A group of youth climate activists traveled 266 miles across California demanding more action from lawmakers on the climate crisis, a trip that ended outside of the homes of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Monday.
More than 100 people crossed the Golden Gate Bridge in the final stretch of the march, organized by the Sunrise Movement, calling for President Biden to support the Green New Deal and a Civilian Climate Corps.
The “Generation on Fire” march began five weeks ago in the city of Paradise, Calif., where the 2018 Camp fire displaced almost 50,000 people and burned nearly 19,000 structures.
“What do we want? A Green New Deal!” they chanted. “When do we want it? Now!”
The advocates scattered ashes from the wildfire — the most destructive in the state’s history — on the porch of Pelosi’s San Francisco mansion, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
They left behind a street mural reading “Invest in us,” though it was quickly power-washed away by city workers, according to the newspaper.
In a statement provided to the Chronicle from a spokeswoman, Pelosi called the climate crisis “the existential threat of our time” and said the activists were “an inspiration.”
They also visited the Pacific Heights home of Feinstein, who is the co-sponsor of the Civilian Climate Corps Act.
“These young leaders are right — climate change is one of the greatest crises we’re facing,” Feinstein said in a statement to The Hill.
The marchers also delivered dozens of letters from residents of Paradise to the lawmakers’ offices, Mother Jones reported.
Other Sunrise members marched along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Houston, amid hurricane season.
The organization will come together in Washington, D.C., on June 24 to protest outside of the White House.
Biden’s American Jobs Plan would create a Civilian Climate Corps as well as other measures to address climate change, but the infrastructure plan has faced pushback from both sides of the aisle.
The White House has made efforts to work with Republicans to come to an agreement over infrastructure.
In addition, five Senate Republicans and five Senate Democrats unveiled a proposal just under $1 trillion last week. However, Democrats say that the plan does not do enough to tackle climate change. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), a proponent of the Green New Deal, and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) told reporters Tuesday that they will only support legislation that is part of a guaranteed agreement to invest massively in clean energy infrastructure.
The marchers claim that Biden’s American Jobs Plan is not enough to tackle issues related to climate change without the Green New Deal.
“Instead of prioritizing the rapid investment in jobs and justice we need, Biden is prioritizing appeasement and negotiations with the racist, anti-democratic Republican Party, and with every passing day, his plan becomes weaker, smaller, and fails to meet the challenges we face,” the group said online.
“Biden is wasting time attempting to work with Republican leaders on a bill, and could compromise on key climate and progressive priorities in the process.”