jaymonteverde

jaymonteverde

Jay has advocated for human rights and social justice through grassroots organizing and legal and policy advocacy for 20 years, focused largely on environmental justice, immigrant rights, and protection of civil liberties. At Namati, he leads the US environmental justice program, working with the U.S. program team to assist U.S. legal empowerment advocates and communities impacted by environmental injustice.

Jay started his legal career at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where he handled environmental justice and other public interest litigation, investigations, and policy matters. He later moved to China and worked with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, supporting grassroots organizations to push for environmental enforcement, transparency, and access to justice. Most recently, Jay co-founded Breach Collective, which partners with activists and frontline communities to advance climate justice through organizing, legal advocacy, and storytelling-based communications campaigns. Jay was born and raised in Chicagoland.