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Thank you to everyone who made this booklet possible!

Design by Rachael Warriner

Written and produced by Lee McClenon and George Lakey

Support by Sam Shain, Laura Eckstein, Carolyn McCoy, Robin Harper, Ingrid Lakey, Matthew Armstead and Ryan Leitner.

A tremendous thank you to everyone who honored the campaign and the people involved by contributing to an “ad” for this book. Your gifts made this book possible!

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First Campaign

Bank Like Appalachia

Matters(BLAM!)

‘s

2010-2015

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How can a small group take on the seventh-largest bank in the country and win? Through dedicated, strategic, escalat-ing nonviolent direct action. And with the help of a whole

lot of people with a lot of heart.

Earth Quaker Action Team or EQAT (pronounced “equate”) was born out of living room meeting between a handful of Quakers concerned about climate change and the unjust economic systems that sacrifice people and environment for profit. In that Philadelphia home, the founding EQATers decided to focus their collective attention on one key issue and created the Bank Like Appalachia Matters! or BLAM! campaign.

At the time, PNC Bank was among the largest financiers of mountaintop removal coal mining. Companies that use this deadly practice blast the tops of mountains to get to the coal seams underneath. In the process, they poison water, destroy ecosystems, create ghost towns, and even cut back on traditional coal mining jobs in favor of heavy machinery. While Philadelphia is a long way from Appalachia, by pushing PNC Bank EQAT hoped to help the wider movement against mountaintop removal mining.

In early March, 2010, EQAT met with the Philadelphia Regional President of PNC Bank, J. William Mills. Newly- formed EQAT had sent a delegation of three, one of whom had already been to Appalachia to meet with impacted peo-ple and see the mountains. The delegation told William Mills that EQAT expected PNC to stop financing coal companies that engage in mountaintop removal coal mining in Appala-chia.

EQAT then took action.

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A few days later on March 9, 2010, EQAT demonstrated outside the Philadelphia Flower Show, an annual event spon-sored by PNC that attracts 250,000 people. The group sang and handed out flyers. That was the first of 195 actions EQAT organized over 5 years to win relief for the Appalachian people and their mountains.

In September, 2010, two EQAT members and two allies were arrested for occupying a PNC bank in Washington, D.C. Supported by Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and joined by Swarthmore College students and Reverend Billy and his Gospel Choir. EQAT built a small “mountain” made of dirt in the bank lobby and urged PNC to stop destroying mountains.

Rising Appalachia, 2010

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Returning to the Flower Show In March 2011 EQAT returned to the Flower Show prepared to be arrested for creating a “Flower Crime Scene” at PNC’s exhibit. We were escorted out by police.

“I had chosen, for the second time, to participate in an ac-tion where I might be arrested. I felt as I do when anticipat-ing a roller-coaster ride: scared, but when buckled into the

seat, ready to hang on.” - Carolyn McCoy

Carolyn was not arrested that day, but all of EQAT was hang-ing on tight as the group expanded and took bigger and bolder actions.

Carolyn was arrested 9 months later in the December 2011 action, along with four other Earth Quakers, for building model windmills inside the regional PNC bank lobby. Dozens

Philadelphia Flower Show, 2011

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of people planned and practiced the action, which involved getting the large cardboard windmills through the small front doors of the bank. EQAT made the argument that PNC should stop funding coal mining because windmills on Appa-lachian ridges can generate more electricity than can the coal underneath. These arrests of the BLAM! campaign are known as “The Windmill 5”.

Mission accomplished! Well done. Growing capacity. Building resources.

What’s next?

- Sue Edwards

The “Windmill 5” caroling at PNC Philadelphia Headquarters, 2011

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Over the first year, planning fell into new patterns. With the assistance of a facilitator from Training for Change, EQAT held occasional strategy retreats in which it planned a “stra-tegic arc” of actions for a six-nine month period. In addition to bank branch actions, EQAT added another tactic to its toolbox: intervening in public service events that PNC spon-sored in order to generate public good will, such as art ex-hibits and plays.

These “Public Challenge” actions confronted the ways in which PNC’s public face as a green and responsible bank did not align with its private investments. From music concerts to gallery openings, no one at those events seemed to know that PNC generated wealth through destroying mountains and increasing cancer rates among Appalachian people but EQAT was there to tell the truth.

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200-mile Green Walk

In spring 2012 PNC, despite mounting pressure, was still loaning to coal companies so EQAT escalated its efforts and organized a 16 day, 200-mile Green Walk for Jobs and Jus-tice across Pennsylvania to the PNC national Headquarters in Pittsburgh. The walkers conducted actions at PNC branches along the route and were supported by Quaker Meetings

“During our action in Princeton when Ann, Nestor, Nancy and I surreptitiously distributed flyers at an art opening, it took the venue more than an hour to ask us to leave, so we really reached most of those pres-ent! There was a palpable tension in the air when the curators/directors were praising PNC in front of every-

one who knew the truth about their investments!”

–Sam Shain

Stopping at Lancaster Friends Meeting on the Green Walk, 2012

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and churches. It became clear that many people were seeking a new way to challenge environmental de-struction and EQAT offered vision and hope.

Looking ahead, EQAT started plans for the 2013 PNC share-holders meeting that summer. As spiritual preparation for the action and as a piece of an escalating arc, EQAT members engaged in a forty-day fast in spring 2013, in which individu-als chose what part of those forty-days was right for them.

“Ingrid, what you do is who you are & you

are loved always.”

Sunshine

Swarthmore College, Greenwalk, 2012

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Forward on Climate, Washington D.C. 2013

Gathering of Friends General Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2014

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“I plan to do this [Ramadan-style fast] for 40 days unless health concerns arise. My life feels more full and alive wit-

nessing the sunrise and sunset every day.”- Francis Elling

The fast led up to PNC’s 2013 annual shareholders meeting, in the midst of which sixteen Earth Quakers held a “Quaker meeting for business” that drew the shareholders’ attention away from PNC’s own meeting. Although EQAT had visited PNC’s shareholders meetings in 2011 and 2012, this was the most confrontational the group had dared to be yet. The CEO ended his meeting in only 20 minutes, and PNC finally ended its previous mass media policy of “no comment” on

Outside PNC annual share-holders meet-ing, Pittsburgh, PA, 2013

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EQAT’s campaign. After holding actions at dozens of bank branches and PNC sponsored events, and after PNC executives refused to meet again and again, it was time to move up the ladder. That fall EQAT began to “spotlight” individual PNC board members. Activists met with board members wherever they could—at events, at the airport, even on their front porch to ask the question “which side are you on?” British Quaker allies joined in spotlighting a member on her trip to England. Spotlighting connected the decisions of individual PNC board members with the impact their decisions had in Appalachia.

“Our trainer for spotlighting warned us that these sorts of actions require huge amounts of courage. I’m not sure I be-lieved it at the time, but I sure believe it now. I feel so lucky to experience an abundance of courage from my friends.”

–Ryan Leitner

By this time EQAT had settled into the organizational pattern of a strongly activist board and a growing number of partici-pants, supported by two part-time staff. Participants included non-Friends as well as Friends, with an age range of teens to eighties. Much of the work was done by small task groups, coordinated by staff.

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Cultural norms included: “be on your edge,” “give and accept support,” “seek the gifts of diversity,” “get training and learn how to pass it on,” “learn from other movements.” Singing became a characteristic of the group, as well as cen-tering in the silence.

Biggest bank branch action in history

Continued EQAT growth meant the group could organize in October 2013 what might have been the biggest bank branch action in U.S. history. On a single day 16 actions were held, mostly in Pittsburgh. Small and distributed in the morning, the actions escalated through the afternoon, and 7 EQAT members were arrested at the end of the day. Those arrested ranged in age from 21 to 75, a typical age range for EQAT actions.

Many of the day’s actions looked like this: a group of trained

“Shift PNC”, Pittsburgh, PA, 2013

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EQAT members filed into the bank past security guards, circled up on the bank lobby floor, sat down and sank into silent worship dotted with singing and verbal sharing. Securi-ty guards and the bank manager negotiated with the group’s police liaison, and often called the police. When the police came the group’s action lead decided the response, taking into account whether or not the group had decided to risk arrest.

“We, in our vigil, are here to protect and love the earth and all life on it. I may speak into this holy silence. It is fine to

speak clearly, with resolve and sufficient volume to be heard, here in the Lobby. I have tested this foundation in the si-

lence, first, and I feel grounded while I speak.” –Gail Newbold

At the end of that October day’s series of 16 actions, sev-en EQATers were prepared to risk arrest. It was in a large

“Shift PNC”, Pittsburgh, PA, 2013

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office building with a PNC bank branch in the corner of a large lobby. A crowd of customers and people from upstairs offices assembled as the confrontation continued. Police ordered out of the building the EQATers not risking arrest, then hesi-tated to proceed with the 7 who remained holding large photos showing the consequences in Appalachia of mountaintop removal. An EQAT member called on the crowd of onlookers as well as the police to join the activists in a session of prayer, which lengthened as the divine presence was felt by many. EQAT finally began singing

“Hugs to all (and especially

Gail)!“

Dale Hendricks

“FloodPNC” Haverford, 2014

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“This Little Light of Mine,” and the police began to arrest as others joined in the singing. Over the campaign, EQAT also called people to “Move Your Money” out of PNC bank in protest and many took the call. Individuals and institutions began to withdraw their money from the bank. Some were decades-long customers. In con-nection with BLAM! people moved millions of dollars out of the bank.

“After seven years of holding an account with this bank, I’m devastated to have been complicit in this activity and cannot contribute to it any longer. PNC, please enforce a full sector

exclusion on mountaintop removal coal mining!”- Cassidy Regan

PNC unable to get away from EQAT

In April 2014 PNC switched its next shareholders meeting from Pittsburgh to Tampa Florida, a move regarded by the

Greenwalk, 2012

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media as trying to get away from EQAT. However, 22 Florid-ians and 6 Philadelphians from EQAT held an action in Tam-pa, and once again PNC adjourned its meeting early.About two months later the Pittsburgh PNC Headquarters was greeted by its first national protest, thanks to the near-

Gathering of Friends General Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2014

Gathering of Friends General Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2014

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by Gathering of Friends General Conference. In July 2014, 200 Quakers from Seattle, San Di-ego, Oklahoma, and elsewhere converged on

the headquarters after demonstrating at 7 Pittsburgh bank branches.

That fall, the wider environmental justice movement was also gaining steam. EQAT joined the giant People’s Climate March in New York City, but went to NYC early to do a train-ing and then actions at new PNC bank branches in Manhat-tan. In another act of solidarity with the national eco-justice

‘Climate Investiga-tion, NYC, 2014

‘Sweep out Corruption’ No KXL, 2014

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“Ingrid, you go girl!”

Mom & Dad

“Congratula-tions on your

successful BLAM!

campaign.”

Dennis Tavernelli & Vikki Kendrick

“Thanks to EQAT for

modeling bold and faithful

and strategic action!”

Traci Hjelt Sullivan

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movement (and at its request), EQAT planned, trained, and led a major civil disobedience action to urge President Obama not to approve of the Keystone XL Pipeline, another example of extreme extraction. Dozens were arrested.

Flood PNC- Over 30 actions in 12 states

EQAT trainers spent that fall leading action workshops as far

“FloodPNC”, West Philadelphia, PA, 2014

“FloodPNC”, Sarasota, FL, 2014

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away as Indiana and Florida to prepare for the biggest day of action in the BLAM! Campaign. On Decem-ber 6th, people took action in 12 states and the District of Co-lumbia. Participants ranged in age from 1 to 87, with eleven pairs of parents and children. The states ranged from Florida to Wisconsin to Massachusetts to North Carolina. In this action, many people stepped into new roles, including a large number who led an action for the first time. There were several more account closings, including two Quaker congregations, bringing the total amount of money removed from PNC Bank by EQAT’s “Move Your Money” initiative to $3.6 million.

“FloodPNC”, Wilmington, DE, 2014

“FloodPNC, Center City, Philadelphia, PA, 2014

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Over 500 people signed their names to say

THANK YOUto Appalachian folks working to end mountaintop removal coal mining in

Appalachia.

For a full list of names please visit:www.eqat.org/500-say-thank-you

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Spring Hat Luncheon, 2013

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“Congratulations EQAT! People

power doesn’t just move mountains, it keeps them where they belong! Thank you for your hard

work, courage and tenacity.”

-Pam Nelson

“In appreciation of your faithful,

important work. We celebrate with you and thank you.”

The “Bolder and Deeper Group” (BAD) at Friends Meeting at Cambridge,

MA

Greenwalk, 2012

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“Thanks for the example and training in non violent direct action. “

- Karie & Ali Firoozmand

“In memory of brother Allen Bacon, devoted to environmental justice.”

- The Roger Bacon Family.

“EQAT Loves Mountains” Philadelphia, PA, 2015

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“I think it really took years of preparation for me to be the ac-tion lead on Dec. 6th. It wasn’t that I didn’t have the skills, it’s more that I needed to know I had the right voice. Being with all of you in so many different situations and observing how strength comes from that deep silence filled me with awe.

Saturday asked me to step it up a notch. Saturday, I felt I had found deep silence.” –Judy Winters

“EQAT Loves Mountains” Philadelphia, PA, 2015

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“EQAT Loves Moun-tains” Philadelphia, PA, 2015

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Victory in 2015!

Following an action camp in Philadelphia that connected activ-ists from across the campaign network and a powerful action on I Love Mountains Day, PNC Bank announced in March that it would end financial arrangements with the two largest coal companies engaged in mountaintop removal coal mining, in effect withdrawing from the practice. It was fol-lowed not long after by Barclay’s Bank in the UK, and then by the Bank of America. Without substantial up-front financing, a coal company cannot afford to blow up mountains and exploit the coal. The New York Times was among the media that devoted articles to EQAT’s strategy and victory. EQAT members returned in April to the PNC shareholders meeting to remind the bank that, if it reneges, EQAT will resume its campaign.

Through strategic organizing, commitment to growing lead-ership, and by taking bold, targeted action, EQAT has grown from a small local group to a powerful, committed network of nimble activists. After this win on the BLAM! Campaign, EQAT is planning its next steps to continue on the mission to bring forth a just and sustainable economy through nonvio-lent direct action.

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From: STEVEN <smalloch@comcast.net> To: [undisclosed recipients] Cc: Ryan Leitner <rryanleitner@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 8:50 PM Subject: Bursting with Pride All I got an email from Ryan this week, announcing a huge victory in the campaign they have been working on for years - the main target, PNC Bank, announced that it was ceasing to loan money to coal companies for mountaintop removal coal mining projects. In addition to many actions of civil disobedience at banks, Ryan actually knocked on the door of the CEO and engaged him in a long and thoughtful conversation about the issue. Pretty darn cheeky for a college student eh? And then I saw this in the NY Times. They seem to have gotten the story pretty right. And gave a shout out to the Earth Quaker Action Team, with whom Ryan works. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/10/business/dealbook/pnc-joins-banks-not-financing-mountaintop-coal-removal.html?_r=0 Ryan is doing great work. As a different sort of environmental advocate who works on the inside of issues, I really admire the direct action, public work that Ryan and EQAT do. We need both. Deborah and I support the Earth Quaker Action Team- you can too! http://eqat.org/ A beaming Uncle bursting with pride, Steve

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Further ReadingTo see the NY times article on our win go to http://www.ny-times.com/2015/03/10/business/dealbook/pnc-joins-banks-not-financing-mountaintop-coal-removal.html

To learn the story of how a Quaker writer on spiritual issues went to the Flower Show and ended up the clerk [chair] of the EQAT, see Eileen Flanagan’s latest book, Renewable: One Woman’s Search for Simplicity, Faithfulness and Hope.

To read more stories and learn strategy tips from the BLAM! Campaign go to http://wagingnonviolence.org/ and type “EQAT” in the search bar.

To read about hundreds of nonviolent direct action cam-paigns around the world, visit http://nvdatabase.swarth-more.edu/

To stay updated on EQAT’s current actions, visit our website http://www.eqat.org and sign up!

“Joy and strength to

EQATers and current and future allies” - Gail, Denis, & Erica Newbold

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