Overview:
More than 60 students lobbied lawmakers on climate bills during the state’s first Colorado Youth Climate Lobby Day.
When Thomas Jefferson High School senior Valeria Olivares-Martinez arrived at the Colorado Capitol on Feb. 20, she wasn’t sure what to expect from her first lobbying meeting with lawmakers. As part of the first Colorado Youth Climate Lobby Day, she had the opportunity to speak directly with elected officials about legislation that she believes has the potential to shape Colorado’s environmental future.
“It was awesome to be able to go from knowing very little about our legislative process to then understanding most of it,” Olivares-Martinez said. “Seeing behind-the-scenes made me lose my fear of getting involved with our legislators.”
Students from across the state gathered at the Capitol for Colorado’s first Youth Climate Lobby Day, organized by climate-focused nonprofits 350 Colorado and the Good Trouble Climate Network. Though both organizations have hosted lobbying days before, this was the first event specifically designed for young advocates.
More than 60 students from elementary school to college participated, including attendees from Lakewood Elementary School and the Colorado School of Mines. Lola Lopez, a student at Thomas Jefferson, chose to attend because “I wanted to make sure the politicians representing me and my fellow peers knew about the impacts of the bills before voting on them.”
Aisha O’Neil, a sophomore at the University of Colorado Boulder and founder of the Good Trouble Climate Network, said the event was designed to show students that their voices can influence policy decisions.
“This event demonstrated to students how crucial their advocacy is,” O’Neil said. “Every legislator we spoke with was eager to hear from us — it is not often that young people lobby at the Capitol. I hope that everyone came away with the recognition that their voices can and do affect change.”
The day began with an 8:30 a.m. training session at First Baptist Church across from the Capitol, where organizers walked students through the basics of lobbying and the legislative process. Participants were briefed on four bills they would be supporting or opposing during meetings with lawmakers: House Bill 1007, House Bill 1051, House Bill 1030 and Senate Bill 022.
HB-1007 and HB-1051 focus on expanding access to sustainable energy. HB-1007, referred to by organizers as the “plug-in solar bill,” would increase access to affordable clean energy through payment programs, while HB-1051 would remove the repeal date on the Microgrid Community Resilience Grant Program. Several students from Jefferson County Public Schools said the issue felt personal after losing school days this year due to windstorm-related power outages.
Students also lobbied against HB-1030 and SB-022, which organizers argued could weaken environmental protections. HB-1030, also known as the “Data Center Incentivation” bill, would provide tax breaks for new data centers, which can put a strain on water supplies and electric grids. SB-022 would push back the state’s goal of relying on 80% renewable energy by 2030 to 2040.
Many students participating in the lobbying day live in areas that could be affected by these developments, making the experience especially meaningful. According to Lopez, “Although these data centers are a good source of short-term labor, the long-term environmental impacts are too harmful and damaging due to the lack of resources such as water in Colorado.”
After completing their training, students toured the Capitol before meeting with legislators, including state representatives Cecelia Espenoza and Junie Joseph. Organizers say that participants spoke with about ten lawmakers throughout the day. Organizers said the meetings gave students the opportunity to share firsthand accounts of how environmental policies could affect their communities.
Colorado Youth Climate Lobby Day also introduced many participants to advocacy as a practical skill rather than an abstract idea.
“I would say that although it may be intimidating, scary, or seem useless, it’s the complete opposite of that,” Olivares-Martinez said. “Legislators’ jobs are to make sure Colorado is a safe and healthy community, and it cannot be done without the input of the community itself.”
Organizers hope the event will empower more young Coloradans to engage with the legislative process moving forward.
“We are the generation that will be facing the effects of the climate crisis,” O’Neil said. “We deserve to have a seat at the table where the decisions about our futures are being made.”
