Jane Fonda Returns to Washington for First In-Person Climate Change Event Since Pandemic

For the first time in nearly three years, Jane Fonda returned to Washington, D.C., to rally, sounding the alarm on the growing climate crisis.  

The Academy Award-winning actress launched “Fire Drill Fridays” in October 2019 as a weekly rally in the nation’s capital. The goal was to demand action from the nation’s leaders to address climate change. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the movement transitioned online, amassing more than 11 million views across social media platforms. 

Since the start of the protests, other climate change activists and celebrities have joined Fonda. That was no different on Friday when actress Taylor Schilling joined her during the return of the in-person climate change event.  

“Our time is running out,” Fonda said in a statement. “Scientists are telling us we are in our ‘last decade of action.’ What we do or fail to do in the next decade to cut our greenhouse gas pollution in half will determine much about the future livability of this planet. So this is the time for bold action — before it is too late. That is exactly why we are here once again demanding change.”

Additional speakers at the rally included Jerome Foster II, a White House Climate Advisor; Roishetta Ozane, organizing director of Southwest Louisiana/Southeast TX for Healthy Gulf; Maria Lopez-Nunez, deputy director of Ironbound Community Corporation; Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Raúl Grijalva. 

“Fire Drill Fridays,” a collaboration between Fonda and Greenpeace USA, plans to host rallies in the Gulf Coast and California in 2023.