropper, a student majoring in English. “If we don’t change, there will be tricky futures ahead.”

Fugal made many statements that initiated chants and cheers among the students, such as “Stand up. Fight back,” and “We will choose. We will decide. We will fight to turn the tide.” 

“We have our hands on the thermostat. This is what our power looks like. This is what democracy looks like. This is what humanity looks like,” said Fugal. “This is humanity’s race. This is our race to save the future.” 

Cropper commented on how important it is to make change through electing officials who will implement new laws and regulations. Although many students gave the same opinion that nuclear power was the better solution and that it would reduce air pollution in society.

Fugal encouraged protesters to read, talk, book club, dream, advocate, and demand the Green New Deal, a 14-page document that “states the problem and outlines the framework of what a solution looks like. It is our plan to win.” 

Fugal sees this climate crisis as both an economic and a political issue. 

“We need to stand together, holding hands and raising voices in the streets,” said Fugal. “We need to stand together in real life, and not [just] in likes and shares online.”