In this episode, I speak with Christopher Chavez, Deputy Policy Director at the Coalition for Clean Air, about his journey from growing up in Long Beach to becoming a leading advocate for air justice in California. Drawing from personal experience in one of the state’s most polluted regions, Chavez shares what inspired him to enter public service and how his work today connects policy to the real-life impacts of air pollution.

We talk about why low-income communities and communities of color are hit hardest by air pollution, and the challenges of pushing clean air policies in the face of economic and political resistance. Chavez reminds us that economic growth and public health are not mutually exclusive and that meaningful change happens when communities speak up.

He also shares what the Coalition for Clean Air is currently working on and why the fight for clean air is far from over but full of possibility.

Learn more about Christopher Chavez here.