Over 100 people shut down Country Club Plaza streets Saturday afternoon demanding Better Buses for KC; urgent climate action

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – This past Saturday, Sunrise Movement KC held a “Take Back Earth Day” rally on Country Club Plaza and over one-hundred organizers paraded the streets of the outdoor shopping center to make their voices heard. 

“We don’t just demand better buses, we show up and show out for them!” read the caption from Sunrise Movement KC’s instagram post.

The climate justice organization demanded leaders at all levels of government to enact Better Buses for KC: a six-point agenda aimed at rapidly expanding bus transportation to Kansas Citians. It seeks to end the deadly impacts of car pollution and car violence on the community’s health and safety.

“Kansas City’s politicians have the opportunity to defend our climate and stand up for community health in a meaningful way but instead claim they are all for climate policy while ignoring community demands for Better Buses!” said Alexandria Paul, a leader with Sunrise Movement KC.

Last month, Kansas City Council passed the record breaking $2.3 billion budget for the upcoming 2024-2025 fiscal year. That budget, however, did not include new money for buses–leaving a $22 million deficit for public transit.

“They don’t have to face the consequences of their inaction, but we do.” read Sunrise’s instagram caption following the announcement of the budget.

The City’s failure to fully fund public transit demonstrates the disconnect councilmembers have with their constituents. In fact, Kansas City voters have shown strong support for better buses. Recently, 73% of voters voted to renew a sales tax funding public transit. 

Also during the rally, Kansas Citians spoke passionately about the need to end US-complicit genocides. 

Yusra Azzeh, a Palestinian community member and leader with Al-Hadaf, spoke about why it is crucial not to lose sight of the atrocities inflicted on Palestine by Zionists and the israeli government through the destruction of their lived environment.

“Israel deprives Palestinians of access to our own resources, then exploits Palestinians, including children, through labor,” Azzeh said, “Zionism has destroyed any economic opportunities and exploited our resources.”

Al-Hadaf along with Kansas City Defender and UMKC Students for Justice in Palestine will be holding a Black-Palestinian Solidarity panel discussion at UMKC on Monday April 22.

MAK, another leader with Sunrise Movement KC, also addressed the crowd about how they maintain hope in the face of what can feel like an insurmountable problem.

“The climate crisis is here and it’s going to get worse whether we like it or not.” MAK called out before making a plea. “The only way out is by going through and I wouldn’t want to go through this with anybody else but people I stand here with today. Are you ready to fight with me?” 

For more information about Sunrise Movement KC and their Better Buses campaign, visit their website. 

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