Launch!

Third Act Upstate New York has launched! You can watch the video of our amazing launch program:

Third Act Upstate New York: Working Group Launch from Third Act on Vimeo.

US-based Third Act was founded by Bill McKibben and Vanessa Arcara, both of whom spoke movingly at our launch, to engage elders (those 60+) in response to the current crises around climate and democracy. It is a national organization that has undertaken large-scale initiatives, such as the 3.21.23 Day of Action to Stop Dirty Banks targeting the big banks that are funding dirty fossil fuel development. It partners with other organizations across the age spectrum in support of climate and democracy initiatives, such as the recent climate week march in New York City. Its three main areas of activism are currently Fossil Free Finance, Democratize Energy, and Uplift Democracy and Voting.

If you are an elder anywhere in the United States, you can become a Third Act volunteer. The first step is to join the mailing list. That will get you information to join national calls and campaign initiatives. It also gives you the opportunity to join a Working Group. Some are affinity groups, such as Educators, Faith, or Retired Union Members. Others are geographic groups. Working groups help on national initiatives and also mobilize efforts around more local and state concerns that align with Third Act’s mission.

On our Upstate New York launch call, we were privileged to hear from Dr. Curt Stager of Paul Smith’s College speaking about how climate change is in evidence in the Adirondacks, from Dr. Bob Howarth of Cornell University about the implementation of the landmark New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and Alÿcia Bacon of Mothers Out Front about energy equity.

Our launch also featured some arts breaks. Jane Hirshfield read her poem “Let Them Not Say” and Sarah Stockwell-Arthen sang Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman’s “The Tide Is Rising.”

Our theme for our Upstate New York launch was “Ordinary people doing extraordinary things…together.” We emphasized this by having several of our working group members, including me, offer brief comments on what brought them to Third Act and provide introductions to our speakers.

Part of the purpose of the launch was to encourage people who are lucky enough to be elders in Upstate New York to join us. Our invitation was delivered through a recorded message from Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass and professor at SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry, and a live appeal from Michael Richardson, current facilitator for the Third Act Upstate New York Working Group.

I will add my own invitation because it is never too late to join in the effort, even if you are happening upon this post months or years after our October 5, 2023 launch date. You can join Third Act National using the link earlier in this post and, if you are an Upstater, our Working Group here: https://thirdact.org/working-groups/upstate-new-york/. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram.

I was part of the Launch Committee that planned this event, guided by the incredible Lani Ritter Hall, Third Act advisor and volunteer. Even if being able to join Third Act is far in your future, I hope you will watch our launch and draw information and inspiration from it.

If you are an Upstate NY elder, I hope to see you at an upcoming online meeting or in-person action.

Remember – Ordinary people can do extraordinary things together!