Consultation: | Young Greens AGM 2020 |
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Agenda item: | E.2. Non Portfolio Officer |
Proposer: | Annabelle Van Dort (London Young Greens) |
Status: | Published |
Submitted: | 07/18/2020, 01:37 |
NPO8: Annabelle Van Dort
Which role are you applying for?
- Which role are you applying for?:
- Non-Portfolio Officer
Candidate Statement
As a young person in Britain today, I look to the future with a sense of great uncertainty. The government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has proven once again how political leaders value profit over people, sacrificing our prospects for a better future in the process. Already burdened by increasing house prices, hazardous austerity measures, high rates of unemployment and government apathy toward the climate crisis; 2020 has been a challenging year for even the most steadfast optimists amongst us.
However, out of the turmoil of the current moment has risen a new generation of passionate activists, who are determined to fight for a fairer future for all. From the School Strikes for Climate to the recent wave of Black Lives Matters protests, the past year has seen thousands of young people take to the streets to hold the government to account for their failures. With COP 22 on the horizon, it is imperative that we in the Young Greens sustain this momentum in our pursuit of a just and sustainable future.
The current system needs a shakeup. A unified collective of young, radical green voices will be part of the solution! Let’s stand together and bring a new kind of politics to the mainstream. We can represent a branch of politics which situates climate justice at the forefront of the political agenda, and is committed to confronting the atrocities of our colonial past in order to dismantle the oppressive structures that impede the present.
My name is Annabelle Van Dort and I’m standing for the position of Campaigns Officer within the Young Greens Executive Committee. If elected, I will coordinate national campaigns that will push towards progressive change and amplify Green voices across the political landscape. As a woman of colour, I am especially aware of the lack of diversity within the environmental movement. Through the organisation of various workshops throughout the year and the creation of anti-racist online resources; I will bring attention to marginalised narratives typically excluded within mainstream environmental discourse.
Utilising the campaigning skills I gained as part of the Young Green’s 30 under 30 programme, I will continue to build upon the fantastic campaigns already launched by the Young Greens in recent years. Let’s keep fighting for a Green New Deal and demand a Green Recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic!
As the current SOAS SU Environmental Officer, I intend to use my SU experience to work closely with the Green Students Committee in the implementation of a Greens Students Network. We are stronger together and I hope to unite Young Greens at universities all over the country! Through this network I hope to support Young Greens in their SU elections and provide a space where Young Greens can collaborate as part of wider student movements.
Whilst Coronavirus has undoubtedly changed the way we interact, I am committed to the development of digital campaign strategy. For many people during lockdown, social media proved to be an invaluable tool: we were able to stay informed in an increasingly distant world and feel less alone during a time of isolation. I believe that we can use social media as a powerful instrument for change. Let's produce thought-provoking online campaigns that will connect Green activists all around Britain and attract new supporters to the cause.
Outside of Green Politics, I have worked in charity organising, with particular experience in music fundraising events for charities, such as Survival International, an indigenous rights organisation that fights against the human rights abuses committed under the guise of conservation. I believe one of my key strengths is bringing a creative twist to activism and I am determined to push the boundaries of conventional campaigning through use of artistic mediums.
Thank you very much for reading my statement and I hope you consider voting for me as your next campaigns officer!
Links
- Twitter:
- @van_dorta
Supporters (minimum 2 required)
- Supporter 1 Name:
- Chris Jarvis
- Supporter 1 Local Party/Affiliated Group:
- Oxfordshire Green Party and Oxford Young Greens
- Supporter 2 Name:
- George Bellshaw
- Supporter 2 Local Party/Affiliated Group:
- London Young Greens
- Local Party:
- London Young Greens