Sunrise Movement is a movement of young people fighting to stop the climate crisis and win a Green New Deal. Together, they work to force government to end the era of fossil fuel elites, invest in Black, brown, and working class communities, and create millions of good union jobs—on a mission to put everyday people back in charge and build a world that works for all, now and for generations to come. Sunrise builds people power and political power, fighting for what science demands: government action that actually meets the scale, scope, and urgency of the climate crisis. Their theory of change centers on building a movement of thousands of young people across race and class to take to the streets and disrupt business as usual until they force the change needed, shifting public opinion, electing Green New Deal champions, and fighting for policies at every level of government.
Why It Matters: Sunrise Movement addresses climate change not as an abstract environmental issue but as a crisis created by fossil fuel executives and the politicians they employ—and therefore a crisis that requires building power to overcome entrenched interests rather than simply raising awareness. By centering Black, brown, and working-class communities alongside climate action and demanding good union jobs, Sunrise connects environmental and economic justice as inseparable causes requiring the same solution. The focus on young people building both people power and political power through direct action and electoral engagement recognizes that the generation inheriting a hotter world must lead the fight for a different future, disrupting business as usual until change becomes unavoidable.
