Our Climate
A 12-month fellowship with Our Climate, a nonprofit that trains young people to advocate for equitable climate policy at the state and federal level.1 I was based in Portland, Oregon.
Youth-led climate policy advocacy.
Our Climate is a nonprofit that trains young people to advocate for equitable climate policy.1 The fellowship teaches cohorts of young organizers legislative strategy, constituent communication, and campaign management, then places them in states with active climate legislation.
I was a fellow from November 2019 through October 2020, based in Portland, Oregon, working on advocacy campaigns in several states. I met with state and federal representatives, did community outreach and phone banking, organized online, and worked with environmental justice organizations.
Oregon's governor signed a climate executive order during my fellowship year, after cap-and-trade stalled in the legislature.2 New York's CLCPA passed a few months before the fellowship began,3 and Massachusetts's climate roadmap law passed a few months after it ended.4
Climate wins around the fellowship year.
Our Climate fellows worked across the country. Highlighted states are the three wins this page covers, each dated so it's clear which fell inside the November 2019 to October 2020 fellowship.
State climate wins around the 2019–20 fellowship
Every state is drawn as an equal tile. Hover or select a highlighted state for what passed and when.
3 states covered
Signed in July 2019, a few months before my fellowship began, so it is context rather than a fellowship win. It requires 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, and it shaped climate organizing in New York during my fellowship year.3
- Climate win covered here
- Other states
Tile layout after NPR’s square tile grid map.5
What passed, and when.
Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (CLCPA), July 2019
Signed in July 2019, a few months before my fellowship began, so it is context rather than a fellowship win. It requires 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, and it shaped climate organizing in New York during my fellowship year.3
Next-Generation Climate Roadmap law, March 2021
The roadmap bill came out of the 2019–2020 legislative session and was signed in March 2021, a few months after my fellowship ended. It sets a net-zero emissions target for 2050.4
Governor's Executive Order 20-04, March 2020
After a Republican walkout blocked the cap-and-trade bill in the 2020 session, Governor Kate Brown signed an executive order in March 2020 directing state agencies to cut emissions 45% below 1990 levels by 2035 and 80% by 2050. This was the one win that fell inside the fellowship year. Portland-based fellows organized community pressure and worked with state advocacy groups.2
November 2019 to October 2020.
Fellowship Begins
Selected as an Our Climate Fellow. Started training in Portland, Oregon on climate policy communication, legislative strategy, and community organizing.
State-Level Advocacy Campaigns
Started advocacy campaigns in states with active climate bills: meetings with representatives, phone banks, and community outreach events.
Federal Lobby Day
Went to Washington, D.C. and met with congressional offices about climate legislation and environmental justice funding.
Oregon Executive Order
After the cap-and-trade bill stalled in a Republican walkout, Governor Kate Brown signed Executive Order 20-04 setting statewide emissions reduction targets.2
Digital Organizing Pivot
Moved all organizing online during COVID-19. Led virtual town halls, Zoom lobby meetings, and social media campaigns.
Fellowship Concludes
Finished the 12-month fellowship. I kept doing climate advocacy and used what I learned in later civic projects.
The fellowship ended in October 2020. I have used the organizing skills from that year in my civic work since, including The YCOD and local campaigns in New Orleans.
Sources
- 1Our Climate · Cause IQNonprofit (501(c)(4)) that trains young people to advocate for equitable climate policy.
- 2Republican Walkout Halts Cap-and-Invest (Again), but Gov. Brown Commits to Climate · Climate XChange, Mar 13, 2020Executive Order 20-04 signed March 10, 2020 after the SB 1530 walkout; 45% below 1990 by 2035, 80% by 2050.
- 3NY governor signs into law most ambitious climate plan in the US · Al Jazeera, Jul 18, 2019CLCPA signed July 2019; 70% renewable electricity by 2030; 85% cut with the rest offset (net zero) by 2050.
- 4Massachusetts Enacts Major Climate Change Legislation · Day Pitney, Mar 30, 2021Next-Generation Roadmap law signed March 26, 2021, from the 2019-2020 session; net-zero emissions by 2050.
- 5Let's tesselate: Hexagons for tile grid maps · NPR Visuals, May 11, 2015Square tile grid map layout used for the state map.