Not once but twice, Third Act Minnesota members travelled to the state capitol in St. Paul during April to make our voices heard.
On April 5, we were a supporting organization for the HANDS OFF protest and rally, joining an estimated 46,000 others. We listened to speakers decrying the Trump administration’s devastating pronouncements, projects and plans endangering individual, societal and environmental/climate well-being. Third Act members also passed out 2,000 handouts inviting folks to the April 19 Earth Day gathering.
On April 19, Third Act Minnesota was one of the sponsoring organizations for the People’s Earth Day, a march and rally commemorating the 55th Anniversary of Earth Day. Carolyn Ham, Co-facilitator, gave a brief speech at the beginning of the march from the Wells Fargo Plaza to the Capitol steps. She called out the egregious harm to the planet that Trump’s policies will create and also reminded attendees that they have consumer power to stop the 4 dirty banks lending to Big Oil, by moving their money from Wells Fargo, Citibank, Chase and Bank of America.
We marched behind our Third Act Minnesota banner and talked to hundreds of attendees at our table at the Capitol. Many thanks to Amy Blumenshine, Rebecca Cramer and Nancy Rodenborg for assembling and staffing the table, and to several members for handing out invitational cards to “third actors” in the crowd, estimated at 15,000! Member Rick Gravrok brought along his giant bubble-making machine, and entertained the children.
Third Act Minnesota also attended the Stillwater EcoFair on April 26. Jeff Eisele organized the event. He and Dennis O’Brien talked to more than 35 individuals, couples and families about the climate crisis and the opportunities to respond through Third Act.
