In hope, in prayer, we find ourselves here
In hope, in prayer, we’re right here

Our voices rise in song, bright and strong as we walk two-by-two to Vanguard CEO Tim Buckley’s house. Led by action lead Carolyn and guided by marshals Barb, Lee, and Linda, we traverse under the train bridge, past apartment buildings, across Route 30 and into the leafy suburban neighborhood of Wayne, Pennsylvania. Our cherry-red “Vanguard Invests in Climate Destruction” t-shirts create a stark contrast against the greenery. There are about 50 of us, ranging in age from twenty something to seventy something, and representing a variety of faith traditions. We are a small and mighty group. Our song leader, Jo, keeps us pumping.

I woke up at 6am on Wednesday September 21st with my mind, as the old song says, stayed on freedom—freedom from fossil fuels that is.

In an action organized by EQAT, I and seven others planned to go to Vanguard’s Malvern headquarters and ask for a meeting with John Galloway, head of Vanguard’s stewardship team. After a year and a half of denied requests for meetings, EQAT was ready to ramp things up, and the eight of us were prepared to risk arrest if that’s what it took to get Vanguard’s attention.

 
Photo Rachael Warriner

EQAT's response to the heat. Credit Rachael Warriner.

I confess I was feeling pretty low recently. The combination of the heat and the complete failure of our government to deal with the climate crisis felt like too much to face. But I dragged myself to a Zoom call with other groups around Philly who are excited about training in nonviolent direct action. Then I got on another Zoom call with folks across the US working to get money out of fossil fuels. Both made me feel more connected and reminded me that our way of making change doesn’t rely on the whims of Washington.