By Patrick Robbins
Rachel Rivera is a Brooklyn resident, a mother, and a member of New York Communities for Change. She was at home with her daughter during Superstorm Sandy, and when the storm hit, her ceiling caved in and she lost her home – hear her powerful story here:
As a New Yorker with family in Puerto Rico, Rachel is still fighting impacts of climate change today. Her relatives saw over ten feet of water in their homes and are struggling to meet their health needs. “My mother lost everything. My mother is a sick woman – she has diabetes and it’s very hard for her (…) people don’t see what’s going on.”
Rachel’s story and the experiences of everyone hit by Superstorm Sandy remind us why we need to stop using fossil fuels and transition rapidly to 100% clean energy.
We know that climate change increases sea surface temperatures, allowing storms to reach greater intensity – as we are seeing today with Irma, Jose and Maria. That intensity has real consequences for New Yorkers, our neighbors, and our families – and in October, we are choosing a different path for New York.
Rachel will be marching with thousands of people in New York City on October 28th, on the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. New Yorkers are marching across the Brooklyn bridge to demand real action on climate change.
Share Rachel’s story and tell everyone you know – on October 28th, we remember. We resist. We rise.