Dear Jeanne,

 

It is hard for me to overstate the sheer inspiration and joy I have felt from watching Third Act’s volunteer leaders soar these past few weeks.

 

You organized what may have been the largest nonviolent direct action of elders in history, with 57 Third Actors going to jail for shutting down Citibank on Elders Day during Summer of Heat. The other week, volunteer leaders from Third Act working groups in the northeast came together to deepen relationships and plan campaigns.

 

After seeing little more than zoom-tile faces for so long, coming together to protest, to sing, and to conspire in person with our Third Actors was like medicine to the angst and despair I feel when pondering the fragile state of our climate and democracy.

 

We are smashing the prevailing cultural directive that we are just “old and in the way.” In fact, one of the common refrains I hear at our gatherings is “I like getting old!” Or, as John Denver sang, “It turns me on to think of growing old.”

 

At the same time, we know that getting old means we’re closer to the exit than the entrance. It’s been heartbreaking to see the passing of Third Act elders this year like Bob Joerger, who helped build Third Act in California, and Rabbi Ellen Bernstein, one of the first volunteers I ever worked with at Third Act whose leadership built the Faith Working Group. Seeing my Third Act loved ones suffer from illness and other inevitable maladies inherent in growing old has made me cry on more than one occasion.

 

That is what makes doing this work sacred at this time of our lives. It is a tender moment for our climate and democracy, and for those of us whose time on Earth is growing more limited every day. In the remaining years we have left, are building a new movement of elders rooted in joy and emotional connections to each other so our grandchildren and future generations may have a more stable democracy and a shot at a livable planet. We have no time to waste.

 

B Fulkerson

Lead National Organizer

Credit: Video by Brenna Perez | Original Music by Andrew Scott Bell

During the New York City launch of Summer of Heat, the Rocking Chair Rebellion blockaded entrances to Citi’s Headquarters. Over 200 Third Actors from half-a-dozen states showed up to demand Wall Street banks stop using our retirement funds to finance climate chaos.

 

Join Third Actors across the country July 8–13 for Elders Week, as working groups host a number of events and actions in solidarity with the Summer of Heat events in New York City. See what’s happening near you.

Outside of Detroit, MI

“The segregation of towns and white flight was not solely a result of individual prejudice and bigotry, but rather a systematic creation fueled by conditions and laws at the state, local, and federal levels.” – Wayne Hare

Today, we at Third Act honor Juneteenth with a necessary mindfulness. This day is both a joint celebration of the progress and perseverance of African Americans in the struggle for human rights and equality and a chance to re-educate ourselves on how Black freedom is a fight far from over. In an in-depth conversation with Bill McKibben, Wayne Hare (Civil Conversations Project) discusses how unjust policies were institutionalized and normalized and how we can collectively address inequity.

Join the Environmental Voter Project (EVP) and Third Act to turn out propensity (infrequent) environmental voters in New York ahead of the June 25th Statewide Primary election. You don’t have to live in New York to participate, you just need a phone!

Register and attend an interactive workshop about how intergenerational engagement—from Generation Alpha to the Silent Generation—can help you navigate your anxiety around climate change.

Ahead of Elders Week, join frontline community leaders and organizers from the Gulf South as they head to NYC to take part in the Summer of Heat. Since 2016, Citibank has invested nearly $55 billion in LNG, endangering the health of our Gulf South allies for far too long. Enough is enough!

BIG NEWS! We’re deeply honored to welcome Stacey Abrams, brilliant political leader and esteemed author as our featured speaker. We’ll also be joined by Third Act’s lead advisor, Akaya Windwood and founder, Bill McKibben. It’s shaping up to be an energetic event and summer, some might even call it a silver wave…

The Biden Administration has issued a new Public Lands Rule, which prioritizes conservation, wildlife protection, and climate restoration on federal public lands, making up one-third of the U.S. landmass and contain significant fossil fuel reserves. This rule is under threat, as the Republican-controlled House has already passed a bill to overturn it. Join us for a discussion on the Public Lands Rule and what we can do to uphold it with Great Old Broads for Wilderness.

Whether or not you can join us on June 25th, take a few minutes to sign on to protect our public lands. This rule is essential for reducing our reliance on dirty energy sources.

Credit: Shana Sureck

Early in June, volunteer leaders from 11 geographic and affinity working groups in the Northeast region gathered in-person to learn and dream and sing and scheme. Having some quality Third Act time together helps folks organize across campaigns, geographies and identities. It’s strategic, and also really fun! These face-to-face gatherings strengthen relationships, develop key skills, and help folks coordinate around their campaigns.

Credit: Liz Sanders

Third Act held a training in NYC led by Cathy Hoffman, Marla Marcum, and Leif Taranta. This second in-person training covered the basics of Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA), including how to hold the line and what to expect from police, as well as songs, chants, history, and role-playing. Beyond technical skills, the training emphasized the strategic and intentional aspects of activism and the unique role of Elders in the movement.

Credit: Lis Cox

Third Act SF Bay Area, alongside Great Old Broads for Wilderness and Grown Women Dance Collective look towards a moment of empowerment in political participation in the fight to slow climate change. Together, they sponsored the Climate VoteFest at downtown Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage, where a lineup of performers, activists, and environmental partners, shined a spotlight on local organizations that are hard at work to advocate for climate justice and get out the vote for the 2024 election.

Third Act Texas officially launched on June 12, 2024, with an speeches from Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe and State Representative James Talarico, as well Bill McKibben, John Beard, and Daniel Cohan, and the coordinating committee. Based in the leading energy-producing (both renewables and fossil fuels) state, Third Act Texas has three dedicated teams working to build a livable planet for future generations and protect our democracy.

As temperatures rise and our sense of self evolves, the way we connect with the world changes. We recommend B’s conversation with Abhay Singh Sachalon the intersection of mental health and climate change. Additionally, Gareth Higgins’ Hope and Joy session from earlier this year covers resilience techniques for handling climate-related stress and social upheaval.

Third Act
10 Fairgrounds Ave, #445
Nassau, NY 12123
United States
info@thirdact.org

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