Matt, Thomas, and Representative Welch pull back the curtain on what coalition building actually looks like in practice - the importance of coalitions in organizing work, how to deal with tensions and disagreements in coalitions, and how to think about coalition building around climate change, specifically. Thomas shares their story organizing in support of the #nodapl movement, how that work led to his involvement with the International Indigenous Youth Council, and the lessons he gleaned about coalition building from that experience. Rep. Welch shares his personal story and how it informs his approach to public life, what it's like to build coalitions with politicians and legislators, and his advice for listeners who want to build relationships with their local politicians. Thomas explores coalitions as a source of learning and intergenerational knowledge for organizers as well as resource allocation. Rep. Welch shares an example of how he helped shepherd immigration legislation to become law through coalition building across the state in partnership with community groups. The group wraps up by exploring coalition building around climate change.

Resources Referenced:

• The Future Coalition Website and Instagram
• The International Indigenous Youth Council

Bios:

Thomas Lopez Jr. (they/them) was born and raised in Denver, CO, They are Otomi, Diné, Apache and Sicangu Lakota. Thomas is one of the founding members of the International Indigenous Youth Council and continues to sit on the Council’s Board of Directors. Thomas is a proud Two Spirit person and continues to advocate and defend the Two Spirit community. Thomas is also the Partnerships Coordinator for the Future Coalition’s Youth Climate Strikes.

Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch. Representative Welch has been a State Representative from the 7th District of Illinois since 2013. Welch serves on several key House Committees including Executive, Revenue, Cities and Villages, Counties and Townships, and Higher Education. Welch serves as Chair of the House Executive Committee. He previously served as Chair of the House Higher Education Committee where he lead efforts to pass historic legislation like the four year map grant award and the AIM High Scholarship. He also served as Co-Chair of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Educational Success Transition Committee.