
Help out a full-time volunteer climate activist
Donation protected
Hi there,
My name's Mark and I've been working full time as a volunteer with the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion in Melbourne for the last three years. I believe our entire civilisation is facing an existential threat from the climate and ecological emergency, and that the people with the power to stop it - our political leaders and the owners of large corporations - are at best ignoring the problem, and more often actively pouring fuel on the fire.
That's why I've given up my career hopes as a musician and sound engineer, and lived on little to no income in order to devote myself fully to the cause of bringing about the necessary changes in the way our society is organised.
Most of my days have been filled with Zoom meetings, letterbox drops and poster runs, research and collaboration and helping to organise rallies and acts of non-violent civil disobedience, and occasionally arrests and repression for my political commitments. I've spent many an evening in a police cell and eight days in Canberra prison for peacefully, non-violently disrupting business as usual to call attention to the climate and ecological emergency. I have been harrassed on the street by police who clearly have my name and photo in a database, and received several home visits with the sole purpose of intimidation.
I've tried my best to sustain this without leaning on financial support from my community, but the current cost of living crisis combined with a sudden dental emergency have made this impossible. As I write this I am suffering from a mouth infection and concurrent fever that is making it very difficult to do anything other than lie around on the laptop, and I cannot afford to see a dentist with my current funds, on top of rental stress and high food prices. I hate to come begging, but I need help to get my health right and keep doing this work.
Any amount that you can donate is very much appreciated. However, I thought I'd also add an enticement for those of you who are feeling particularly generous. As I said above, before I started trying to save the planet, I was beginning a career as a musician and sound engineer, and since I still have all those skills I thought I'd try to make this fun for both of us: if anyone is able to donate $400 (that's about 2 weeks' rent) or more, I'll pledge to create an original song or piece of music to your specifications!
I can play piano/keyboards, guitar and bass and sing to a fairly high level, and also play drums at just-above-beginner and I can program whatever I can't play. I'm happy to try out anything you like - whether you want a theme song for your dog, an electro banger about cheese or a soulful acoustic ballad describing your best qualities, I'll do my best to give you a professional-sounding song of your very own.
It's very uncomfortable to be asking this of my friends and comrades, but desperate times call for desperate measures - and these are desperate times, personally and ecologically. Thank you for your help.
Organizer
Mark Conroy
Organizer
Glenroy, VIC