When I imagine our region 20 years from now, I see central Virginians collectively working together for climate justice.
I left secondary school in 2008 just as the bottom fell out of the Irish economy with the bursting of the Irish property bubble. Over the years that followed, I felt the effects of economic destabilization at the hands of powerful banks and corporations as the Irish people were forced to cover private investor losses. Engaging in grassroots organizing for debt justice in my home parish of Ballyhea transformed my anger into empowerment.
Like so many of my generation in Ireland, I was forced to leave home in search of work. The years of grassroots activism for debt justice led to my passion for climate justice. I eventually came to find a new home in central Virginia after I joined C3, the Community Climate Collaborative…