Join Maine Youth for Climate Justice, Maine Climate Action Now, Down to Earth Storytelling, and Our Children’s Trust for an inspiring presentation and discussion on the successful youth climate lawsuit in Hawai’i and the formation of the Hawai’i Youth Transportation Council.
We’ll hear from a youth plaintiff and lawyers involved in Navahine v. Hawai’i. This youth and native-led lawsuit claimed that Hawai’i’s state transportation system violated the ‘public trust’ doctrine of Hawai’i’s constitution and the right to a clean and healthy environment.
Speaker Bios
Phil Gregory (he/him)
Of Counsel at Our Children’s Trust
Among his work for Our Children’s Trust, Phil served as co-lead counsel in OCT’s federal cases, including Juliana v. United States and Lighthiser v. Trump. Phil was co-trial counsel in Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Dept. of Transportation and was co-lead trial counsel in Held v. State of Montana. Phil received his JD and MBA from Santa Clara University and his BA from Bowdoin College.
Kalikookalani T. (she/her)
Youth Plaintiff in Navahine v. Hawai’i
Kalikookalani’s ‘ohana (family) has lived in Lahaina, Maui, for 19 generations. Beginning at a very young age, Kalikookalani experienced climate anxiety due to climate-induced storms and floods that ravaged her community. At 11 years old, Kalikookalani was among the youngest of the 13 youth plaintiffs when Navahine v. Hawai’i was filed.
John Frumer (he/him)
Maine Lawyer & Avid Outdoorsman
John came up to Maine for the first time about 60 years ago, fell in love with the coast and mountains, rarely left them, and has been up here full-time for two decades. John works to find creative ways to preserve and protect our state’s natural resources. He received his BA from Bowdoin College and his JD from Boston College Law School.
Andrea Rodgers (she/her)
Deputy Director of U.S. Strategy at Our Children’s Trust
Andrea has been working with Our Children’s Trust since 2010 and has represented youth in constitutional climate change cases against governments. Andrea was counsel of record in Juliana v. United States, Lighthiser v. Trump, and Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Dept of Transportation. Andrea received her JD from Arizona State University and her BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara.