What the DNC Climate Chair Told Me About The Battles Ahead

I talked with Michelle Deatrick: Why Climate Isn’t Just Policy — It’s the Foundation of Our Future

Last week, I sat down with Michelle Deatrick, founding Chair of the DNC’s Council on Environment & Climate Crisis, during her Climate Conversations stop in Oklahoma. Our talk explored how climate policy is being redefined—not as background noise, but as a central pillar within national politics.

Deatrick’s roots on her grandparents’ farm in Michigan shape her approach to environmental work. She earned degrees from Wesleyan, Harvard, Stanford, and an MFA from Michigan, before serving in the Peace Corps and transitioning into local government. As a county commissioner, she pushed successful environmental initiatives—including single-use plastic bans and wage studies tied to environmental impact.

Her background gives her a frontline perspective: climate work is lived, and it starts at home.

---

Building the DNC’s First Environmental Council

In 2020, Deatrick launched and chaired the DNC Council on Environment & Climate Crisis, the party’s first official climate council. Under her leadership, the council has grown to include over 180 allied organizations and has coordinated events with hundreds of thousands of attendees. High-profile speakers—like Jane Fonda and Rep. Deb Haaland—have joined efforts to mobilize environmental support during pivotal election cycles.

One of the council’s early wins: pushing for a science-based 1.5°C global warming goal to be included in the DNC platform. That measure passed with unanimous support.

Deatrick's efforts helped transform climate from a marginal issue into a structured messaging and policy front, positioned as a vote-winning concern in battleground states. Because of that work, she now coordinates with leaders in Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, and other key regions.

---

Direct Takeaways from Our Talk

• Climate = Strategy: She emphasized that climate is not just ethical—it’s electoral. Voters in rural and urban areas across red and blue states are paying attention.

• Intersectionality Matters: The council is explicitly tying environmental issues to justice, labor, and public health, ensuring its work goes beyond “greening” and into community impact .

• State-Centered Power: She advocates for active state-level environmental caucuses, building organizing capacity from the ground up—citing dozens of listening sessions across states .

Michelle isn’t calling for more money or spotlight—she’s calling for grounded, gritty action built on community and resolve. In a time when climate is still optional for too many politicians—she’s making it essential.

Because when policy leaders reflect real life, we see what work truly looks like—and how better futures get made:

One farm, one campaign, one county, one vote at a time.

Dream Big. Act Bigger.