GreenLatinos

Tag: blog

  • NEPA: Un camino hacia la justicia ambiental para las comunidades latinas

    NEPA: Un camino hacia la justicia ambiental para las comunidades latinas

    The U.S. Capitol during GreenLatinos Advocacy Week in Hispanic Heritage Month.

    For Latino communities across the country, this fight is deeply personal. For decades, we have lived on the frontlines of environmental harm, from the refineries in Houston’s East End to the highways slicing through predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—our cornerstone environmental protection—has been our shield, giving us the power to push back against projects that threaten our health and future. And now, it’s under attack again. The Energy Permitting Reform Act would strip away these protections, silencing public voices and paving the way for fossil fuel projects that we know will disproportionately harm communities like ours.

    This election and anticipated attacks on environmental and social protections has shown us the urgent need to stay vigilant and unwavering in our commitment to environmental justice. We cannot allow lawmakers to rubber-stamp policies that perpetuate the same harms of the fossil fuel industry under the guise of “progress.” This bill is a Trojan horse, fast-tracking fossil fuel projects while sprinkling in token clean energy measures to distract from the harm. Sacrificing frontline communities to secure incremental wins is not progress—it’s betrayal.

    As a community advocate, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we let harmful legislation slide. Growing up in Whittier, CA, a predominantly Latino community plagued by air pollution, I lived the impacts of environmental injustice every day. NEPA was one of the few tools that gave us a fighting chance—a voice to demand cleaner air and a healthier future. Now, as I see these same protections threatened, I can’t help but think of the next generation and what kind of future we’re leaving for them.

    GreenLatinos advocates walking in front of the U.S. Capitol during Advocacy Week.

    This election was a wake-up call: we can’t wait for ideal circumstances to fight back. The time to act is now. If we give an inch, they will take a mile—and our communities will pay the price. GreenLatinos stands firm in our commitment to environmental justice and to ensuring that no frontline community bears the brunt of harmful legislation. We’ve fought too hard for too long to let the fossil fuel industry dictate our clean energy future.

    We must reject the Energy Permitting Reform Act, no matter what form it takes, and demand bold, just policies that don’t compromise our values or our people. This is a moment for courage, for unity, and for an unshakable commitment to equity. We refuse to repeat the harms of the past or bolster the efforts of the industries that have caused them.

    The clean energy transition is our chance to write a different story—a story where every community, especially those long overlooked, has a say and shares in the benefits. Let’s not let this moment slip away. Together, we can ensure a future where progress uplifts everyone—not just a privileged few.

    Irene Burga is GreenLatinos Climate Justice and Clean Air Program Director.

  • NEPA: A Pathway to Environmental Justice for Latino Communities

    NEPA: A Pathway to Environmental Justice for Latino Communities

    The U.S. Capitol during GreenLatinos Advocacy Week in Hispanic Heritage Month.

    For Latino communities across the country, this fight is deeply personal. For decades, we have lived on the frontlines of environmental harm, from the refineries in Houston’s East End to the highways slicing through predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—our cornerstone environmental protection—has been our shield, giving us the power to push back against projects that threaten our health and future. And now, it’s under attack again. The Energy Permitting Reform Act would strip away these protections, silencing public voices and paving the way for fossil fuel projects that we know will disproportionately harm communities like ours.

    This election and anticipated attacks on environmental and social protections has shown us the urgent need to stay vigilant and unwavering in our commitment to environmental justice. We cannot allow lawmakers to rubber-stamp policies that perpetuate the same harms of the fossil fuel industry under the guise of “progress.” This bill is a Trojan horse, fast-tracking fossil fuel projects while sprinkling in token clean energy measures to distract from the harm. Sacrificing frontline communities to secure incremental wins is not progress—it’s betrayal.

    As a community advocate, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we let harmful legislation slide. Growing up in Whittier, CA, a predominantly Latino community plagued by air pollution, I lived the impacts of environmental injustice every day. NEPA was one of the few tools that gave us a fighting chance—a voice to demand cleaner air and a healthier future. Now, as I see these same protections threatened, I can’t help but think of the next generation and what kind of future we’re leaving for them.

    GreenLatinos advocates walking in front of the U.S. Capitol during Advocacy Week.

    This election was a wake-up call: we can’t wait for ideal circumstances to fight back. The time to act is now. If we give an inch, they will take a mile—and our communities will pay the price. GreenLatinos stands firm in our commitment to environmental justice and to ensuring that no frontline community bears the brunt of harmful legislation. We’ve fought too hard for too long to let the fossil fuel industry dictate our clean energy future.

    We must reject the Energy Permitting Reform Act, no matter what form it takes, and demand bold, just policies that don’t compromise our values or our people. This is a moment for courage, for unity, and for an unshakable commitment to equity. We refuse to repeat the harms of the past or bolster the efforts of the industries that have caused them.

    The clean energy transition is our chance to write a different story—a story where every community, especially those long overlooked, has a say and shares in the benefits. Let’s not let this moment slip away. Together, we can ensure a future where progress uplifts everyone—not just a privileged few.

    Irene Burga is GreenLatinos Climate Justice and Clean Air Program Director.

  • Veranos que queman, sistemas rotos: cómo el calor extremo y la injusticia se cruzan en nuestras comunidades

    Veranos que queman, sistemas rotos: cómo el calor extremo y la injusticia se cruzan en nuestras comunidades

    The U.S. Capitol during GreenLatinos Advocacy Week in Hispanic Heritage Month.

    For Latino communities across the country, this fight is deeply personal. For decades, we have lived on the frontlines of environmental harm, from the refineries in Houston’s East End to the highways slicing through predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—our cornerstone environmental protection—has been our shield, giving us the power to push back against projects that threaten our health and future. And now, it’s under attack again. The Energy Permitting Reform Act would strip away these protections, silencing public voices and paving the way for fossil fuel projects that we know will disproportionately harm communities like ours.

    This election and anticipated attacks on environmental and social protections has shown us the urgent need to stay vigilant and unwavering in our commitment to environmental justice. We cannot allow lawmakers to rubber-stamp policies that perpetuate the same harms of the fossil fuel industry under the guise of “progress.” This bill is a Trojan horse, fast-tracking fossil fuel projects while sprinkling in token clean energy measures to distract from the harm. Sacrificing frontline communities to secure incremental wins is not progress—it’s betrayal.

    As a community advocate, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we let harmful legislation slide. Growing up in Whittier, CA, a predominantly Latino community plagued by air pollution, I lived the impacts of environmental injustice every day. NEPA was one of the few tools that gave us a fighting chance—a voice to demand cleaner air and a healthier future. Now, as I see these same protections threatened, I can’t help but think of the next generation and what kind of future we’re leaving for them.

    GreenLatinos advocates walking in front of the U.S. Capitol during Advocacy Week.

    This election was a wake-up call: we can’t wait for ideal circumstances to fight back. The time to act is now. If we give an inch, they will take a mile—and our communities will pay the price. GreenLatinos stands firm in our commitment to environmental justice and to ensuring that no frontline community bears the brunt of harmful legislation. We’ve fought too hard for too long to let the fossil fuel industry dictate our clean energy future.

    We must reject the Energy Permitting Reform Act, no matter what form it takes, and demand bold, just policies that don’t compromise our values or our people. This is a moment for courage, for unity, and for an unshakable commitment to equity. We refuse to repeat the harms of the past or bolster the efforts of the industries that have caused them.

    The clean energy transition is our chance to write a different story—a story where every community, especially those long overlooked, has a say and shares in the benefits. Let’s not let this moment slip away. Together, we can ensure a future where progress uplifts everyone—not just a privileged few.

    Irene Burga is GreenLatinos Climate Justice and Clean Air Program Director.

  • Scorching Summers, Broken Systems: How Extreme Heat and Injustice are Colliding in Our Communities

    Scorching Summers, Broken Systems: How Extreme Heat and Injustice are Colliding in Our Communities

    The U.S. Capitol during GreenLatinos Advocacy Week in Hispanic Heritage Month.

    For Latino communities across the country, this fight is deeply personal. For decades, we have lived on the frontlines of environmental harm, from the refineries in Houston’s East End to the highways slicing through predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—our cornerstone environmental protection—has been our shield, giving us the power to push back against projects that threaten our health and future. And now, it’s under attack again. The Energy Permitting Reform Act would strip away these protections, silencing public voices and paving the way for fossil fuel projects that we know will disproportionately harm communities like ours.

    This election and anticipated attacks on environmental and social protections has shown us the urgent need to stay vigilant and unwavering in our commitment to environmental justice. We cannot allow lawmakers to rubber-stamp policies that perpetuate the same harms of the fossil fuel industry under the guise of “progress.” This bill is a Trojan horse, fast-tracking fossil fuel projects while sprinkling in token clean energy measures to distract from the harm. Sacrificing frontline communities to secure incremental wins is not progress—it’s betrayal.

    As a community advocate, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we let harmful legislation slide. Growing up in Whittier, CA, a predominantly Latino community plagued by air pollution, I lived the impacts of environmental injustice every day. NEPA was one of the few tools that gave us a fighting chance—a voice to demand cleaner air and a healthier future. Now, as I see these same protections threatened, I can’t help but think of the next generation and what kind of future we’re leaving for them.

    GreenLatinos advocates walking in front of the U.S. Capitol during Advocacy Week.

    This election was a wake-up call: we can’t wait for ideal circumstances to fight back. The time to act is now. If we give an inch, they will take a mile—and our communities will pay the price. GreenLatinos stands firm in our commitment to environmental justice and to ensuring that no frontline community bears the brunt of harmful legislation. We’ve fought too hard for too long to let the fossil fuel industry dictate our clean energy future.

    We must reject the Energy Permitting Reform Act, no matter what form it takes, and demand bold, just policies that don’t compromise our values or our people. This is a moment for courage, for unity, and for an unshakable commitment to equity. We refuse to repeat the harms of the past or bolster the efforts of the industries that have caused them.

    The clean energy transition is our chance to write a different story—a story where every community, especially those long overlooked, has a say and shares in the benefits. Let’s not let this moment slip away. Together, we can ensure a future where progress uplifts everyone—not just a privileged few.

    Irene Burga is GreenLatinos Climate Justice and Clean Air Program Director.

  • It’s Time to Take Back Cinco de Mayo

    It’s Time to Take Back Cinco de Mayo

    By: Carlos Matutes

    If you mention Cinco de Mayo, most people will think it’s “Mexican Independence Day.” This holiday is normally recognized with margarita specials at a bar, imported beer ads, or possibly costumes made of cheap serapes, sombreros, and fake moustaches. That is a major problem.

    Cinco de Mayo is certainly not Mexico’s Independence Day. Instead, it honors the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. On this day, Mexican freedom fighters defied the odds and won the fight for their land.

    The U.S. Chicano movement of the 1970s brought Cinco de Mayo to American consciousness. But corporate interests that cared nothing for Latino/a/e culture appropriated it. Insulting Mexican and Chicano culture was rampant during this time, along with a growing vilification of Latino immigrants. We can no longer allow our culture and community to be minimized through caricaturization by business interests.

    Instead, Cinco de Mayo should be celebrated by and for our communities. With the example of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service or even the reframing of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on what was once known as Columbus Day, elected officials at the local, state, and national level should declare Cinco de Mayo a national, state, and local day of action. Inspired by the brave people of Puebla, we can create a day that uplifts our families, neighbors, water, air, and soil. 

    Enemies, foreign and domestic, have been emboldened to destroy community wellbeing in the service of their profits and extreme ideologies. Creating a Cinco de Mayo Day of Action on May 5th creates an opportunity for communities to come together, celebrate our cultures, our neighbors, and our families by taking action for our freedom to breathe clean air, drink clean water, eat healthy food, work in safe environments, and recreate in safe places.

    A Cinco de Mayo Day of Action isn’t just for Latino communities. Anyone can take inspiration from La Batalla de Puebla to defend our homes from powerful invaders who want to destroy our way of life. We’re not up against an invading French army, but rather the greed, selfishness, and corruption of billionaires who would profit from the destruction of our long-term well-being. We should also remember that May 5th is the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Day of Remembrance. It’s no coincidence that rates of homicide, abduction, and sexual violence against Indigenous women and girls are significantly higher in areas where extractive industries are prevalent.

    This Cinco de Mayo, let’s do something that benefits all of us. We’re not suggesting that you don’t have a good time. We encourage celebration! Celebrate in a way that makes real change in your backyard.