Get Involved

Sunrise Chicago is made up of primarily young (under 35) volunteers from across Chicago

  • While most of our members are young people (under the age of 35) living within the city limits of Chicago, anyone is welcome to join

  • The fossil fuel industry & their paid-for politicians are responsible for the climate crisis. They deceive the public, pollute our communities, & block climate action, playing a central role in the broader coalition of white supremacists, oligarchs, & corporate executives who divide & exploit us in order to maximize their profits. This coalition has been playing the long game: taking over every level of government so they can force their agenda on all of us.

    If we’re serious about building power and transforming society, we must be as committed and ambitious as our opponents. Member based organizations are essential vehicles for bringing people together, learning from each other, sharpening our skills, and using our collective power to win the world we deserve

  • Follow the steps for getting involved in our new member guide

Sunrise is a dues-paying, membership based organization. It is recommended, but NOT required, that you be an official Sunrise member to participate with Sunrise Chicago.

Membership & Dues

    • Movement accountable to membership: First, we aspire to become a powerful youth climate movement owned and funded by our membership. Thus, we are accountable to our members, not to funders and the whims of the philanthropic elite.

    • Organize more people into Sunrise: We believe a shift towards dues will enable us to organize more people into the movement. Not everyone is able to give an hour or three or five to hub efforts or organizing, but do have resources to support the movement. We want avenues to engage as much of the movement as possible in our efforts! 

    • Networks of care & solidarity: As the climate crisis looms, it is clear that we must build networks of solidarity, care, and support for each other to weather the storms ahead. Our vision is that the membership and dues drive generate the resources to build care for our society by passing the Green New Deal at every layer of government, but also care for the relationships we’re building to stay in this fight for the long haul. To do this through our member drive, this looks like using our power and resources in the movement to: 

      • Create networks during climate disasters to support our members 

      • Using hub money to provide meals at all hub meetings and events 

      • Creating directories with offerings from inside and outside the movement, including everything for free or supported housing, childcare, access to car or transit, jobs, free therapy, free meals, and other resources.

    • Explicit convos about class: Finally, we believe a shift towards dues will support us to build across class by requiring members and leaders to engage in explicit and ongoing conversations about money and class.

  • You decide! Dues are paid on a sliding scale, but we offer suggestions below based on class background

    • $0/a month (waiver) - you’re currently unable to pay dues

    • $5/ a month - you keep a tight budget and have little flexible money to spend

    • $15/ a month - you make a living wage or are financially comfortable

    • $45/ a month - you make a high income or have access to inherited wealth

    • 33%  will go directly back to each hub or chapter (directly back to us as Sunrise Chicago)

    • 33% goes to Sunrise’s central organizing budget (towards programming things like retreats for hub leaders, the Green New Deal for Schools program, or a national campaign)

    • 33% is pooled and redistributed as stipends for the Principle Six Program, a financial support program for poor/working class volunteers that offers up to $800 per month in financial support

Become an official Sunrise member