Ruin to Resilience: How Destruction Led to Action for this 3-Time Plaintiff
Delaney Reynolds has watched the places she loves disappear before her eyes. She has seen her home damaged from hurricanes, felt the surrounding waters of the Florida Keys warm to unprecedented levels, watched the coral reefs near her home bleach and die, and has witnessed the sea level rise consume some of the places she loves most. It was this destruction that compelled her to join Lighthiser v. Trump, a historic youth-led federal climate change case, as a plaintiff.
Generations of Change: An End-of-Year Reflection with Youth Plaintiff Jeff and His Mom, Laura
When Jeff first became a plaintiff in Held v. Montana, he was six years old. His mother, Laura, remembers telling Jeff and his little brother Nate, also a plaintiff, about the case during bathtime. Now, at nearly twelve, after the groundbreaking win of Held v. Montana, Jeff is again stepping into the national spotlight as one of the youth plaintiffs in Lighthiser v. Trump, a case that could shape the future of climate policy for generations.
Uniting for Climate Rights: West Coast Environmental Law Joins Canadian Youth-Led Climate Lawsuit
Across Canada, the signs of a worsening climate crisis are impossible to ignore—wildfires blanketing skies in smoke, floods swallowing communities, and rising costs leaving families struggling to rebuild. For the young Canadians behind La Rose v. His Majesty the King, these are not distant threats but daily realities that jeopardize their futures and violate their Charter rights to life, liberty, and security of the person. Determined to hold their government accountable, they are preparing to make history at the first federal climate trial in Canada.
An Indigenous Youth’s Journey for Climate Justice in Canada
For 21-year-old Leandrea, a member of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation who lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, the fight against the climate crisis is personal, physical and cultural. “Climate change doesn’t just affect our land,” she says. “It affects the ways we live, heal, and connect. The climate crisis is a cultural crisis too.”
Wisconsin Youth Take Bold Legal Action for Climate Justice and Constitutional Rights
Children across the U.S. are growing up on the frontlines of the climate crisis—losing their homes to wildfires, storms, and floods, while their health is put at risk and rights are violated by their own governments. Unable to vote, 15 children from across Wisconsin are standing up to change that, taking legal action to protect their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and a stable climate system.
Youth Plaintiffs Challenge President Trump’s Fossil Fuel Executive Orders in Historic Federal Hearing
As the Trump administration moves aggressively to unleash more fossil fuels through executive orders that worsen climate change, obstruct the clean energy transition, and suppress the very science needed to protect children and ecosystems on the brink, 22 young Americans have bravely stepped forward. They’re suing the administration to protect their constitutional rights to life and liberty, and stop the executive orders that harm their health and safety.
Youth Power is Steering the Future of Electric Transportation in Hawai‘i
One year ago, youth in Hawaiʻi made history. Through Navahine v. HDOT, they secured a first-of-its-kind legal settlement agreement to decarbonize Hawaiʻi’s transportation system by 2045 and protect young people’s constitutional rights to a livable climate. But the fight didn’t end with the legal victory—it was just the beginning.
Eva Lighthiser Is Suing for Her Future—Again
As the lead plaintiff in Lighthiser v. Trump, Eva Lighthiser returns to the courtroom nearly two years after her groundbreaking role in Held v. State of Montana, a landmark case that secured constitutional protections against fossil fuel harms in her home state. Now, facing a new challenge on the federal stage, Eva opens up about why she continues to fight for climate justice, the personal toll of defending her rights in court, and what winning this case would mean for her generation’s future—both legally and personally.
Transforming Climate Anxiety Into Creative Action
This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re honored to share a powerful Q&A with Olivia Vesovich, a youth plaintiff in the historic youth-led climate lawsuit, Held v. Montana and a Gen Z advisor with the Climate Mental Health Network. Olivia courageously testified in court about the emotional toll of the climate crisis—sharing not only the devastating impacts on her health and mental health, but also how art, advocacy, and community have become vital tools in her healing. In this piece, she reflects on what it meant to speak truth to power, how creative expression helps her navigate climate anxiety, and why tending to our emotional well-being is essential to building a just, livable future. Olivia’s story is a testament to the strength it takes to feel deeply and the hope that grows when we face the climate crisis together.
Youth Plaintiffs Fight to Stop the Alaska LNG Project and Trump’s Directive to “Unleash Alaska’s Resource Potential”
On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping declaration: a so-called “National Energy Emergency.” The disconnect? The U.S. is currently producing more energy than any country in history, with surpluses so large that much of it is destined for export, not domestic use. The real emergency isn’t a lack of energy. It’s the climate crisis, and in Alaska, that emergency is escalating at terrifying speed.
Juliana v. U.S. - Ten Years of Impact
Juliana v. United States was filed in August 2015 to secure children’s climate rights and protect future generations. The case faced more government opposition than any in history where the United States is a defendant, but nevertheless the Juliana 21 never backed down.
They fought for a decade across four presidential administrations andignited a global movement for recognition of our fundamental climate rights.
Young Women Making History: Rikki Held on Climate Litigation, Justice, and the Power of Youth Voices
Throughout history, young women have been at the forefront of the climate movement, challenging injustices and reshaping the future. This Women’s History Month, we celebrate those who are making history today, like Rikki Held, the lead youth plaintiff in Held v. State of Montana, the constitutional climate case that secured a groundbreaking victory for youth and safe climate. As one of nine young women plaintiffs in the case, Rikki is part of a powerful new generation of leaders proving that the voices of young women are indispensable in the fight for climate rights. Rikki holds a BA in Environmental Science from Colorado College and currently works as a science educator in Kenya through the Peace Corps. Her future plans include attending graduate school to continue earth and climate science research.
Florida’s Youth Take Legal Action to End State’s Fossil Fuel Dependence
The majority of Delaney Reynolds’ life has centered around activism and changing the world for the better. A multi-hyphenate advocate, author, educator, lawyer, and soon-to-be Ph.D. holder, Delaney has spent years working tirelessly to raise awareness of the severe threat climate change poses to her beloved home of Miami and to push her government to act with the urgency the climate crisis demands. At 14, she founded the Sink or Swim Project. At 16, she helped write a solar energy ordinance for the city of South Miami, which ultimately passed.
Our Hearts Are With Los Angeles
The LA fires, stoked by decades of burning fossil fuels and the hottest year on record in human history, are now burning through the hearts and lungs of the Southern California youth we represent and all of the LA children we stand for.
Carrying the Spirit of Aloha: Pahonu’s Journey for Climate Justice in Hawai‘i
For Pahonu C., a Native Hawaiian youth plaintiff in the groundbreaking Navahine v. Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT lawsuit, climate justice is more than a fight—it’s a commitment to the land (‘āina), the community, and future generations. After achieving a historic Settlement Agreement with Hawaii’s government and HDOT, Pahonu reflects on the deep cultural values driving this work and the role young people play in shaping a sustainable future for Hawai‘i.
Youth Plaintiff Genesis B. Takes a Stand Against the Climate Crisis
At just 18 years old, Genesis B., a lifelong resident of Long Beach, California, is already confronting the harsh realities of a warming planet. As a plaintiff in the youth-led climate lawsuit Genesis v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genesis’s story sheds light on how the climate crisis is impacting young people on a deeply personal level.
Fighting for Montana’s Future: Grace’s Journey for Climate Justice
For Grace, a youth plaintiff in the historic constitutional climate lawsuit Held v. State of Montana, the fight for climate justice is deeply personal. Growing up in Montana, she fell in love with its breathtaking landscapes and the vibrant communities that call it home. Now, through her work with Our Children’s Trust, Grace is using her voice to hold leaders accountable and protect her state—and the planet—for generations to come. In this exclusive Q&A, Grace shares how her passion for climate rights began, her experience as a plaintiff in the first climate trial in U.S. history, and her hopes for a safe and livable future.
Guided by Heritage, Fueled by Justice: Taleah’s Fight for Constitutional Rights and Historic Climate Victory in Montana
Rooted in the strength of her Indigenous and Hispanic heritage, Taleah is one of the courageous youth plaintiffs in the landmark Held v. State of Montana lawsuit. In 2023, she and her fellow youth plaintiffs took their state government to court for worsening the climate crisis and violating their constitutional rights. After the first trial of its kind in the U.S., Judge Seeley issued a historic ruling wholly in their favor. This Hispanic Heritage Month, we highlight Taleah, her pivotal role in this historic climate victory, and how her culture drives her relentless fight for climate rights and the protection of her land.
From Fighting America’s Climate Case to Lessons in Perú: A Youth Plaintiff’s Journey for Climate Justice
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we proudly highlight Sahara, one of the 21 youth plaintiffs in the constitutional climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States. Sahara is also a college student studying abroad in Cusco, Perú, and in the Q&A below, she shares her perspective on being a youth plaintiff in America’s Climate Case and the climate challenges facing Cusco’s communities.
A Word on Utah Supreme Court Hearing from Our Co-Executive Director
This week made me especially proud to work at Our Children’s Trust. I wanted to quickly share a little bit about how we’re making big moves in unexpected places, including the very conservative state of Utah.