On Friday, in hundreds of countries around the world, millions of students and adults struck, school and work, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, to demand action on climate change. 

The earlier climate strike in May drew over 1.4 million students. This time, adults were highly encouraged to join. The strike took place in over 156 countries. Internationally 72 trade unions issued support and encouraged their members to strike. Over 1,000 protests took place across the United States with all 1.1 million New York City Public School System students receiving permission to miss school to participate. Millions of people from all across the world participated. 

Locally, there were over 20 different protests in Colorado. The march in Denver began downtown Friday morning at Union Station and continued down 16th street to the Colorado State House. The outside of Union Station was packed with people of all ages there to support the movement. The streets became filled with chants such as “System change not climate change.” and “Climate change is not a lie, do not let our planet die.”

The crowd seemed exhausted, not of body, but of spirit. Chants were forceful, but when engaged with many protesters expressed feelings of disenchantment, ideas that “hopefully now people will pay attention.” were common across all protestors. 

Teresa Ornelas, a first-year political science and international studies major from Bakersfield, California, said she hopes the march will bring attention to the issue and “show that the voters are the ones who actually matter. 

Counter to that there was some joy, many people expressed more optimistic ideas about how hopeful they were because of the large number of protestors. 

Additionally, Elena Arroway, a first-year from Broomfield, Colorado, jovially stated she is marching because, “Well, I am an environmental science major.”

The march packed the 16th street mall as the crowd descended on the Colorado State House. Outside the state house there were speeches and songs from organizers of all backgrounds. One speaker was only 8 years old.  The passion continued throughout the march, from the initial all-encompassing yell in response to an organizer shouting “We have a climate emergency and we want everyone in Denver to hear it.” to the crowd engulfing the young speakers with applause. 

Organizers hope that Friday’s march will continue through a week of action till Sept. 27, as well as action from policy makers for many weeks to come.