Local old-time musicians will be playing from 12:30-1:00 to welcome people to the Upper Mall, speakers follow from 1:00-2:30, and a poster/letter presentation and group photo will start at 2:30. Selected posters will be on display in the North Corridor of the Capitol following the rally.

Local old-time musicians will be playing from 12:30-1:00 to welcome people to the Upper Mall, speakers follow from 1:00-2:30, and a poster/letter presentation and group photo will start at 2:30. Selected posters will be on display in the North Corridor of the Capitol following the rally.

The focus of the rally is on positive efforts toward addressing climate change. Speakers represent a mix of science, policy, and local NGOs. The speakers are: Mark Seeley: Minnesota Climatology Working Group, Professor in the UMN Department of Soil, Water and Climate; Melissa Hortman: Minnesota State Representative; Job Growth & Energy Affordability Policy and Finance Committee;Scott Strand: Executive Director of Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy; Clarence Lehman: Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Education, College of Biological Sciences and Fellow at IonE; Erin Murphy: Minnesota House Minority Leader; Suzanna Savanick Hansen: Sustainability Manager and Professor at Macalester College; Peter Reich: Regents Professor, Distinguished McKnight University Professor F.B. Hubachek, Sr. Chair in Forest Ecology and Tree Physiology, and Fellow at IonE; Ellen Anderson: Executive Director of the University of Minnesota’s Energy Transition Lab and Fellow at the UMN Institute on the Environment (IonE); Jothsna Harris and youth leaders, Will Steger Foundation; Julia Frost-Nerbonne, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, and MN 350.

Each speaker will address two things in their 10 minutes:  Briefly describe one climate change project you are working on that you find especially interesting. What one thing would you need to increase the impact of that work?

Elementary students are invited to write letters supporting efforts to Minnesota’s efforts to address climate change and move to more clean energy. Letters will be presented by student representatives at the rally. Audience members are invited to make and bring posters (no wooden posts are allowed, so they should be easy to carry in hand) supporting climate efforts. The best posters will be on display following the rally.

Ginkgo Coffeehouse is donating coffee for the first 100 attendees. Bring your own mug and a lawn chair to get comfortable.

GastroTruck will be onsite to offer local, sustainable, zero-waste food for lunch.

Fresh Energy, Neighborhood Energy Connection, and MN 350 will have tables onsite to provide information and offer discussion with audience members.