The impacts of environmental injustice are increasing and strongly felt across East Portland. For decades the neglect and disinvestment have created urban heat islands; poor air quality; less tree canopy, green spaces, and parks; and a lack of infrastructure to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The threat of deadly heat waves and wildfires gets worse each year and our communities need urgent solutions to strengthen our resilience and recovery. At my day job, I’ve led a community-based organization that has actively saved lives installing cooling devices for seniors and vulnerable households in the Cully Neighborhood, an economically neglected part of town not unlike much of East Portland. When voters approved the Portland Clean Energy Fund in 2018, we created an unprecedented opportunity to correct these historic injustices for communities on the frontlines of climate change. As a vocal environmental justice leader I have helped steer these critical dollars into our communities, and will bring that advocacy on behalf of East Portland directly to City Hall.