Devastation from Climate Change Leads to Protest

Protesters demanding action to combat climate change (Photo Credit: Zarin Siddiqua)

By Zarin Siddiqua

“Climate change won’t discriminate against religion, politics, race, or age,” said Danysha Reyes, a junior English and philosophy major at Lehman, who joined the New York global climate strike with other CUNY students and local residents on Sept. 20, 2019. She was one of about 7.6 million people from 150 countries who joined the biggest climate mobilization in history, initiated by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist. “If we don’t take care of the earth now, everyone will be directly affected,” Reyes explained.

Lehman students are not only at the front lines of climate activism, but they are also among those most directly impacted by the growing threat of climate change.

Jennifer Monique, a Lehman senior English major, described how her family in Puerto Rico was affected during Hurricane Maria. “I have a sister who has two children, her husband, and her ailing mother, who had no access to clean water. We were unable to get in contact with my uncle, unaware of what happened to him.” Monique added: “I think global warming is definitely real. I think that we should take some sort of action toward helping our planet survive.”

Meanwhile, storm intensity and damages continue to increase. The cost of the devastation from Hurricane Dorian totaled more than $40 billion, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Lorenzo, a powerful storm that reached category 5 overnight, was registered as the strongest recorded hurricane in the north and east Atlantic basin and is listed among the rare and most intense category of storms, CNN reported.

According to the Washington Post, more storms like Lorenzo will continue to form. Already, 15 storms, including about eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes are predicted to hit coastal and inland communities, according to a 2019 hurricane season forecast of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center.

Lehman students also expressed concern about other natural disasters tied to global warming, including increased fires in California and animal extinction.

These fears are heightened in light of President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the United Nations’ Paris Climate Agreement, an international effort to combat climate change. Trump is among the administrative officials who don’t see climate change as an immediate crisis, according to ABC News.

Protesters demanding action to combat climate change. (Photo Credit: Zarin Siddiqua)

Commenting on the need to address the global crisis, Lehman junior accounting major, Miguel Batista said, “Instead of having wars, and discriminating against each other, we should be working together to save the only planet that we live in.”

“My grandma’s house was destroyed when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. All of our sentimental things went along with it, and it was really hard for them. We weren’t able to contact them for months, and we didn’t know if anyone was alive or dead,” said Marissa Morales, a Lehman senior English major. “I very much believe that this is because of global warming and we need to do something to stop more natural disasters from happening.”

To take concrete steps in that direction, Lehman initiated a Puerto Rico service trip to rebuild homes and provide help for the Puerto Rican community after Hurricane Maria damaged much of it in 2017. Under the program called Leadership Involve for Everyone (L.I.F.E), Lehmanites travel the country during spring breaks, in collaboration with CUNY Service Corps Puerto Rico, who served during the summer.

“We created a garden, so people have access to food if there is another storm,” said Lehman senior theater major, Quameisha Moreno, who was one of the participants. “We only help when the damage happens, but what about after? Why should we wait for something to happen? Why not prevent the world from the damage?”

Reyes also affirmed her commitment to activism for change. “We have to realize that global warming is about the world, not just one country. People sense the urgency when millions stand united, despite skin color and ideologies in a country so politically-charged,” she said. The climate protest “was an amazing and empowering experience to stand up for this world and the people in it; I hope to do it again.”