Connecting the Multiverses for Environmental Justice: Gabriel Jones

As part of our "Intersections of Resilience" series, we honor the transformative leadership within our comunidad. This April, we're illuminating the stories of Latine leaders in the environmental and climate space who are reimagining a sustainable, just future. Through their lived experiences, visionary work, and commitment, we witness the profound power of Latine leadership.

Growing up in Corona, California, 50 miles outside the heart of Los Angeles, Gabriel Jones found himself positioned between two worlds. His childhood home nestled in the foothills gave him access to nature, where he developed a love for hiking and exploring the outdoors. Meanwhile, regular visits to his grandmother in Bell, a community in Southeast LA, exposed him to a different reality—neighborhoods bearing the burden of industrial pollution from body shops, slaughterhouses, and factories.

"Seeing the differences from where my family grew up in other parts of LA to where I grew up really brought my attention to divides in the world," Gabriel reflected. "Where I grew up, I was fortunate enough not to live near polluting facilities. My mom would really bring attention to that, given her social justice orientation."

As the son of a high school English teacher who doubled as a community organizer advocating for bilingual education and English language learner rights, Gabriel's early understanding of social justice was shaped by powerful examples at home.

Connecting the Academic with the Activist

Gabriel's path to environmental justice work began to crystallize during his college years. While pursuing his undergraduate degree, he joined the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, which builds pathways for underrepresented students into graduate education.

"I remember reading an article while looking into PhD programs that talked about communities in Southeast LA and all the different air pollution sources over there. They were talking about the city where my family grew up, where my grandma lived. I thought, 'Oh, this is what's going on?' I didn't even know about environmental justice as a concept then."

This revelation led Gabriel to the University of Michigan, where he pursued dual master's degrees in Environmental Justice and Urban Planning—a combination that would prove instrumental in his understanding of how environmental inequities manifest through place-based decisions. "A lot of EJ issues are very place-based and locally rooted," Gabriel explained. "Planning actually plays a big role in how these things form—from redlining to housing to the siting and zoning process."

Connecting Worlds of Wealth and Justice

Gabriel's introduction to the philanthropic sector came through the Environmental Fellows Program at the University of Michigan. Attending his first Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) retreat in 2016, he quickly realized funders were discussing environmental justice, but there weren't many people who truly understood the EJ movement serving as program officers.

"It made me mad that EJ groups who work so hard to do so many different things with such limited budgets receive lower grants and have to go through all these hoops just to get like $5,000," Gabriel says. "Meanwhile, Big Greens and larger groups that are predominantly white and privileged get multimillion-dollar grants relatively easily."

This disparity became a guiding motivation for Gabriel's career. He wanted to connect people “who should talk to each other, and I could just get out of the way." Working across multiple organizations, including Arabella Advisors, Builders Initiative, and advising for the Nopalito Verde Fund for HIP, Gabriel has focused on creating more equitable pathways for resources to reach frontline communities.

Environmental Justice Gaining Momentum

"The fact that EJ became a household term—especially under the last administration with a significant influx of government money going toward it—that's still a big win in my mind," Gabriel reflected. "It changes the culture and narrative."

Despite currently facing what Gabriel describes as "a tough time to be doing EJ and climate justice work," he remains encouraged by the constant innovation emerging from communities. "When I first started in this field, I had to explain what environmental justice meant in every conversation," he notes. "Now we're seeing dedicated funding streams and policy initiatives centered around these principles."

He pointed to practical examples of this momentum, such as community solar projects in affordable housing complexes in Minneapolis that are reducing residents' net electric costs by up to 40%. "These projects weren't possible before funders and policymakers understood the intersection of climate solutions and equity," Gabriel shared. “It takes a lot of expertise and work to set that up, but it gets me excited both in terms of the actual impact and the opportunity to attract more foundation capital."

A Democratic Approach to Resource Distribution

Having witnessed both the public sector's erosion and the rise of mega-donors, Gabriel approaches his work with a strong democratic sensibility. "I'm concerned that wealthy interests are really dictating how we're all living in this oligarchical structure," he says candidly. "As much as I want to continue educating donors about environmental and climate justice, I always have an eye on the broader context of societal changes. Traditional philanthropy doesn’t have the capacity to save our democracy and civil rights as the government fails us."

Instead, Gabriel advocates for participatory grantmaking and trust-based philanthropy—approaches that center community voices and expertise in deciding how resources should flow. During his time at Builders Initiative, he helped establish an advisory committee of EJ movement leaders to guide the former Climate Equity program’s grant decisions.

"I think it's important to have outlets to remain accountable to community," Gabriel emphasizes. "Making sure we're checking ourselves and not reproducing inequality."

Finding Hope in Challenging Times

When asked what sustains him through moments of crisis, Gabriel offered practical wisdom: "Being physical and going to the gym has been helpful at a very basic level—making sure your body's right." Beyond self-care, he finds perspective by remembering the struggles of previous generations. "As hard as things are right now, if you think about what our parents or grandparents had to go through—they literally could get shot at any point. The fact that we're even having this conversation as two professionals of color in this space reminds me that there is progress, even if it's slow and generational."

Gabriel also draws inspiration from cultural narratives that imagine better futures. As a longtime fan of Marvel comics, sci-fi genres, and anime, he points to representations like Black Panther's Wakanda as visions that "take me out of the woes of the situation we're in now and remind me of what could be."

For young professionals hoping to enter the environmental justice field, Gabriel offers thoughtful guidance: understand your own positionality, become well-versed in EJ movement history, and establish mechanisms for community accountability.

"It's a complex movement and ecosystem," he notes. "We're in a process now where there's a generational shift happening. It's important to understand that process and not enter from a place of 'we're just going to do our own thing,' but instead, leverage the wins and inroads that people have already made while still being able to thoughtfully critique them."

Through his work across philanthropic institutions, Gabriel Jones continues to be the connector for many—between funders and frontline communities, between environmental protection and social justice, and between the challenges of today and possibilities for tomorrow.

Gabriel Jones is an experienced professional who partners with philanthropic donors and nonprofits to advise them on grantmaking strategies and grants management practices. Through his work with private foundations and community-based nonprofits, Gabriel promotes equitable solutions to climate, environmental, and social justice issues. Previously, Gabriel served as a Program Officer for Climate Equity at the Builders Initiative. During his time there, he supported grantmaking strategies for environmental justice organizations that are focused on addressing inequities in frontline communities. Gabriel has also held roles with the Chicago Frontlines Funding Initiative, Arabella Advisors, and the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA).

Throughout his career, Gabriel has advised and supported several philanthropic initiatives, including the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Environmental DEI Capacity Building Program and Google.org’s Environmental Justice Data Fund. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors at EGA and the Crossroads Fund. Gabriel received a BA in Anthropology from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a dual MS/MUP in Environmental Justice and Land Use and Environmental Planning from the University of Michigan. Originally from Southern California’s Inland Empire, Gabriel has called the Midwest his home for nearly a decade. He loves good food and music, and he is an avid consumer of sci-fi and comic book flicks and shows.

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