Michigan Climate Champion Awards

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• Odalis Perales

  Take Back Our Power Campaign
  Michigan United

  A proud Mexican immigrant from the state of Guerrero, Odalis Perales has a deep-rooted commitment to advocating for and building relationships with immigrant communities at the frontline of the climate crisis. Since moving to Michigan earlier this year and joining Michigan United, she has worked diligently to support the Taking Back Our Power campaign, a grassroots campaign aimed at banning political contributions from major corporate polluters, like monopoly gas and electric utilities. Inspired by this campaign, she has found a powerful interest in using coalition-building and popular education as a way to organize people around the issues that lie at the intersection of climate action and immigrant well-being.

  Odalis has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, modified with Global Health from Dartmouth College, and is currently researching the role of climate change as a social determinant of health.

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• Em Perry

  Take Back Our Power Campaign
  Michigan United

  Experienced organizer and advocate at the micro and macro level with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit industry. Skilled in crisis intervention, management, and all things data.

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• Megan Owens

  Legislative Transit Caucus
  Transportation Riders United

  Dedicated to enacting positive social change through effective, progressive advocacy. Committed to the public interest, working to help people understand how government decisions impact them and enable them to demand change, whether preventing identity theft, decreasing air pollution, or improving bus service.

2024 Volunteer Winners

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• Janet Zahn

  Climate Voter Campaign
  Grand Rapids Climate Coalition

  A long-time environmentalist, Janet Zahn has been Grand Rapids Climate Coalition co-chair since its founding in 2021. She is also on the leadership team of the Community Collaboration on Climate Change(C4), co-chairs a committee for WMEAC, serves on the board of The Climate Mobilization, is on the MiCAN steering committee, and generally has her hands in many local efforts around climate justice and sustainability. In her work with GRCC, she drove an innovative climate voter campaign, organized a Climate March, and helped grow the GRCC membership to 96 groups.

  Her passion for justice dovetails with her drive to seek a path to a clean, green, hopeful future for all. She thinks everyone can be an ally and reminds herself daily that a wave is made of millions of tiny drops.

  Growing up in Oceana County, where sand and water meet the sky, she developed a life-long love of nature. When she isn’t organizing, Janet lives in Grand Rapids and hosts a music show on local radio station WYCE. She enjoys pushing herself to swim in Lake Michigan as early and late as possible. She has two adult children living in Portland, Oregon, and are climate comrades.

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• Andrea Pierce

  Policy Director
  Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC)

  Andrea is Co-founder and chair of the Anishinaabek Caucus, a member of the advisory board of Ann Arbor Public Power, a member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, and a lifelong activist for Indigenous rights. She's also a member of the Washtenaw Environmental Council.

2024 Youth Winner

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• Jack MacQuaig

  Student Organizer
  Sunrise Movement MSU

  Jack is a shining star within team dynamics and an empathetic, humanizing cheerleader in movement spaces. His charisma and ability to articulate the contemporary and historical issues their communities face have translated into organized systems and a personal voice in the service of social justice.