5pm High School Jobs Strike 04.14.2021

A GROUP OF LEXINGTON STUDENTS IS SPEAKING OUT TODAY ABOUT SOMETHING MANY OF THEM DON'T EVEN HAVE YET: JOBS.

Today about something many of them don't even have yet...jobs.

But abc 36's alex king reports it's something they say they do have to worry about.

Alex: "these high schoolers skipped school on wednesday... but all in hopes to make some big changes for their future."

Nat sound: singing 15-year-old sofia wu is a member of sunrise movement lexington...a chapter of a national organization dedicated to job security and ending the climate crisis.

She says it's important to make their presence known.

Sofia: "we're out here, we care, we're sacrificing our educations to be here because that's how important of an issue this is."

Wu says the burden of climate change falls heavily on the younger generation's shoulders.

She says they're being forced to take things into their own hands to create a better future.

Sofia: "we are here contacting our representatives and calling upon them to sign onto the good jobs for all pledge that sunrise movement nationally has released but further then that we're also wanting to call upon our community to wake up and see this is a problem.

This is something that is worth fighting for."

16-year-old caroline caldwell says it's important to get the community involved so real change can happen.

Caroline: "our goal is to have congress pass legislation that would allow local offices to give folks.

Anybody who wants a job, a good job, can get one."

She says a good job includes... the ability to unionize, a 15 dollar minimum wage, and the ability to provide for themselves.

Caldwell says she got involved with this movement... because it relates to her passion... healthcare for all.

Caroline: "so good jobs is the first steps towards ensuring that everybody can get the healthcare that they need and deserve."

Reporting in lexington, alex king, abc