Photo by Committee for the 2014 Papal Visit to Korea via Getty Images.
On the same morning that Pope Francis addresses Congress, environmental activists will be gathered on the Mall to call on politicians to follow the pope’s lead on the environment.
The groups behind the “Rally for Moral Action on Climate Justice” are arguing that climate change will disproportionately affect those who have done the least to cause it—the poor, people of color, displaced immigrants. And, in addition to speeches by faith leaders and environmental activists, they are bringing some star power to sing the message.
They promise appearances by Moby, Sean Paul, Natasha Bedingfield, Christina Grimmie, Eric Paslay, Victoria Justice, Q’orianka Kilcher and Toby Gad. There will also be a performance of what organizers hope will become a new climate change anthem, “Love Song to the Earth.”
Reverend Pedro Jimeno Barreto, the Archbishop of Huancayo; William Barber, the Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church and the preacher behind “Moral Monday”; and longtime labor leader Dolores Huerta are among the speakers.
The rally will take place on Thursday, September 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pope Francis is slated to speak to Congress at 10 a.m., and the speech will broadcast on the Mall. After, he will make a brief appearance on the West Front of the Capitol.
Environmental activists have made #FollowFrancis a rallying cry after he issued a 192-page encyclical in June urging action on climate change.

Rachel Sadon