Organizing People / Activating Leaders (OPAL)

OPAL organizes around environmental justice for low-income communities and people of color to achieve a safe and healthy environment where we live, work, play and pray. They are the membership-driven hub at the center of the Portland metro region's Environmental Justice movement, hosting programs like Bus Riders Unite, Youth Environmental Justice Alliance (YEJA) and Organizers-In-Training.

Bus Riders Unite!

A project of OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, Bus Riders Unite (BRU) is a membership organization launched in 2010 that represents transit-dependent people. BRU brings the perspective of transit-dependent people to the decision-making that affects all matter of policy related to the built environment.

As a key priority, Bus Riders Unite fights for environmentally sustainable public transportation in the Portland Metro region, on the premise that affordable, efficient, accessible, and convenient mass transit is a human right.

Youth Environmental Justice Alliance (YEJA) 

YEJA is a leadership program creating a space for marginalized youth to take action on issues that directly impact their communities. They are a youth-powered group created by high school students who participated in the 2015 Organizers-in-Training Program through OPAL.

YEJA is currently running an ongoing campaign to sustain and expand TriMet and PPS' YouthPass program and recruiting more youth to join the group.