50 REASONS WHY
Photographed and Written by Raquel Natalicchio.
On October 7th, 2019, many thousands of people returned once again to shut down capital cities around the world – blocking roads, bridges, transport links and more – to demand immediate action in the face of the Climate and Ecological Emergency. These portraits are a reflection of the diverse and unified people that took part in Londons demonstrations, answering the question “ Why is this important to you?”
RAF (7 yrs old) — “I came all the way from Wales because I really want to, For my future.”
SHAMES — “It’s important to be here and support because some people won’t.”
SERENA — “Im pissed off the government isn't doing anything. I want a planet for my daughter.”
HUNIKUIN TRIBE (BRAZIL) — “The earth is burning. She is protecting herself. Please respect our mother.”
ROSANA — “We are being divided. The most important thing you can do is be here, and support.”
RUBY — “I hope being here can make a change. This is like therapy, I feel good being surrounded by people with smiles who care.”
ROSA — “Im pissed! We need to reprioritize. Nothing exists without our planet.”
JAIME — “I’m here for my son’s future. Im anxious about being lied to by our government. Coming together is vital, it makes us stronger.”
STEVEN (father) — “I want my kids to grow up in a world that exists.”
LUKE — “We’ve tried to do so many things but coming out like this, in protest seems to be the only way to get attention.”
SOFIA — “I assumed the government would do something, but they are not. Living in the UK, we don’t really experience the changes and threat that is already upon us. We contribute the most to the issues, but do the least. I'm here to represent the voiceless.”
KATIE — “It’s out of control. Even though I’m one person, I feel like this is the only way to have my voice heard.”
CROARKIN — “It doesn't matter who you are. You have a voice and can protest.”
BLUE — “I’m not old enough to vote. It’s my future. This is the only thing I can do.”
SAVANNAH — “I grew up on an off grid island. I feel very connected to nature. This affects me in a very personal way.”
BEN — “It’s important to pressure our government to support the people vs. those destroying our planet.”
MARK, ANGIE, & COCO — “It’s important to support approaches against the law. It’s an important process of law, of freedom of speech.”
JACKIE — “It’s about all of us. Our shared future. This is an exercise for our hearts and our minds. Across all the divides, it brings us to our shared humanity.”
EAVEY — “I'm scared for my future. I go to so many protests and the news hardly covers any of them. Nothing is happening. I can’t stand around and do nothing.”
JULIEN — “Nature is the most beautiful thing in the world. I want to see a society built on peace and love.”
NATALIE (left) — “It’s unacceptable what the generation before me has let happen.” KATE (right)— “Change can only come from working our way up. From the streets up.
COSIMA — “I grew up in the country and love being a part of nature. It’s heartbreaking what is happening to our world. I want to help preserve what has been so important to me in my life. Earth. I can’t see any reason not to care.”
LYN — “I’ve been protesting for 50 years. It is now a crisis point. No one has been listening, but now we are rising. There are more than enough people to demand change.”
JENAIE — “Young people are waking up and we need to wake up with them.”
PAUL — “I quit my job as a graphic designer to come join this rebellion. I’m terrified for us, our future and we need to be resilient. Extinction Rebellion is a community that gives you strength.”
EMILY — “System Change not Climate Change!”
JADE — “I want to be representing in voice, spirit, movement those who are invisible. I see you, I hear you and I appreciate you.”
SARAH — “I’m a secondary school teacher and know a lot about the situation. It’s scary. I work with young people and it gives me an extra sense of the future that is in store for them. I can’t not do something.”
CHARLOTTE — “We are destroying so many beautiful parts of our planet. We have to stop and reverse that. Our overconsumption is causing that inequality. I’m terrified to think what will happen when we all are trying to stay alive when resources become scarce.”
CICD TEAM (College for International Cooperation and Development) — Lithuanian, Spanish, Chileno, Argentine, Portuguese and French Instructors. We care about our world, our children and want to take our part in the solution.
PAUL —”I’m a nature lawyer and what I know is that we need systemic change. That takes people taking to the streets to demand it.”
BARBARA — “We need to save this planet. We can’t stop ourselves from dying but we can stop the planet from dying.”
KEIRA — “I’m a teacher and a mother. I’ve got a responsibility to support this movement. I can’t sit at home and let it go by. It’s not just about Extinction Rebellion, it’s a protest about the right to protest. We aren’t being allowed to express ourselves.”
CAITLIN — “Activists have tried so many other methods and they haven't worked. So now we have to come to the streets. Im scared at home and less scared being here with other people. I feel more calm and determined.”
SANDI — “It’s about the continuity of life. I feel sad to get to this point. We need to come together and make a change.”
HARRY — “I am here for future generations. So I can have children and be happy with our existence.”
DANIEL — “I love God and I love my neighbor, so I must be concerned about how this is affecting my neighbor, my community.”
JACOB — “The animals deserve better. The planet deserves better. We need to take responsibility for our actions.”
JOANNA — “This movement is the first thing that has reflected the depth of my pain about what’s happening.”
ANONYMOUS — “The government doesn't care about the people. We need to approach the big companies to make change. Extinction Rebellion has been peaceful, I support what they are doing.”
ANGIE — “I want to bring awareness and inspire freedom.”
LIZZIE — “We’ve known for so long that our planet is in danger. Since the 1970’s. It’s really about time we do something.”
BEN — “I like the feeling of community, it feels important to be here together.”
SUMMER — “Its the most important issue our generation needs to look at. This is an emergency.”
SAM — “Nothing is being done. Extinction rebellion is at least doing something. There needs to be real change, or else were all lost.”
EDEN — “My generation needs to be more involved. We’re scared, this feels like something that is too big. But we need to rise up and lead the way.”
ALEX — “I need to tell my daughter that I tried and that we did something.”
SAM — “I am studying to be an arborist, which is the study of trees. Trees breathe oxygen equally to us. I joined this movement because it meets my morals.”
ZOE — “We’re here for the planet, for the future.”
SAM — “Nothing is being done. Extinction rebellion is at least doing something. There needs to be real change, or else were all lost.”