PEOPLE ARE THE REAL POWER
W e knew early on that playing nice with those at the top, like state agencies and Cuomo himself, would just result in softer policies that wouldn’t adequately protect those most in dan- ger. We needed a full ban, not regulations, and we needed to build the political pressure to compel the governor to do the right thing. While Food & Water Watch does ally and cultivate relationships with leaders who fight for our issues, we also know that real power and real change comes from the grassroots; from building people power to hold politicians accountable to their constituents. This approach allows us to call for actual progress instead of half-mea- sures. It’s how we demand what we need, not what we think we can get — and how we win. Grassroots Pressure and Bold Goals Led to Real Change
Range of Constituencies 2
We Organized with a Broad
As with the coalition, we knew that to raise the issue of fracking, we needed lots of influential groups on our side. We looked at where the power was in the state, and then organized with these groups to focus and amplify their op- position. That included vintners, farmers, chefs, celebrities, faith leaders, health professionals, local elected officials, and more. Indigenous communities provided early leadership and moral clarity in the call for a fracking ban. For many of these groups, fracking directly threatened their livelihoods or way of life, especially when it came to contamination that would harm the state’s water, food supplies, farmland, and livestock. SEE THE PHOTOS
Anti-fracking activists call on Cuomo to ban fracking at a Washington, D.C. rally in July 2012.
People Power vs. Fracking 30
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