On Saturday, April 12 the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival became more than a celebration of music, it turned into a platform for political change. Singer/songwriter Clairo, surprised the estimated 125,000 people in the crowd by bringing out Senator Bernie Sanders.
Sanders took center stage and spoke to the younger generation about the need to fight for justice. Here are the important takeaways from Sanders’ speech:
“He thinks that climate change is a hoax. He is dangerously wrong.”
Without directly stating President Donald Trump’s name, Sanders addressed how the ignorance of the current administration is failing the movement to end climate change.
The global climate crisis has become a cornerstone of progressive politics. Senator Sanders demonstrated through his powerful words how the fossil fuel industry is destroying our home. He called attention to how we must speak out against large corporations who are hurting the future of America.
“The future of what happens to America is dependent on your generation.”
Speaking at one of the most widely known music festivals, Sanders outspokenly called for Generation Z to make a difference by not allowing democracy to be toppled. The youth must be engaged politically and lack of interest in governmental issues will reflect badly in the future.
“Thousands of women and children are being killed.”
Sanders didn’t hold back when addressing the ongoing war in Gaza. Condemning the humanitarian crisis, he has in the past criticized the Israeli government’s actions and labeled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal.
He emphasized to the crowd the urgent need for international accountability, citing the devastating loss of civilian lives and the collapse of medical infrastructure.
As he closed his speech, he applauded Clairo for fighting for women’s rights and ended with shoutouts to progressive causes like universal health care and economic justice. By bringing politics to a music festival stage, Sanders reminded young voters that civic engagement doesn’t belong solely in voting booths or political rallies—it belongs everywhere.
