By Ezae Darby
On March 5, climate change action organizations TREEage, the BC Sustainability Club and New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) came together in Albany, New York to rally for bills to be passed in support of combatting climate change. This was their fourth annual “Youth Day of Action,” in which over 600 NY-based students, both in high school and college, attended the rally with the objective of having their futures prioritized by politicians.
The two organizations, along with its participants, aimed to get the following bills into the attention of New York State politicians: “Solar on Schools,” which would commit $500 million to install solar panels and geothermal energy in schools, and the FUND Campaign for New York State, which reflects the need for climate-resilient New York State.
In addition, the NY HEAT Act would deliver relief to New Yorkers struggling to pay their energy bills, as the bill aims to prevent low-to-moderate income customers from energy bills more than six percent of their income. Low-income residents currently spend an average of 15% of their income on these bills, as according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
Moreover, this bill “[…] amends the Public Service Law and the Transportation Corporations Law to ensure that state regulation and oversight of gas utilities realize the climate justice and emission reduction mandates established by the CLCPA,” according to eany.org.
Advocates also aimed to ensure New York’s climate progress. According to earthjustice.org, Governor Hochul has continued to delay and backtrack on key state climate goals after the release of her 2026 Executive Budget proposal.
With these in mind, supporters gathered at the Albany Capital Center.
Prior to the rally, participants came to the stage to generate momentum for the rally. They were also joined by the Lieutenant Governor of NYC, Antonio Delgado, who came to demonstrate his support as well.
Delgado spoke about his personal experience as a person of color in the political space and offered some words of wisdom to the participants at the rally. He emphasized the importance of using love to achieve his goals and represent particular districts and how he encourages young people to do the same.
“We did it with love, we showed up, we listened, we were thoughtful to people and worked it out,” Delgado stated. “When you do that, real change is possible. As you make your moves around and advocate, do so with real purpose and with love.”
Following these words of encouragement, the participants split into groups and headed to their respective rallies. The groups transitioned to the capitol building and headed to the politically iconic staircase, which became a popular place for activists to have their voices heard.
Tons of students gathered on the staircase, each showcasing their unique signs and messages for politicians to hear. Messages on signs included: “Fund Climate for Greener Schools”, “Fund our Future”, and other words of support for the bills.
Following the rally, student groups split up and had the opportunity to meet with several district representatives and their assistants. Some of these representative teams included those of William Colton, who represents the 47th district and oversees the community of Kings Highway in Brooklyn, NY.
During these meetings, students spoke about their personal experiences and advocated for more sustainable initiatives to be put in place on their campuses. Students from BC spoke about the recent pipe bursts that occurred on campus, as well as the degradation of many buildings in the school.
Chris Eachus, a member of the New York State Assembly from the 99th district, offered a few pieces of advice during his meeting with students.
“Students should pay attention to the bill being passed on March 10, the one house budget,” Eachus stated. “I don’t know what the federal government, Washington, DC, is gonna do […] We’re building a budget that says we’re gonna get every cent because we deserve it.”
Students and staff from organizations at BC also spent the day lobbying. Their goal transcended just the BC campus, as they aim to create lasting connections with others.
“I, personally, as a youth organizer, want to utilize the connections I made and make them long-lasting coalitions,” Leila Tazi, president of TREEage, stated. “So whether it’s through providing more resources for education, helping them get their own TREEage clubs started, or simply helping them with their own forms of advocacy, I really want to stay connected and united.”
Attendees at Albany stressed the importance of student voices and their unique perspective on these issues.
“Students offer a very important perspective,” Idrees Ilahi, CUNY director for TREEage, told The Vanguard. “The funny thing about the long-term climate crisis is that we are the most affected. We are the ones inheriting the burdens that the older generations put on us. We’re reshaping the narrative to focus on climate injustices, schools, and the role they play in it.”