Katie Eder on banks — and why older activists are needed right now

Katie Eder is both a highly experienced political activist…and a sophomore at Stanford. When she was 13, she started Kids Tales, to bring creative writing workshops, taught by teens, to kids who do not have access to writing experiences outside of school. Fifteen hundred kids in nine countries have participated; their works are published in 90 anthologies. In 2018, after the shootings at Parkwood High School in Florida, Katie and other students from her high school organized a 50 mile march from Madison, WI to Janesville, WI, the hometown of former U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, to demand he stop blocking gun legislation.

Katie and the Future Coalition

She’s also helped organize the Future Coalition, which organized walkouts from high schools so that students could get to the polls to vote. Now the Futures Coalition is taking action against the banks that lend trillions to the fossil fuel industry, an effort we’re proud to help support. Here she is–and this might be a good video to share around!

Hello! My name is Katie Eder, and I’m a youth climate organizer with Future Coalition. This year, in 2021, Future Coalition has joined together with other youth climate justice groups to go after banks for their role in funding and enabling the climate crisis.

We’re making it very clear, drawing a bold line. In order to avoid the worst impacts of the climate catastrophe we have to see an end to fossil fuels once and for all. And in order to see an end to the fossil fuel industry, we have to stop the flow of money that’s continuing to propel it forward. That’s why our movement is targeting banks.

Banks continue to finance, loan to, and invest in the fossil fuel industry which is allowing it not just to continue, but to grow. That must end.

Young people are going to be disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis – we know that. That’s why our generation has risen up in the way that we have. But we cannot build and sustain this movement alone. We need everyone of every generation to join us in our fight for a fossil free future. That’s why we hope that you make us and our movement part of your Third Act, and join us in bending the curve of climate change.”