BLOG: Then to Now – 10 Years of Fossil Free California
When asked about the origins of our organization, we like to say “it all started with a kitchen table conversation amongst retired pensioners back in 2014 about the urgency of climate change…” This description paints a quick and heartening picture of elder activists launching a scheme at the roundtable to save the planet. In truth, that kitchen table is proverbial, and it took a lot more action than one conversation to get Fossil Free California up and running. FFCA co-founder Deborah Silvey wrote a chronological timeline of events in 2023, if you want to learn the specifics.
The story of Fossil Free California really starts with a group of visionary women, inspired by 350.org, who took their fears around the rapidly changing climate and turned it into local, grassroots action for fellow retired educators like themselves.
“We were learning as we were going, training volunteers while figuring out how to put that training into practice.” recalled Deborah, when asked about FFCA’s early days. “Trying to transform from a volunteer-based collective to an organization with a clear mission, Steering Committee, and Board–we definitely had a fair share of hiccups along the way.”
Deborah Silvey (pictured below on the left) served as the first FFCA Board President, with her grounding presence and attentive leadership. She is still heavily involved in FFCA’s fundraising team and statewide fossil fuel phase out organizing efforts.
FFCA Co-Founder Martha Turner (pictured above on the right) played a huge role in formally getting the organization off the ground. Having previously co-founded 350 Sacramento, she offered non-profit expertise and steady leadership from Sacramento to the Bay Area before remote work was commonplace. Martha led meetings and served as a Board Member until 2021.
Sandy Emerson joined Fossil Free California in 2015, after she watched the huge Peoples’ Climate March in New York.
“I heard that the Rockefeller Brothers Family Foundation–a fortune built on fossil fuels–had decided to DIVEST from fossil fuel investments. Back in California, I connected with Deborah Silvey, and next thing I knew I was on a bus to Sacramento for one of our first actions at the CalSTRS building.”
Sandy (pictured below) has had many roles at FFCA, from office staff to Board President to research volunteer, and has recently combined her love of long-distance cycling with climate action by fundraising for FFCA at the Climate Ride’s NorCal Green Fondo.
And then there’s FFCA Co-Founder Jane Vosburg. Jane was at the helm of CalSTRS organizing in the early days, and always brought levity, humor, and zeal to the organization.
“I have to smile when I look back on the history of FFCA. Deborah and I sat down and allowed ourselves to dream. We thought, ‘if we can raise enough money to have…one part-time community organizer, that would be fantastic!!’ We thought ‘oh, we’re dreaming big here.’”
Jane Vosburg (pictured above) served as the most recent FFCA Board President, before passing the torch to Miguel Alatorre Jr., current President. She is still closely involved with FFCA as an informal advisor.
That dream came true. Today, Fossil Free California has 4 staff members, and 9 volunteer teams working on different aspects of the fight for divestment in California. We’re partnering with community groups and unions to spread our message far and wide: we needed to divest from fossil fuels yesterday, but now is a great time to take power away from Big Oil and put it back in the hands of the People.
Another strength FFCA has today that we didn’t just a few years ago: youth voices. Working closely with Youth Vs. Apocalypse, and recently launching a statewide youth coalition, we’re ready to push this intergenerational coalition full steam ahead into the next phase of our campaign.
“Ten years later, I look back on our early days and realize how far FFCA and the divestment movement in general has come. Worldwide divestment pledges now total $14.76 TRILLION dollars!” says Sandy.
As we bolster our coalition to keep the heat on CalPERS and CalSTRS leadership and elected officials who seem content with money laundering with Big Oil, we are excited for internal development within our organization as well. Diversifying the voices we work to amplify, social justice and media trainings for volunteers and staff, and paid youth internships are all on the horizon. After 10 years of learning and growing, it’s clear that our work is cut out for us in the fight for a fossil fuel free California. But we’re in a better position than ever to be in this fight, and to win.
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