Confront the Climate Crisis (CTCC), a youth-led organization operating statewide, organized a climate action rally and press conference titled “IN This Together” Tuesday, Jan. 16. The event, co-hosted by State Representative Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis), took place at the Indiana Statehouse and aimed to unite a bipartisan coalition of youth, advocacy groups and legislators. The group’s collective goal is to urge the Indiana General Assembly to adopt practical measures addressing climate change.
“One of the things that we’ve been passionate about is solar. Can we have solar be used at schools and government buildings to generate clean energy? That’s one of the policies that we believe is a common sense policy,” said Raina Maiga, one of the co-executive and legislative directors behind CTCC.
Youth leaders and a bipartisan assembly of legislators emphasized the significance of implementing climate solutions for the benefit of Hoosiers’ futures. Members of Confront the Climate Crisis advocated for legislative measures aimed to propel clean energy and economic development initiatives, broaden the reach of community solar programs and preserve Indiana’s forests and wetlands.
“What your movement has been able to accomplish the last two years is a testament to your dedication, relentlessness and tenacity,” said Indiana State Senator Shelli Yoder (D-District 40).
This marked Confront the Climate Crisis’ participation in its third legislative session, placing youth at the forefront of climate and energy discussions at the Statehouse. During a 2023 Legislative Session, in collaboration with Yoder, the organization championed Senate Bill 335. The proposed legislation represented an enhanced version of the previous bill from a 2022 session, which aimed to establish a statewide climate task force.
“One of the things we wanted to focus on is having a holistic bill. We saw that a lot of climate legislation only focuses on one aspect, maybe transportation, buildings or agriculture. Our bill highlighted different industries and different aspects of climate action,” said Maiga.
During that session, the legislative committee heard perspectives from 11 diverse student groups, organizations, and stakeholders expressing support for SB 335 and Confront the Climate Crisis initiative. While the bill did not receive a vote, the hearing marked a significant stride for climate progress within the Indiana legislature, motivating these student leaders to persist in advocating for climate-related legislation.
“The perseverance happens because we’ve seen what we can do, and we’re really starting out. I mean, we’re a new organization, five years now. I think we are going to do some great things, and I can’t wait for Indiana to see it,” said Maiga.
Contact Racial Justice Reporter Garrett Simms at 317-762-7847
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