Our Children’s Trust Government Affairs Intern Reflects on Her Week in DC, Meeting Members of Congress and Rallying to Save America’s Climate Case
By Isabella Brahmst
What keeps you going in this fight?
“Witnessing and participating in the passion and hard work behind the scenes of the #SaveJuliana DC week, hosted by Our Children’s Trust.” - Isabella Brahmst, Our Children's Trust Government Affairs Intern
Youth in the climate movement are often asked: “What keeps you going in this fight?” My new answer is witnessing and participating in the passion and hard work behind the scenes of the #SaveJuliana DC week, hosted by Our Children’s Trust.
Earth Day weekend, Juliana v. US plaintiffs returned to the Capitol after 5 years, with support from fellow youth plaintiffs from Held v. Montana, Layla v. Commonwealth of Virginia, and Genesis v. EPA, to urge the Biden administration to tell the Department of Justice (DOJ) to let Juliana go to trial. As a Governmental Affairs Intern at Our Children’s Trust, I had the incredible experience of joining nine amazing plaintiffs in DC.
My life is coming full circle.
My passion for climate action began at a young age from witnessing the impacts climate disasters had on my family's farm in the States and my mother’s homeland, Jamaica. Once I understood what was causing the destabilization of our climate, I felt hopeless as to what I could do to make a difference as a young person. In a pivotal moment, my teacher told me about the Juliana case. I was so inspired by the 21 youth plaintiffs and hopeful that they would be the solution to the climate crisis. Showing me that youth had a voice, I started a youth climate coalition of my own.
Now, as a UCLA climate science undergraduate student, I’m thrilled to play my part in helping the Juliana plaintiffs fight for their right to access justice. It is a bittersweet opportunity, one where I am humbled to be working with people who led me to be the activist I am today but also devastated for the plaintiffs whose case is unjustly being denied the normal legal process by the DOJ.
For two days, Liz Lee, Governmental Affairs Staff Attorney at Our Children’s Trust, led the plaintiffs and staff in congressional meetings with members and staffers. As I entered the Senate and Representative buildings with her, I felt the history that was present from all of the movements that had walked these halls before.
I had no idea how deeply members of Congress cared about the Juliana case and the plaintiffs' fight for children’s climate rights.
One of our first meetings was with our champion, Senator Merkley. He was the first Senator I have ever met and I was touched by his compassion towards the youth plaintiffs. We had the equal privilege to meet Senator Sanders, whose words of encouragement and gratitude left Layla, the lead Virginia plaintiff, and Olivia from Held, beaming throughout the day.
Liz conveyed the importance of the #SaveJuliana campaign in these congressional meetings, including meetings with Senator Durbin and Reps. Khanna and Casten, and empowered the plaintiffs to share their personal stories of climate harms, and ask the lawmakers how they can help save the climate case of our generation. One of my favorite experiences was exploring a maze of tunnels only to be greeted with enthusiasm by Senator Markey. As guest appearances on the Senator’s Green New Deal Network Earth Day podcast, the plaintiffs told their brave stories, while I sat behind the camera in awe of the honesty and grit that they demonstrated.
I turned a page in my own journey during those Hill days, as I independently led staff-level meetings with Mat Dos Santos, Co-Executive Director and General Counsel at Our Children’s Trust. I had visited offices on my own not long ago to ask members to join the amicus brief filed by 30 members, but never with plaintiffs and Our Children’s Trust staff! Liz trusting me as a 20-year-old to take the reins on congressional meetings after her mentorship and training is a testament to how much emphasis Our Children’s Trust puts on engaging youth and empowering them to use their own voice. I felt nervous until Montana plaintiff Olivia smiled and whispered “You got this!”. I was then ready to channel everything Liz had taught me up to that moment.
I finished the Hill days by walking past the Supreme Court and the Capitol. In that moment, I felt the overwhelming significance and honor of being a small part of representing youth from across the nation in asking our lawmakers to save Juliana.
On Saturday, April 20th, the plaintiffs got on stage at the Fridays for Future DC Concert and rally under the Washington Monument. Musicians and activists formed a community of support, cheering them on. I felt the world was cheering for them too because that day, Judge Ann Aiken filed an answer to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rebuking the DOJ’s attempts to silence the youth and denied the DOJ’s motion to stay the case. Everything was falling into place as Bill McKibben eloquently pleased on behalf of the plaintiffs in a video on social media.
Left to right: Genesis v. EPA youth plaintiff Genesis B., and Juliana v. U.S. youth plaintiff Miko Vergun at the Concert to End Fossil Fuels in Washington, DC. (Photo by Robin Loznak)
The big day had arrived on Sunday, April 21st!
I walked with the team to the White House and saw wheatpaste posters of the Juliana plaintiffs lining the streets, acting as a red carpet for the Rally to #SaveJuliana: My Voice. My Rights. Our Future. With former Our Children’s Trust law clerks and volunteers, we unloaded David Solnit’s powerful artwork and massive banners, and soon enough there was a sea of blue in front of the White House.
I stood behind the banner which stated: “Biden, Tell the DOJ: Go to Trial!” with the plaintiffs and had a flashback to my younger self, the little activist that looked up at the stage during the NYC 2019 Global Climate Strike and dreamed of one day being next to the powerful voices I was with now.
Time stood still as intergenerational supporters listened to plaintiffs and climate leaders, Zanagee Artis, of Zero Hour, and Jerome Foster II, the youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and Indigenous elder and wetland protector from Mexico, passionately expressed their outrage of the plaintiffs having to tell their stories in front of the White House, shut out of the courtroom for 9 years. That day, I knew that we were heard from supporters across the world. We made it impossible for Biden to ignore us!
Juliana v. U.S. youth plaintiffs during a moment of silence at the My Voice. My Rights. Our Future. Rally to #SaveJuliana in Washington DC on April 21, 2024. (Photo by Robin Loznack)
I am filled with hope because of the youth plaintiffs and Our Children’s Trust staff’s perseverance in ensuring that Juliana will have its day in court. I am forever grateful to play a part in something that is as vital to our planet as saving America’s Climate Case and am grateful that the Our Children’s Trust team has provided me with the confidence to join their ranks as the climate leaders that they all are. This fight is not over, but the #SaveJuliana DC week served as a reminder that youth will continue to use our voice, in Congress, at the White House, as the sea levels and temperatures rise, all in a “collective cry” to let Juliana go to trial.
