“Can everyone hear me? Yes? Great.” The voice of Santi Sanchez, climate and health coordinator for the Coalition of Communities Color (CCC) rang out as funders from across the country gathered in Portland, OR for a neighborhood-based learning tour to see CCC’s work in action and learn more about how climate, food, culture, housing, self-determination, wellness and prosperity are all connected.

Coalition of Communities of Color is an alliance of 18 culturally-specific community-based organizations – including APANO, Verde and the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) – that advance racial and environmental justice through policy analysis and advocacy; culturally-appropriate data and research; and leadership development in communities of color.

Using a multi-pronged approach led by the stories and experiences of communities most impacted by climate change, CCC recently won a campaign to pass a series of bills in Oregon that includes reduced energy rates for low-income households, funding for home energy efficiency upgrades, and the 100% Clean Energy Standard that requires utilities to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

And the coalition collaborated with the community and Multnomah County’s Health Department to publish a storytelling zine that blends art and data in an accessible way to create a fuller, more detailed picture of the ways that climate change impacts Multnomah County’s communities of color and empowers frontline communities to use these data to influence policy.

In the northeast Portland Cully neighborhood, a highly diverse and majority low-wealth community, the coalition supports numerous community-led efforts at the intersection of climate justice and health equity.

NAYA brings the Native community closer to the land on the northern edge of the largely industrial neighborhood. Its food sovereignty project and community garden foster the connection between people and land and are part of a vision to reclaim land and create a space where Native American traditions and practices are honored and celebrated.

Offering a suite of programs and services to promote wellness and prosperity, NAYA’s 10-acre campus is a hub for community and cultural activities,” Oscar Arana, NAYA’s chief executive officer, said.

And its footprint continues to grow. As a part of Portland City Council’s approval of clean energy grants, NAYA received a $3.69 million, 5-year grant from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund for renewable agriculture and green infrastructure.  Funds will be used to convert 4.2 acres of former baseball fields, located in the back of its main campus in Northeast Portland, into a farm, traditional medicine garden, community gathering space and playscape.

However, with the rising cost of housing, community members were getting pushed further and further away from the campus, Arana explained.

“We knew that the more that folks were getting displaced, the harder it would be for them to come and access our services,” Arana said.

So over the last six years, NAYA has co-developed three affordable housing developments for tribal members and other Native families in the neighborhood, one as close as a half-mile away from its campus.

“We’re trying to create not just housing opportunities close NAYA, but we’re also trying to create economic development and business and job opportunities here as well,” Arana said.

Together, Verde and NAYA worked with community members in the Cully neighborhood in Northeast Portland to transform a former gravel quarry and landfill into a 25-acre park. Cully Park includes a Native gathering garden and provides a space for the community to gather, host cultural celebrations, and engage in Indigenous land practices.

The park’s development was guided by the Cully Park Community Advisory Committee, ensuring that the needs and desires of residents were central to the project.

The park, once an inaccessible and neglected area, is now a vibrant green space complete with playgrounds, sports fields and community gardens, Cheyenne Holliday, advocacy manager at Verde, said.

“This park is not just a recreational space; it’s a symbol of resilience and community collaboration. It’s a place where local families can gather, play, and connect with nature,” Holliday said.

Heading over to Southeast Portland, the Jade District is a diverse neighborhood that is home to many immigrants and refugees, with more than 140 languages spoken in the community.

Known for its international cuisine and close-knit community, the district is also known to be a neighborhood where residents experience stark economic and health disparities compared to the rest of Portland.

Marked as Portland’s only ethnic concentration of a community of color, it became a Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative under Prosper Portland’s Neighborhood Prosperity Network due to its diverse community, culturally specific businesses and historic underinvestment.

APANO, one of Oregon’s longest-standing Asian and Pacific Islander grassroots advocacy organizations, is bringing their community together to envision and build a safer, healthier and joyful district for all to enjoy.

Under APANO’s management, the Jade District prioritizes its residents’ needs for affordable housing, accessible transit, and green spaces, creating a safe, sustainable community with diverse cultural establishments.

Years of work and climate investments have turned the Jade District into the most transit rich, climate resilient and affordable intersection in the city of Portland, said Duncan Hwang, community development director at APANO.

“As a partner in our Climate Change, Health & Equity initiative, Coalition of Communities of Color demonstrates the unique leadership, value and action opportunities that exist through intentional community organizing, coalition building and cross-sector collaboration with racial justice at the core,” said Kresge Health Senior Program Officer Erica Browne.

“Today, we’ve seen firsthand the incredible work being done to foster environmental justice and sustainable development in our communities,” Sanchez said. “These projects reflect our collective effort to build a future where everyone has access to green spaces, affordable housing and clean energy.”

Learn more about:

• The relationship between climate justice and health equity
• How to accelerate investments at the intersection of climate change, health and equity
• The Kresge Foundation’s Climate Change, Health & Equity initiative