Colorado
Jamie Valdez
Colorado State Manager
What is the moment that you decided to work towards climate justice?
Climate justice is a natural progression from my previous organizing work in racial and economic justice movements like El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (MEChA) and the Occupy Wall Street movement, especially as I’ve connected the dots of oppression and exploitation. In 2015, I volunteered to help with screenings of the National Geographic docuseries “Years of Living Dangerously” about the global effects of climate change and although I already accepted climate science, this series opened my eyes to the actual scope and urgency of the problem as well as, to the disproportionate impacts on marginalized peoples.
Where’s your favorite place to be?
My favorite place to be is outdoors where I can enjoy and appreciate all the splendor of our natural world, and/or with my daughter and grandkids.
When you were a kid, what was your favorite book?
My most influential book as a kid was “Durango Street” mainly because I could relate to the experiences of the main character growing up in a rough neighborhood and trying to avoid gangs.
