Local League Update: Valley Voters for the Environment and Health

By Pa Houa Lee, Central Valley Regional Coordinator at EnviroVoters

This August, we came together with community members, advocates, and local leaders for Our Valley, Our Future, a summer event focused on building hope, strengthening connections, and advancing environmental justice in the Central Valley.

This evening was an opportunity for us to reflect on the resilience of our neighbors and the shared commitment to a healthy community. In the recent months, we’ve been engaging with coalition groups, focusing on realigning with our communities on issues like water, transportation, land transition, air quality, and a new issue, mining. Through our everyday conversations, coalition groups calls, and shared meals, we’ve seen firsthand the determination that fuels our region. We’ve organized conversations between residents and decision-makers, supported educational events on environmental health, and brought together diverse partners to share resources and solutions. And as we approach the 2026 midterms, we are gearing up and preparing our local climate champions as they start their campaigns.

Each of these efforts builds toward a stronger, more connected Central Valley where our working families can afford to live with a livable wage, accessible healthcare, and elected leaders who actively listen, lead with integrity, and carry on the voices of everyday people into the decisions  that shape our lives. While the road ahead won’t be an easy one, it is one where we can all walk together.

Valley Voters for the Environment and Health Summer Fundraiser

I’m happy to share that on Friday, August 8 our Central Valley local league, Valley Voters for the Environment and Health PAC successfully hosted our summer fundraiser at a local family-owned business here in Fresno. I was so nervous yet excited to gather our local CV climate champs back up again to show that we are still standing strong in these hard times, still celebrating local wins. We also had tons of new faces that were proud supporters of this PAC with over 30 attendees! 

Thanks to Malee’s Kitchen for offering the space at no cost and DJ Neng (IG: enzix_559) for DJing the entire night to keep everyone entertained for free! In addition, thanks to our ongoing relationship building, we were able to have Assemblymember Arambula and Former Mayor of Madera, Santos Garcia guest speak alongside me and my board member (Neel Sannapa and Simone Cranstone Rhodes), including Sanger Councilmember Esmeralda Hurtado joining us in the space. 

Among the group, we had local and state candidates, organizers and various organizations that showed great support of the cause. 

I am super stoked and happy to share that Valley Voters PAC is on track for another strong fight of community strength and resilience for making effective change in the 2026 election for the Central Valley!

As we continue to face the current unpredictable federal administration and environmental and affordability challenges in the Central Valley, this gathering reaffirmed our connections and that we are not alone. Together, we are continuously building the relationships and a shared collective political power needed to create a future where our working families can afford to live with a livable wage, accessible healthcare, and elected leaders who actively listen, lead with integrity, and carry on the voices of everyday people into the decisions that shape our lives.