Abuelas en Accion and Verde Action: A Partnership for Multigenerational Climate Justice

Join the Climate Comadres in this inaugural episode of our new partnership with Verde Action in Portland Oregon.  Cheyenne Holiday, Director of Policy and Advocacy talks about policy priorities of Verde Action.  She speaks about the challenges to climate justice in this moment including loss of federal funding and other challenges.  Cheyenne also reminds us of the many opportunities for collaboration and the development of new ideas and strategies for climate justice during this time of uncertainty.  

Transcript

Abuelas en Acción: Season 12, Episode 1

Welcome to Abuelas en Acción, a multi-generational podcast for our common good. I'm your host, Marie Dahlstrom, joined today by my co-hosts and climate comrades, Consuelo Saragoza and Dr. Rosemary Celaya-Alston.

We are elders—and we take that name with pride. We love being elders who bridge generations and work with colleagues, friends, and family across communities and movements. What we do here is real, raw, and deeply human. We have conversations about justice, healing, and the future of our planet. This is a space where truth-telling meets generational wisdom—with a whole lot of heart.

Good morning, Rosemary and Consuelo. It’s so great to be back together after our hiatus.

Rosemary: I know—it’s been a while. I’m excited to come back to the table and see both of you. We’ve been doing different things personally, and I’m looking forward to working with Verde. Our storytelling continues to be part of our truth-telling, and I’m over the moon about what’s ahead.

Consuelo: Good morning, Comadres and Cheyenne. It’s a beautiful fall day here in Portland, Oregon. I’m excited about what this next etapa brings us—to see the honesty, truth, and justice we live by, especially in partnership with Verde and their wonderful staff. I’m looking forward to the months and years ahead.

Marie: We thought we’d have more free time, didn’t we? We thought we’d be retiring and kicking back. But this moment is calling us out of retirement—to join hands with our brothers and sisters doing amazing work in the community. I want to send a hug to our federal employees who are being used as pawns and are currently unable to do the work they love. We have a lot to talk about, and we’re honored to have Cheyenne Holliday with us today.

We’re proud to partner with Verde Action in Portland, Oregon. Together, Abuelas and Verde Action will connect local voices with systemic change. We’ll highlight the people and policies shaping our collective future—from climate justice and democracy to identity, resilience, and joy. And today, we launch our new season and partnership with our special guest, Cheyenne Holliday, Director of Advocacy for Verde Action.

Cheyenne brings her heart and passion as a fierce advocate for climate justice. So much is happening here in Oregon and at the federal level—cuts to climate funding, elimination of environmental protections like clean air and water. You’ll love hearing Cheyenne’s story. She’s a water justice champion with years of experience, and she’s deeply involved in policy work.

There’s also a recent memo from the Trump administration targeting nonprofits—labeling climate justice organizations as radical left terrorist groups. It’s chilling. Cheyenne will update us and remind us of the good work happening in Oregon and across the country.

Welcome, Cheyenne!

Cheyenne: Hello! Thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here.

Marie: We’d love to hear about your journey to becoming a climate justice advocate and Director of Advocacy at Verde.

Cheyenne: My journey starts as a young child. I grew up on a horse farm—my family rescued and rehabilitated horses. I traveled the West on the rodeo circuit, jumping into bodies of water, running through fields. I thought clean water and air were normal. We had a domestic well, so I didn’t even know people paid for water.

Then I went to college and learned that many people don’t trust their water or can’t go outside because of poor air quality. That shocked me. In 2018–2019, while getting my master’s in conflict and dispute resolution, Oregon launched its 100-year water vision. They claimed to do community engagement, but it was during work hours, in English—clearly not accessible to all.

I joined the Oregon Water Futures Collaborative—Verde, Coalitions of Communities of Color, Willamette Partnership, and University of Oregon. We did our own engagement across every county in seven languages. I was an intern, obsessed with Verde. They didn’t have a water program yet, but I got to know the community in Cully and the staff. I hung around, waited a year, and when they added water justice, I applied immediately. I became the Water Justice Coordinator, then Advocacy Manager, and now Director. Verde can’t get rid of me!

Marie: Wonderful. I hope our listeners—especially those still figuring out their path—are inspired by your persistence and determination.

Consuelo: As you shared your childhood, I thought, when you know it, when you feel it, it’s going to happen. You don’t know when, but it will. And now, Verde can’t get rid of you!

Can you tell us about Verde’s climate justice policy priorities?

Cheyenne: We focus on air quality and climate, energy, water, and transportation justice. These priorities come directly from community engagement—questions like “Where does my water come from?” “Why do I pay for water?” “Is it safe to drink?”

Consuelo: That’s telling—especially in urban settings. We’ve seen what’s happened in other states where water wasn’t safe.

What’s the will of Oregon’s legislature around climate justice?

Cheyenne: Up until 2025, there was a push for climate priorities and emission reduction goals. But it’s not the biggest priority. Natural resources are less than 1% of the state budget—budget dust. In 2025, climate wasn’t prioritized. Even with a Democratic supermajority, it was hard to pass anything climate-related. Legislators tiptoed around it while focusing on education, healthcare, and transportation.

Consuelo: The transportation package passed recently—was there anything in it about climate justice?

Cheyenne: I’m not the expert, but it wasn’t a climate-positive package. It kept people employed, which is important. There’s talk of returning in future sessions to address climate justice.

Marie: You mentioned Democrats treading carefully. Why do you think that is?

Cheyenne: Fear. Early in the session, legislators seemed nervous—like puppies shaking. There’s fear of retaliation. Some moved toward the center. Oregon has many purple districts, and legislators are trying to walk that line. Climate advocates are seen as always voting left, which may be true or not—but it means we’re sometimes taken for granted.

Marie: I hope we move toward bipartisan commitment. Climate can’t be left to one side—we share this planet.

Rosemary: How is Verde and other climate justice nonprofits being impacted by the executive order?

Cheyenne: There’s fear nationwide. It’s straining organizations—whether they have federal grants or not. This attack on nonprofits isn’t new. Even before Trump’s presidency, there were attempts to label environmental groups as terrorists. It’s legally hard to do, but this administration isn’t always following the law.

What gives me hope is the networks forming—organizations inside and outside Oregon are sharing resources, legal support, and information. If something happens, we’ll come together as a movement.

Marie: I’ve been on calls with experts on democracy and civil society. Nonprofits are vital to protecting our rights—freedom of speech, protest, and expression. I was shocked to learn what’s happening. Even the mayor wasn’t aware. Communities need to speak up and protect our nonprofits.

Rosemary: Joanna Macy, a Buddhist scholar and climate activist, encouraged us to let wonder and gratitude empower us. Cheyenne, what are you grateful for, and what climate actions can we take?

Cheyenne: Two words—joy and food. I’m grateful for meals shared with community members. I recently ran into someone I met in 2020 while grabbing chips in Pendleton. We embraced, shared a meal. That connection brings me joy.

I’m hopeful for collaboration and creativity. We’re in a space where we must be creative. The limit doesn’t exist. I started my climate journey during Trump 1.0, and amazing ideas came out of that. Now we’re doing it again—with stronger tools.

Marie: Beautiful. Adversity pushes us to grow. When life is comfortable, we coast. But now, we must rise.

Consuelo: I’m grateful for this—coming together, my comrades, our community. We’ve worked together for years, and I’m grateful to still be doing this. Last week, we lost a great climate justice woman—Dr. Jane Goodall. I re-listened to her interview with Julia Dreyfus. She was remarkable—joyful to the end, surrounded by love.

Marie: For listeners unfamiliar with Dr. Goodall, could you share a bit?

Consuelo: As a child, she was fascinated by nature. Her mother found her in bed with worms she’d collected. Instead of scolding, her mother gently guided her. Later, Dr. Leakey invited her to study chimpanzees. She discovered they use tools—challenging the belief that only humans do. She dedicated her life to keeping Earth whole and healthy.

Rosemary: I’m grateful for relationships and wisdom-sharing. We’re all learners. We don’t have all the answers, but we have one more day to share space and make decisions together. I’m grateful for connecting with people who aren’t like-minded—it’s critical.

Marie: I echo all of that. I’m grateful for today—for not feeling alone. We can do this together, honoring our differences. And I’m grateful for my husband David, who turns 75 today. We recently celebrated our 50th anniversary.

Thank you, Cheyenne, for being with us. You handle so much with grace and dignity.

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