Fossil Free WashU concluded International Climate Week with their first student rally of the year, calling on Washington University to divest from the fossil fuel industry, Sept. 27.
The rally began with five speeches from student representatives and Chemistry professor Megan Daschbach Eckhardt. Later, the student body marched from Danforth University Center’s Pannell Family Fire Pit to the office of Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.
Senior Khalid Mahmood, a lead organizer of Fossil Free WashU, highlighted the importance of having speakers as representatives.
“The speakers are very motivating…It’s good to hear about a variety of perspectives on this about why we should care,” said Mahmood. “Personal stories are more moving than numbers, because you can cite statistics all day but that won’t move people as much as hearing about why you personally care about this issue.”
Sophomore member Jared Moxley began his speech by emphasizing the moral urgency of fossil fuel divestment.
“Divestment has been seen as a moral imperative, but now it is also a financial imperative,” Moxley said. “And anyone [who] refuses to divest is a failure of leadership for this university, plain and simple. The administration’s decision not to divest will now leave us both morally and financially bankrupt.”
Freshman Brianna Chandler, an organizer for the recent St. Louis climate strike, pointed out the disproportionate impact of climate change on minority groups and urged students to engage in the St. Louis community.
“Communities of color, specifically indigenous people, have been historically sidelined in conversations about climate change. They are the communities that have dealt the most with the problem attributed to the elites,” Chandler said. “Most of the city’s air pollution sources are located within communities of color. I love my city…It is by no means perfect. However, people here truly care about making it better. And that includes you, that should be you during your time at Wash. U.”
Daschbach Eckhardt delivered the final speech of the rally, reminding students of their responsibilities as members of a privileged community.
“What we all have in common here [at] Washington University is the privilege of being a member of the university, and being educated to this level…With that privilege comes responsibility,” Daschbach Eckhardt said. “And we have a responsibility to use our gifts and our strength to speak more for the marginalized of our communities, of this nation and of this world. It is these populations who are most at risk for what we know scientifically is going on today.”
Christina Lee, actions lead of Fossil Free WashU and executive member of Green Action, believes the rally was a success.
“I felt that the rally went very well. The student response was better than expected, as we had over 70 people show up during an extremely busy midterm season,” Lee wrote in a statement to Student Life. “I believe that shows how much our movement has grown over the past year, and that concern over the climate crisis isn’t limited to specific green groups on campus. Fossil fuel divestment is not a fringe issue.”

Senior John Gibson, Fossil Free WashU’s photographer, echoed Lee’s view on the growth of student involvement.
“A lot of progress we’ve seen in the last three years actually comes from the student body…” Gibson said. “We’ve really seen a movement among the younger people –the student generation as it were –to make this issue part of the things they care about, part of the forefront of what they are asking from the political leaders and obviously the universities.”
Mahmood saw this particular rally as an important part of the larger student movement.
“These rallies are never meant to be one-time things. [Be]cause we’re a movement…” Mahmood said. “Really the point is to keep the pressure, to show that we’re still here, that we’re not going to go away until we win divestment.”
So far, according to junior and co-director of communications of Fossil Free WashU Eddie Ives, the University has remained “reluctant to change.”
“They want to keep doing things the way they’ve always done with things…” said Ives. “It’s always hard having people who are older and may not be around to face the full effects of climate change [in] 50 or 60 years. It’s hard for them to understand how important this is to us as young people.”
Lee expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s lack of engagement with Fossil Free WashU this semester.
“The administration, however, has failed to respond to this student concern. While we did have some limited discussion with Chancellor Martin last spring, he has so far been dragging his feet in meeting with us this year,” Lee wrote. “Fossil Free WashU calls on Chancellor Martin to come forward and support divestment. Otherwise, his silence speaks volumes.