This is Episode 1 of the “Divestment Generation” mini series, a five episode series exploring the 9 year campaign to win fossil fuel divestment at the University of Toronto! In Episode 1, creators and co-hosts Amanda Harvey-Sánchez and Julia DaSilva speak with “First Gen” divestment organizers - those who were active during the campaign from its inception in 2012 until 2014, around the time of the People’s Climate March in New York City. Our “First Gen” guests are Stuart Basden, Monica Resendes, and Milan Ilnyckyj. In our song segment, CJTO member Rebecca and participants from CJTO’s September 2022 Orientation lead you in the first two verses of a special adaptation of the movement song “Which Side Are You On?”, originally by Pete Seeger. Stay tuned for further episodes in the “Divestment Generation” mini series to learn the rest of the song! This mini series emerges from Amanda’s doctoral research with CJTO, a two-year ethnographic community-based participatory research project tentatively entitled “Actualizing Everything: Affective Activism, Effective Politics, and the Future of Climate Justice Organizing in Canada”. Cite as: Harvey-Sánchez, A. & DaSilva, J. (2022). “Divestment Generation Mini Series, First Generation (Ep.1)”. Climate Justice Toronto.

EPISODE RESOURCES
UofT Fossil Fuel Divestment Timeline
Divestment and Beyond, Briarpatch Magazine Article (by Amanda Harvey-Sánchez & Sydney Lang)
Discovering University Worlds
The End of Protest (by Micah White)
Saving Us (by Katharine Hayhoe)

SONG

Adaptation of “Which Side Are You On?” by Pete Seeger

LYRICS
Which side are you on now?

Which side are you on? (x 2)

Storms Surge and fires burn

but you don’t hear the call

‘Cause developers keep paying you

does it weigh on you at all?

SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFO
Amanda Harvey-Sánchez: Twitter, Instagram, email

Julia DaSilva: julia.dasilva713@gmail.com

Climate Justice Toronto (CJTO): Instagram, Twitter

CJUofT (formerly LeapUofT): Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

2185 Art Collective: Instagram

CREDITS
Editing: Amanda Harvey-Sánchez and Stefan Hegerat

Original Music: Stefan Hegerat

Hosts: Amanda Harvey-Sánchez and Julia DaSilva

Guest: Stuart Basden, Monica Resendes, and Milan Ilnyckyj

Singalong: Rebecca and participants at CJTO’s September 2022 Orientation

Producer: Climate Justice Toronto