Caroline Gleich

Hello, Salt Lake City. Hello, Utah. Now take a moment, look around. This is Utah Rising.

I'm Caroline Blake. I'm an athlete, advocate, proud Utahn. I'm so honored to be here with you and seeing this turnout gives me chills. And how amazing is it that Bernie and AOC are here with us in Utah?

And they are here because, they're here because Utah is changing. The people currently in power see it, and they're nervous. They're getting scared because this is the new era of people-powered politics.

So last year I did something that really scared me. I ran for United States Senate. And it was honestly one of the scariest things that I've ever done, which says a lot because I've climbed the highest mountains in the world and I've skied the steepest mountains here in the Wasatch.

But I ran because I saw our state and country going backwards. I saw our Utah leaders deciding to ban books and pride flags while doing that while letting hate symbols go unchecked.

I saw them silencing voters through rigged maps. I saw them blocking workers from organizing, selling our public lands and policing I They're, they're policing what bathrooms we go to while we breathe toxic air. Our Utah leaders, our government is literally in the toilet.

And that is not democracy. That is authoritarianism in disguise. And growing up, I grew up in a frugal household.

I wore my brother's hand-me-downs. I learned how to sew clothes. I juggled multiple jobs, and like so many of you I've known what it's like to fear that an injury or illness or deciding to become a parent could cost you your job.

And that's not freedom. That's not freedom. That is not the American dream that we were promised because the real American dream is simple. If you work hard, you should be able to breathe clean air.

You should be able to see a doctor. You should be able to afford to buy a home. And you should be able to retire with dignity.

That is the promise we are fighting for. But in, instead of that, we've got billionaires and extremists like Donald Trump and Mike Lee. And they're treating our lives, treating our lives like line items, gutting Medicaid, gutting our federal workers, cutting taxes for the rich, and letting polluters poison our air and water while Utah families pay the price with their health.

And they think that our public lands, our treasured places, are bargaining chips to fund billionaire tax cuts. But do we have a message for them? Our public lands are not for sale.

Let's hear it again. Let's, let's hear this again, and this time let's do it together. Our public lands are not for sale.

Yes. And our democracy, they wanna auction that off, too. And in twenty twenty-four, just one hundred wealthy families spent two point six billion dollars buying our elections. But we've got a message for them about that, too.

Our democracy is not for sale. One more time. Our democracy is not for sale. Yes. Now. This movement is not about left versus right or red versus blue.

This is people versus power, communities versus the corporations, the many versus the greedy few. And here is the truth. Look around. We are the power.

And just like Utah families do when they balance their checkbooks, we can balance our federal budget without cutting Social Security, without cutting Medicare and Medicaid. By. And we can do that by finally making billionaires pay their fair share. We can get, we can get big money out of politics and send a message loud and clear, if you sell us out, we will vote you out.

But now is our moment to run for office. Whatever experience and background you have, you are qualified. It is needed in politics and government today.

You all have the qualifications to run for office. Please really think about it. We have to contest every single race up and down the ballot, every county in Utah.

We cannot let Republicans run for any seat unopposed. We can donate, volunteer, and please get involved with local politics and nonprofits. And tonight, I have a huge ask for you.

Tonight, before you leave, please, if you haven't signed the referendum to protect Utah There are, there are circulators with clipboards. There's about 50 circulators here. Take a moment. If you haven't signed, find a circulator with this clipboard and sign the referendum to repeal HB 267.

And together, we can reclaim the American dream, and not the billionaire version, the people's version. A future worthy of our dreams, our children, and our planet. And you all give me hope.

Look at this turnout. This is incredible. You give me fire. And we're just getting started because Utah is about to become the battleground state of the future.

So when I say Utah, you say Blue-tah. Utah. Utah. Utah. Blue-tah. One more. Utah. Blue-tah.

So many underestimate us and underestimate our states. But as a 5'2" I know what it's like to be underestimated. I know what it's like when people tell you that your dream is too big and impossible.

But when they say change in Utah is impossible, we say, "Watch us." And now in We're gonna hang tight 'cause in just a few minutes, we will be welcoming Bernie and AOC up to the stage. Okay. Okay. So now it is my immense honor to introduce someone who has challenged the establishment.

She deeply inspired my journey to run for office. She spoke truth to power, and she won. Utah, let's make some noise for the one, the only Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Woo!