One year after the historic People’s Climate March, a coalition of groups took part in two New York City actions Oct. 14 to demand that elected officials and leaders take action against climate change.

The actions were part of The National Day of Action, which included 180 different events in 100 U.S. cities. New York, demonstrators, including 1199ers, rallied at noon outside Chase Manhattan Bank’s midtown headquarters and at 5 p.m. at the Harlem State Office Building.

“I came out because I think this is a very important issue for people in their homes in their community and on the job,” said Beatrice Whitehead, a home health aide at All Metro Health. Whitehead attended the Harlem rally. She held an 1199SEIU placard that read “Quality Care and Good Jobs for All.”

“It’s so good that our Union is here standing together with 32BJ (SEIU) and the other unions and organizations because problems of the climate affects everyone.”

The day’s protests brought to the fore a number of issues related to the climate crisis. For example, Chase Manhattan was targeted for its substantial investments in fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, as well as its investments in private prisons. Demonstrators also cited Chase’s role in the 2008 financial and home foreclosure crises.

Housing and the environment became even greater issues in the region since Hurricane Sandy, the 2012 super-storm that displaced thousands of residents, many of whom have not been able to return to their homes.

On the 14th, many demonstrators from housing organizations also marched to the midtown office of the Blackstone Group, a Wall Street real-estate giant which organizers say promotes sub-prime mortgages and other anti-tenant policies around the world. Demonstrators in Spain also marched on Blackstone on the 14th.

Speakers at the evening rally in Harlem pointed out that front-line communities of color are hardest hit by the climate crisis. They called for divestment from fossil fuels and prison construction and investments in clean energy, housing and good jobs.

Among the signs that surrounded the Harlem stage was one that read “To Change Everything, It Takes Everyone.”