ABOUT
Who We Are
Sunrise Chicago, founded in 2019, is Chicago’s local chapter of the Sunrise Movement; Sunrise is building a youth-led (under 35) movement fighting to end billionaire rule, combat the climate crisis, and win a Green New Deal.
Those in power try to convince us nothing can change; they tell us that we are naive, powerless. They rely on our compliance to maintain the status quo. But, we know that there is power in people coming together. We’re on a mission to put everyday people back in charge and build a world that works for all of us, now and for generations to come. Together, we’ll force all levels of government to enact a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, invest in Black, Brown, & working class communities, & create millions of good union jobs.
Our Worldview
Where the status quo tells us that everyday people are irrational, powerless and must accept the world as it is, we believe that power comes from people coming together, and every person has a role in changing our society and creating a democracy that works for all of us.
Where the status quo imagines the government as a violent, corrupt tool of the greedy elite, we fight for a government that uses its full power to guarantee people’s basic needs and maintain the health of our planet.
Where the status quo exploits workers’ labor and uses us as tools for profit, we believe that workers deserve dignity, respect, and power in the workplace.
Where the status quo enables the greedy elite to destroy our land, air and water to line their pockets, we seek to build an economy where people live in harmony with the planet.
Where the status quo is built on the legacy of slavery and genocide, uses strategic racism to pit us against one other, and systematically destroys communities of color, we come together to build a powerful multiracial society that will confront our history and recognize differences in identity as strengths.
Our Theory of Change
We believe that our movements can only win by both demonstrating mass support and wielding power. This belief is reflected in the two main components that work hand in hand to form of our theory of change, or how we believe change happens: people power and political power
Building an active base of public support by brining our friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and community leaders either directly into our organization or in support of our campaigns/demands
Engaging in mass protest and non-violent direct action that disrupts the status quo and forces those in power to meet our demands
People Power
A critical mass of public officials and institutions that champion our agenda
Winning policies that reflect our demands and tangibly improve the lives in our communities
Shifting the political common sense (what is deemed “possible” or perceived as the status quo)
Political Power