Photo credit: Rhianna Truex
Climate and Environmental Justice Action
WHY WE CAME TOGETHER
FLOWS uplifts Frontline voices and shifts the narrative for Climate Justice and Environmental Justice in Boulder County and beyond. Our perspectives are critical as we head further into the climate crisis. The mainstream environmental, climate, and sustainability movements sometimes speak about equity and the importance of including Frontline voices and perspectives but their programming, funding, and approaches have not equitably reflected our communities’ priorities, needs, and wants.
our approach
We come from and are part of the Climate Justice, Environmental Justice, and Just Transition movements.
We center sustainability and social justice in all our work.
We learn together and reclaim our environmental and ecosystem knowledge and practices.
We bring ecological and permaculture design in a way that is culturally rooted and reclaim our communities’ wisdom.
We support communities in framing, identifying and naming their own issues and finding their own solutions.
We work hand-in-hand with community as leaders and partners from the same communities.
Our work
Transformative Climate Solutions
Each component of our Climate Justice work deeply interconnects. We advocate for the building of climate solutions which center our community members & address systemic harms.
- For 2026 much of our work centers on building Climate Justice resilience with affordable housing residents. How? Here’s a sample:
- Uplifting and building resilience leadership with trainings rooted in social justice movements, popular education, permaculture, green infrastructure, cultural practices and emergency preparedness
- Piloting resilient community hubs with training graduates- providing materials for food, food preparation, water, safety, communications, energy, etc
- Supporting residents to create resilience plans
- Procuring an in-depth solar energy and battery assessment for energy resilient hubs in the future at 2 sites
- Continuing to support the San Lazaro Water Action Council improve their communities water and safety
- Supporting an Edible Forest Garden with everything from plants, to irrigation, to training and supporting residents to act as forest garden stewards
- Partnering with residents, Boulder Housing Partners, GRID Alternatives, PLAY Foundation Boulder, Once and Future Green… and hopefully many more
To interact with the map below, use the navigation tools in the top right and click & drag the map to move it around. Click on an item to learn more, and use the menu in the top center to view our past, present, & future projects.
Testimonials
“The food justice event helped me to better understand issues with community-oriented farming in Boulder. In particular, the challenges that smaller, not-as-privileged members have in obtaining land to farm...
Increasing access to farmland to all community members, especially indigenous members, seems essential to any climate justice. It was amazing to see the resilience and success coming from Jacobs Farm due to community strength and understanding of regenerative farming practices. It’s always an amazing feeling going to FLOWS event because you are also surrounded by people similarly curious about these issues.”
Community Member
“My favorite event this past year was our field trip to Jacob Springs Farm. There, we learned from André Houssney about his regenerative farm and his experiences with racism…
and the legacy of colonialism within the agriculture industry in Colorado. As someone who is drawn toward sustainable agriculture and deeply understands the importance of healthy food, spending the day at André’s farm was eye-opening as we learned about systemic injustices that exclude our communities from being farmers. We also had the opportunity to connect with the earth, learn about native and heirloom foods, and enjoy a delicious, healthy meal together. FLOWS events are generally laid out in that way; we learn and hold a supportive space together when diving into heavy topics, we learn from each other about the amazing things we can do for the earth and inspire hope, and then we enjoy meals as we collectively digest everything we have just learned. It’s a beautiful format and I usually leave refreshed, reignited, and ready to make change. I feel like FLOWS is giving me the tools I need to become powerful within the environmental movement and the knowledge I have gained shapes the way I do my work and live my life. I am still finding my voice and my place in the world, but I know that FLOWS will help me figure that out.”
FLOWS Member
“FLOWS has been an integral part of my climate justice work… The ability to connect with the larger Boulder community grounds my studies in leadership and environmental engineering...
Learning with different voices and through intergenerations creates a unique space very much needed in Boulder…The food justice event helped me to better understand issues with community oriented farming in Boulder… Increasing access to farmland to all community members, especially indigenous members, seems essential to any climate justice. It’s always an amazing feeling going to FLOWS event(s) because you are also surrounded by people similarly curious about these issues.”
CU Boulder Student
“It was amazing to see everyone in the community and talk about what they know/learned/ or experienced regarding climate justice, environmental racism, and justice as a whole...
It was really impactful to me to see and hear various stories from communities that share similarities to ones I grew up in. Michelle and Ramon Gabrieloff-Parish were amazing presenters with raw/real passion for education and justice. Their presence was empowering.”
Community Member
Explore Resources
kgnu- FLOWS Radio Documentary
