The “Frontline Movement Exchange” brought together many grassroots organizers and movement leaders during New York City Climate Week, on September 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Nona Chai

During New York City Climate Week 2025, JTA’s Nona Chai and José T. Bravo participated in many conversations dedicated to building movement momentum and people power toward just transition and climate justice. Among numerous Climate Week events and experiences, we focus on two in this blog post: the “Frontline Movement Exchange” and the protest against the proposed corporate takeover of New Mexico’s power grid. Together, these two events, and the grassroots power that energized them, illuminate continued struggles for making a world beyond extractivism.

On September 23, José spoke as a panelist during the “Frontline Movement Exchange.” The gathering’s co-organizers were JTA, Grassroots Global Justice, The Black Hive, Climate Justice Alliance, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), Grassroots International, Indigenous Environmental Network, National Partnership for New Americans, Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens (Movement of People Affected by Dams), La Via Campesina, and Organización Boricua de Agricultura Ecológica.

The exchange sought to create a shared space for frontline organization leaders to discuss the political moment; deepen and strengthen solidarity; and to share updates and movement-building insights for the upcoming Peoples’ Summit, COP30, and International Day of Action (Nov. 15) in Belém, Brazil. Several movement organizers joined José to share their experiences and perspectives: Pueblo Action Alliance’s Julia Bernal, Nnimmo Bassey, of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nigeria, and Fundacion Solón’s Pablo Solón.

During his talk, José discussed the importance of building solidarities among peoples in the Global South and in the Global South of the North, describing how these communities have been used as laboratories for violent power by oppressing frontline communities and workers. He also discussed false solutions, and many attendees received copies of Hoodwinked in the Hothouse. As part of his opening comments José said, “We have to understand that who we are, what we are, and what we are struggling for is the right thing to do. If it was not the right thing to do, there would not be any push back.”

Watch and listen to an excerpt of José Bravo’s remarks. Video credit: Nona Chai

One of the actions during Climate Week that connected with Frontline Movement Exchange conversations involved a protest outside the New York City Blackstone building. On September 25, several people with Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA), New Mexico No False Solutions (NM NFS), and Planet Over Profit blocked the building’s main entrance.

In their press release, the coalition of organizers explained their reason for this action: “Blackstone, in partnership with PNM [Public Service Commission of New Mexico], announced plans to acquire TXNM, the parent company of the state’s largest utility provider.” The coalition rejects private equity’s neoliberal takeover of the New Mexico power grid. This control would make energy less affordable, diminish accountability, and impede the state’s transition to renewable energy and energy democracy, as part of a just transition.

The press release also quotes NM NFS coalition coordinator and JTA board member Alejandría Lyons: “Blackstone is not a climate savior. They are a trillion-dollar private equity giant that profits from housing shortages, rising costs of living, and the climate crisis itself…Handing over our utility system to Wall Street investors will only deepen corporate overreach into the essentials of daily life.”  

The struggle against Blackstone continues. Follow the NM NFS coalition to learn more about and to support efforts to block corporate control and to advance community-led, real solutions.

No false solutions! Power to the people! Just transition now!