I’ve spent my career building coalitions and restoring natural spaces in the heart of urban Los Angeles. I’ve listened to thousands of residents and translated their voices into tangible projects that promote climate resilience, economic vitality, and community pride. As Environmental Equity Officer for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative nature-based solutions can be—especially when we make underserved communities a priority.

We need to direct meaningful funding toward climate resilience before we hit our 2030 climate “point of no return”. For every dollar we fail to spend today, Californians will pay six to ten times more in emergency response, infrastructure failure, and public health crises. We must address the state’s most pressing environmental issues and ensure that every community—especially those historically underserved—has clean air, access to green space, and a voice in shaping climate and environmental policy.