Updated: Jan 29 2024 has been a transformative year for The Green House Connection Center (GHCC), marked by two visits from the legendary actor and activist Jane Fonda. These visits were not only monumental for the organization, but significant in uplifting the voices of impacted community members both in Commerce City and North Denver. The First Visit: A Catalyst for Change At the start of 2024, Morgan Brown joined GHCC as the Youth Organizer and Digital Specialist. One of their first tasks was to create a mini-documentary showcasing GHCC’s mission and work to share with Jane Fonda’s team. With only two days to complete the project, Morgan created a visual representation of the work we do to highlight environmental issues surrounding our connection center and elevate efforts to address these issues. Within hours of receiving the video, Jane Fonda’s team responded with enthusiasm, confirming that she would visit GHCC during her upcoming trip to Colorado. This moment marked the beginning of an unforgettable collaboration. The day of her visit was incredibly meaningful. We hosted a powerful gathering featuring voices from Indigenous elders, frontline residents, elected officials, and environmental advocacy groups. Each speaker shared stories of resilience and the devastating impacts of poor air quality caused by surrounding industries. Jane and many affected mothers and residents boarded a shuttle to drive through the middle of the Suncor oil refinery, the only refinery in the country you can drive through. This was an opportunity for the brave women of Cultivando to share information about their community air monitoring program and environmental efforts. Seeing these realities firsthand moved Jane deeply. Later that evening, Harmony (GHCC’s founder) and I were invited to Jane’s Climate PAC event where Jane graciously gave us a platform to address the crowd of over 120 people. Through this experience, we were able to share how pollution burdens from surrounding industries have a much greater impact on certain communities. These areas suffer many more health and safety effects than other communities across the state. Many Coloradoans don’t even realize how substantial these issues are even though it’s happening in their own backyard. Jane was surprised to learn that Colorado is the 3rd largest oil producer in the country with over 47,000 active oil and gas sites. This impacts our air, water, soil, and public health statewide. Pollution knows no boundaries and impacts so many communities across our state. The Second Visit: A Celebration of Hope and Action Jane returned to GHCC months later for a community update on our environmental justice efforts. This time, we wanted to showcase the hope and resiliency of the community through the lens of art, activism, and policy. To open up the event, we began with a heartfelt water blessing from the Kalpulli ColorAztlan Quetzalcoatl and an honoring of Indigenous practices, grounding us all in our purpose and mission to care for people and the planet. The day was a whirlwind of powerful voices:
A Growing Partnership Jane Fonda’s visits to GHCC have not only elevated our work but have also deepened our resolve to keep fighting for environmental justice. Her presence reinforced the power of community-driven action and the importance of telling our stories to inspire change.
We are immensely grateful to Jane and her Climate PAC for their continued support. These visits remind us that hope is alive—and it thrives in every action we take. Together, we are building a better world, one connection at a time.
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