Your Voices Matter: An Open Letter to the La Rose Plaintiffs
Charlotte Madin. Photo by Eillin Delapaz-Aceves.
September 14, 2026
By Charlotte Madin
Charlotte Madin was a plaintiff in the historic Navahine v. HDOT settlement in Hawai’i, where, for the first time anywhere in the world, all three branches of government committed together to a binding constitutional promise to decarbonize their state's entire transportation system by 2045. The settlement also created the Youth Transportation Council, which Charlotte has served on, to advise HDOT in the implementation of the settlement. In this open letter, Charlotte addresses the La Rose v. His Majesty the King plaintiffs as they approach their own historic moment next month: the first federal climate trial in Canadian history. Charlotte is also a plaintiff in Lighthiser v. Trump and a defendant-intervenor in U.S. v. CARB.
Dear La Rose Plaintiffs,
I wish I could meet you. I wish I could hear each and every one of your stories, and tell you mine. Human connection is becoming more and more important in this age of technology, and that’s part of why I’m writing to you.
My name is Charlotte. I am seventeen years old, and I live on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. I joined my first lawsuit with Our Children’s Trust (OCT) at 12, because I had been witness to the destruction of climate change and how fossil fuels have wreaked havoc on the ocean for years. In my community, the ocean is one of the most integral parts of life. We are surfers, fishers, and swimmers whose lives revolve around the abundant beauty and wisdom of the sea. After seeing the slowly rising temperatures, flood-induced runoff, and coral bleaching events that are now commonplace, I decided to join 12 other youth plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Hawai’i Department of Transportation (HDOT), the sector with the most emissions produced here on the islands.
Charlotte and six of her Navahine v. HDOT fellow youth plaintiffs. Photo by Robin Loznak.
After three years of fighting to get to trial (which I’m sure you know all about), depositions, and community support, our case reached a landmark settlement, the first of its kind in the world. So, no, we didn’t “win” the case in the sense that we totally kicked HDOT’s butt in court, but we did win in the sense that we are now moving towards a zero-emissions transportation sector.
A major facet of this victory was the utilization of youth voices. We never got to speak in a courtroom, but you can be sure that we used our voices and stories any and everywhere else that was possible. This was perhaps the most important thing we could’ve done, and I believe it will also be the most powerful thing you do.
Your voices matter. I know because I have seen what happens when young people refuse to be silent.
Having the courage to use your voice as a young person is the first step towards immense change, and that will not change, with or without a win in court.
Though the Navahine case is settled, us thirteen plaintiffs have not simply sat back and enjoyed some peace and quiet. We’ve been vocal in our advocacy, writing op-eds, doing outreach in schools, joining HDOT’s new Youth Transportation Council, and continuing to tell our stories.
I hope that this experience will open your eyes to not just the might of the judicial system, but the power of your own voice. Your voice is what got you here, and it is what will continue to aid you in changemaking, regardless of the outcome of your case.
Sending you courage and power,
Charlotte Madin
Navahine v. HDOT plaintiff