Inside EQAT with Lina Blount: People-Powered Tactics, Quaker Witness, and Climate Finance

My guest Lina Blount has us explore how people-powered movements change what’s politically possible—especially when traditional advocacy hits a wall. I introduce the show’s focus on the emotional, ethical, and practical sides of money, and Lina shares how a 2011 nonviolent direct-action training sparked her path from volunteer to EQAT’s Director of Strategy & Partnerships. We dig into why EQAT targets Vanguard, the world’s largest investor in fossil fuels, and how Quaker practice informs strategies that are both bold and grounded.

Meet Lina Blount

Lina Blount is an organizer, trainer, and nonviolent action strategist who leads as Director of Strategy & Partnerships at EQAT (Earth Quaker Action Team). After years of volunteering and serving on EQAT’s Board as co-clerk, she stepped into staff leadership to help shape campaign vision, build coalitions, and grow people power for climate justice.

Lina’s background includes work on the education team at Pendle Hill Quaker retreat and study center, organizing with the Divestment Student Network, and two years as a canvass director and anti-fracking organizer in Pennsylvania. She’s spent over a decade on environmental justice campaigns in the Philadelphia area, translating Quaker faith-in-action into clear strategy.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Lina grew up near Mount Rainier, the daughter of a civil engineer—an origin story that feeds her belief that material problems have material solutions. She now lives in West Philadelphia, where EQAT holds accountable one of the most powerful financial actors in its own backyard.

Episode Highlights:

Role at EQAT & episode intro
Electrified by a 2011 training
Four Roles of Social Change
Why EQAT plays the Rebel
Vanguard in EQAT’s backyard
Shareholder advocacy stalls at Vanguard
Quaker worship & a 300-person action
Money Moving webinars: values first
As You Sow fund screener & AFSC “Investigate” tool
Divestment as sound fiduciary choice

Keywords

#LinaBlount #EQAT #DivestFromVanguard #ClimateFinance #EthicalInvesting #Quaker #AsYouSow #FossilFree #ShareholderAdvocacy #PeoplePoweredMovements

Resources

Never Vanguard Pledge
Earth Quaker Action Team
As You Sow
Investigate at AFSC

Click here to watch it on Youtube

Diana Gisel Yañez is an Investment Advisor Representative of Natural Investments PBLLC. Natural Investments is an independent Registered Investment Advisor. All the Colors is not a registered entity and is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Natural Investments. See our Disclosures and Disclaimers and read our Form CRS.