Here in March we are rounding out the first quarter of the year, getting ready to welcome the much needed time change, and celebrating Women’s History & Futures Month! It also just feels like the perfect opportunity to recognize a leader in Colorado Springs who has grown over the years and has made the local team stronger. Three cheers for the March Climate Hero of the Month, Haley Northrup!
Haley has always enjoyed the outdoors and has been learning about sustainability over the years but didn’t know where to get started with environmental activism. She got involved with 350 Colorado in March 2024. In her words, attending her first in-person Colorado Springs team meeting then “made it easier to meet other people in the movement and get involved.” Haley has became a regular presence at the team’s monthly in-person meetings, usually happening at Poor Richard’s downtown. She always makes sure to chat with new people and make sure they feel welcome. Even when she has other commitments to be at, she will stop by for awhile and make connections! Haley is also very good at getting clear on next steps to support campaigns and upcoming efforts, and good organization makes such a positive difference.
In May 2024 she connected directly with Chelsea Alexander, 350 Colorado’s Movement Building & Volunteer Director, to get further acquainted with the team and how to get involved. She decided to join the Tabling & Outreach crew, supporting the local movement building efforts to grow the Colorado Springs Team and get others to take action. Whether that’s at festivals, concerts, or conferences, there are lots of ways to be out in the community and bring in new people, and since Haley has been supporting this, we have seen a serious boost in our efforts!
“From the first time we met it was evident that Haley was the kind of person that cares deeply. She wants to contribute and do it well, and that kind of organizing mentality is a serious gift to the movement!” – Chelsea Alexander, 350 Colorado Movement Building & Volunteer Director
Colorado Springs Leadership Council member Bill recalls a moment in Haley’s journey. “The first time I tabled with Haley was an event at Poor Richards where ten organizations joined together to educate people on a Saturday morning. As we were setting up and Haley was expressing the nervousness that she was feeling. The crowd started to form slowly, and Haley started to interface with people.”
“About 30 minutes later, I noticed that Haley was no longer at the table. I looked around and saw her. She had a big smile on her face and was about the middle of the tables interfacing with all the other organizations and the crowed steaming down the sidewalk. She was like that for the rest of the event. She is a natural at interfacing with people and you can see it on her face, the joy that she experiences in real time.” Haley has also helped with holding onto and moving tabling supplies at times, which is incredibly helpful for smooth logistics. The more people like Haley that share their gifts and time where they can, the better!
On the campaign front, there are a number of local ones happening in Colorado Springs, maybe you’ve seen some in our emails. Well Haley has been a part of most of them in some shape or form! The biggest one has been around ensuring that the Nixon Coal Plant in Fountain sticks with it’s original closure date of 2029, not being extended until 2038, which at this time requires blocking legislation, influencing and inspiring elected officials, and building enough local (and statewide really) groundswell to do it.
Campaigns like these that have many moving parts. Multiple email chains or text threads possibly, updates from day to day; and often times people pull away from it all instead of finding a way to be a part of it. But not Haley! She stays involved and updated on the changes and makes a point to ask for support or clarification when she needs it. The Nixon Coal Plant campaign kick-off event was in January just earlier this year too, and Haley was there, connecting with other organizers and local leaders. She understands how to build community while leading it in important times like these.
Haley is also active with the state’s legislative process! She has joined the cohorts of Coloradans for Climate Lobby Day this month and will be representing her district for Senator Lynda Zamora Wilson. Using her calm and kind energy to discuss important bills, we are so lucky to have her advocacy in this space! It’s not too late to join Haley either, RSVP here for Climate Lobby Day on Friday 3/6 (and if you’re in her Senate District #9, then you can organize together!) And even before this legislative session, any opportunity there was to sign petitions or send messages to legislators about issues and solutions, Haley was doing it.
Most recently, Haley has joined the team’s Leadership Council, joining five other teammates that help lead the activities. From movement building efforts, to campaign work, to fundraising, Haley will undoubtedly be strengthening the local team with her good energy, reliable commitment, and solid communication and organization skills.
Outside of local organizing and community building, Haley likes to eat delicious food, go to farmers markets, bike with friends, and go camping. Her favorite camping meal, in case you were wondering, is chicken pesto pasta!
Thank you so much Haley for being such a tremendous leader in Colorado Springs, on the local team, and for Colorado! We deeply appreciate all of the ways in which you have contributed time and again.
Written by Chelsea Alexander and Bill McNally