BY ALEX BERTSCH alexander.bertsch@go.mnstate.edu

On Sept. 20, people of all ages from the Fargo-Moorhead area turned out to demonstrate at Fargo City Hall as part of the Global Climate Strike. Protestors demanded that action be taken to address the ongoing climate crisis.

Learn more about the Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20 here.

In response to the demonstration, Fargo City Commissioner John Strand is hosting a Climate Action Town Hall. This town hall meeting is planned to take place Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 11:30 am in the City Commission Chambers.

Strand organized the town hall meeting to give people in the community a chance to have their voices heard about climate change. Strand planned the meeting for Wednesday so that students could attend, without having to miss classes.

Strand encouraged anyone to attend, whether they live in Fargo, or not.

MSUM student Nicole Stepan and local organizer Neva Francis hosted a meeting in the Livingston Lord Library on Wednesday, Nov. 19 to organize student speakers for the town hall meeting. The meeting was attended by members of the community who are concerned about the climate crisis.

“We made a demand, and they’re here to listen to us,” Francis said.

Attendees discussed the pressing need to address the crisis, as well as what they would ask the Fargo City Commission to do. Many ideas were brought forward, including asking the city to implement a “Fargo Green New Deal,” to address the climate crisis at a local level.

Student Senator and President of the Sustainable Students Association Nico Arias brought up the need to focus on achievable goals.

“The easiest way to make change is to call out specific policies,” Arias said. “Say ‘I want you to change this’ and they might actually do it.”

Among the top concerns was the pressing need for the city to declare a climate emergency.

“If the river is flooding it’s an emergency,” Francis said. “They do something about it.”

The town hall meeting will be open to the public, and anyone will be allowed to speak.