Reflections on an Eventful Year

Written By Cornell on Fire

We couldn’t have done it without you

Newsletter #29 published May 22, 2026

 

As we approach graduation and the end of the year, we reflect upon all we’ve accomplished with your support. This includes actions and publications to promote our fossil-fuel degree campaign, climate art exhibits, public advocacy talks, research to curb Ithaca’s high flyers, and more. We also send our hearty congratulations to Cornell’s graduates, including our own graduating activists!

Scroll below for upcoming events and to get involved!

Dear Cornell on Fire,

Happy (almost) end of the year! As we approach our summer respite, we pause to reflect upon this year’s accomplishments with gratitude to all of you who contribute to our movement. Activism can feel like a Sysphian task in a society hypnotized by business as usual (or convenience and comfort as usual). Taking collective action with you reminds us that we absolutely can take symbolic, institutional, and direct actions that align with our values and with climate justice.

Fossil Free Degree: We advanced our fossil-free degree campaign through both policy and protest avenues. Institutionally, we advocated for a resolution for university-wide dissociation from fossil-fuel funds in research, donations, and retirement funds. The resolution was unanimously passed by the Student Assembly in December 2025 and we’re now working to pass it through the other four university governing bodies. In March, we held a satirical meditation action inspired by Oli Frost to draw attention to Cornell’s fossil-fuel ties and publicize the resolution. We also recently published a guest column in the Cornell Daily Sun that lays out exactly why a higher education institution should not be profiting from fossil fuel interests.

Climate Art-ivism: We publicly launched our climate art-ivism exhibit that challenges cultural creations of “normalcy” in the climate emergency and advocates for climate criminals to be held accountable. The full exhibit was displayed throughout the fall in three storefront windows on South Cayuga Street in central Ithaca. (Thank you, Urban Core!) We held two open house evenings as part of First Fridays Gallery Night, welcoming members of the public to discuss the issues raised in the artworks and learn about our work. We also displayed part of the exhibit at Watermargin Coop and on Ho Plaza, where we exchanged ideas with visitors about climate accountability. 

Public Advocacy Talks: We held two public advocacy events in Dr. Nelson’s debate and advocacy class (ILRLR 3300). The first reviewed evidence of Cornell’s climate progress to date and pointed to actionable steps forward. The second drew on personal life stories and climate science to lay out why we, as individuals and a group, believe that climate advocacy and activism are an essential response to the climate and ecological crisis. We entertained lively dialogue with students late into the night and brought climate considerations into new spaces on campus.

Curbing Ithaca’s High Flyers: After two years of research on jet traffic and emissions at the Ithaca Airport, we are in the final (exciting) stages of writing up our report and creating a companion art display to publicize the issues. We have made public comments at local county meetings, advocating against a proposed increase in airport funding that would allocate further tax dollars towards subsidizing high-carbon air travel for wealthy airline flyers and the uber-wealthy private jetset. As “the #1 user of the airport in the Ithaca region,” Cornell University is deeply implicated in this climate injustice – and it could take powerful steps towards low-carbon travel, reduced hypermobility, and banning private jets.

Community and Coalition Building: We continued to hold Fridays on Fire events, a participatory protest for climate action in collaboration with our partner organizations Sunrise Cornell and Cornell YDSA. At Fridays on Fire we invited people to take action against bird collisions on windows; to engage in guerilla gardening; and to create climate valentines for President Kotlikoff. We initiated monthly coalition meetings at St. Luke Lutheran Church to strengthen climate activism connections on campus. (Thank you, St. Luke!) We were honored to support allied organizations working for social and climate justice by cosponsoring the Take Back Our University Rally, the May Day Rally against ICE, war, and billionaires; an Earth Day Town Hall urging Cornell to contribute more to the TCAT bus system; a climate justice town hall to learn about local climate justice issues from local candidates; and a screening of Earth's Greatest Enemy, a documentary exposé of Earth's biggest and most unaccountable polluter – the US military. 

Thanks to everyone who made these accomplishments possible, in both big and small ways. On the eve of graduation, we send special thanks and congratulations to graduating senior Pranati Patnam, who has spent the past three years helping to lead our protests, enliven our tabling, and gracing our movement with her artwork. Congratulations, Pranati! And to each and every one of you, our readers, supporters, allies, hosts, advisors, and faculty fellows – thank you. We wouldn’t be a movement without you.

Cheers to an eventful year,

Cornell on Fire

*Read on for actions, events, and updates! This newsletter was also published via email and social media on Instagram and Mastodon.

Get involved with Cornell on Fire:

  • Leila's Going-Away + Art-ivism Party: Join us at a barn party from 11am-2pm on Sunday, May 31 at 7 Valley View Rd, W. Danby, NY 14883.  Help us send off Leila with gratitude and fanfare as she makes her way to Finland! Potluck lunch:please bring a dish to share. Carpools available! Email connect@cornellonfire.org.

  • Contribute your creative skills to Cornell on Fire’s art-ivism effort: We are seeking people to help design and create multi-media artworks for a public exhibit. Get in touch with us at connect@cornellonfire.org for details!

  • Cornell on Fire Monthly Meeting: None until fall! We have held our last meeting of the semester and will take a break from meetings over the summer. However, keep an eye out for our summer socials that will combine art-ivism with conviviality.

  • Interested in joining our Working Group? We meet weekly during the academic year and actively welcome new perspectives! Everyone can contribute to our campus-community coalition: students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members. Fill out our interest form or reach out at connect@cornellonfire.org.

Engage the Wider Movement:

  • Subscribe to Positive News US and support a fellow activist: The Ithaca-based Positive News keeps you up to date on promising developments in activism, justice, and earth’s vitality. Sign up here to receive a daily story that informs and inspires. This subscription is a gift to you paid for by someone who subscribed before you. If you'd like, you can reciprocate by paying for someone else's subscription at your chosen price. Your donation will support Positive News’ founder, Ilonka ("Ilu") Wloch, through a crisis and allow her to continue standing up to the world of apathy with real stories of care and justice. Thank you for considering this! 

  • Extinction Rebellion Climate Vigils11am most every Saturday at Chase Bank - the worst bank on Earth - at the East end of the Ithaca Commons.

In case you missed it. Catch up on our latest work:

Thank you for reading this far and engaging in the number-one frontline for climate action: your attention. 

Newsletter #29 originally published on May 22, 2026.

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Cornell on Fire

Cornell on Fire is a campus-community movement calling on Cornell to confront the climate emergency.

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Happy May Day!