Elena Gaona

Washington, D.C. — This year marks the 10th anniversary of Chispa, a program of the League of Conservation Voters, as we proudly celebrate the milestone during Latine Heritage Month. In honor of a decade of Latine and communities of color advocating for climate justice, Chispa is excited to announce the release of a new bilingual video highlighting our journey, some of our achievements, and the critical work ahead. “Por Nuestro Futuro: A Decade of Chispa Organizing for Climate Justice” is a nearly 10-minute bilingual video released today. It tells the story of Chispa and our work with communities at the center of climate change and its related effects. Chispa and our state programs have achieved significant climate victories throughout years of organizing and advocacy – cleaner air, cleaner school buses, protecting public lands, checking the petrochemical industry, helping families save money by switching to clean energy, and increasing the number of environmental leaders of color. Building a movement made up of local community members has endured through all of them. “As our Latine communities face growing threats and attacks, it’s important that we acknowledge our work so far, and our commitment to the future and fight ahead,” said Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González. “Our promotoras and lideres are family and community members who boldly step up, organize for their neighborhoods, learn how to demand and create change, and become climate champions. We would not exist without them, and we wanted to celebrate their work and tell the world about it.” The new video showcases Chispa’s progress over the past decade, highlighting inspiring stories and voices from community leaders, activists, and families who have partnered with Chispa to develop local climate solutions for their neighbors. The video includes Chispa’s history and features state and community members from Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, and Texas.  From protecting public lands in Arizona to creating strong environmental leaders of color in Colorado, to fighting the petrochemical industry buildout in Texas, and advocating for clean air, utility accountability,  and clean school buses in Nevada and Maryland, the community work happening on the ground is critical to securing safe, healthy environments, a healthy democracy, and a brighter future for all. Looking to the future, Chispa will continue to ensure that the needs of Latine communities are included in the climate justice movement. As we celebrate Latine Heritage Month, Chispa is hosting various events throughout the month, including local video screenings with the community in our states, fun giveaways, and more opportunities to get involved, learn about the fight for environmental justice issues, and keep making change. The video is also a call to action for communities across our nation to join the movement. The video can be viewed here and is now available across all of Chispa’s social media platforms. Shorter state-focused versions of the video are also being released. For more information about Chispa and our work, visit www.chispalcv.org ###   Chispa celebra 10 años de trabajo por la justicia climática durante el Mes de la Herencia Hispana con un nuevo video bilingüe Washington, D.C. — Este año se conmemora el décimo aniversario de Chispa, un programa del League of Conservation Voters, y celebramos con orgullo este aniversario durante el Mes de la Herencia Hispana. En honor a una década de lucha de las comunidades latinas y de color por la justicia climática, Chispa se complace en anunciar el lanzamiento de un nuevo video bilingüe que destaca nuestra trayectoria, algunos de nuestros logros y el importante trabajo que sigue. “Por Nuestro Futuro: Una Década de Chispa Organizando por la Justicia Climática” es un video bilingüe de casi 10 minutos lanzado hoy. Narra la historia de Chispa y nuestro trabajo con las comunidades afectadas por el cambio climático y sus efectos. Chispa y nuestros programas estatales han logrado importantes victorias climáticas a lo largo de años de organización y defensa: aire más limpio, autobuses escolares más limpios, protección de tierras públicas, lucha contra la industria petroquímica, ayuda a familias a ahorrar dinero al cambiarse a energía limpia y un aumento en el número de líderes ambientales de color. Un movimiento integrado por miembros de la comunidad local es un logro que ha perdurado a través de todo este trabajo. “Mientras que nuestras comunidades latinas enfrentan crecientes amenazas y ataques, es importante que reconozcamos nuestro trabajo hasta ahora y nuestro compromiso hacia el futuro y hacia la lucha que sigue”, dijo Estefany Carrasco-González, directora sénior de Chispa. “Nuestras promotoras y líderes son miembros de familia y de la comunidad que con valentía se unen, se organizan por sus barrios, aprenden a exigir y generar cambios, y se convierten en promotoras del clima. No existiríamos sin ellos, y queríamos celebrar su labor y compartirla con el mundo”. El nuevo video destaca el progreso de Chispa durante la última década, mostrando historias inspiradoras y voces de líderes comunitarios, activistas y familias que se han asociado con Chispa para desarrollar soluciones climáticas locales para sus vecinos. El video incluye la historia de Chispa y presenta a miembros estatales y comunitarios de Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Nevada y Texas. Desde la protección de tierras públicas en Arizona hasta la formación de líderes ambientales de color fuertes en Colorado, la lucha contra la expansión de la industria petroquímica en Texas y la defensa del aire limpio, la rendición de cuentas de los servicios públicos y autobuses escolares limpios en Nevada y Maryland, el trabajo comunitario que se realiza en comunidades afectadas es fundamental para garantizar entornos seguros y saludables, una democracia sólida y un futuro mejor para todos. Mirando hacia el futuro, Chispa seguirá garantizando que las necesidades de las comunidades latinas se incluyan en el movimiento por la justicia climática. Mientras celebramos el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, Chispa está organizando varios eventos durante todo el mes, incluyendo proyecciones locales del video con las comunidades de nuestros estados, obsequios divertidos y más oportunidades para participar, aprender sobre la lucha por la justicia ambiental y seguir los cambios. El video también es un

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2025 Contact: Elena Gaona Chispa, Climate Power en Accion, and TX Rep. Escobar outline impacts and solutions to clean air, health, household costs, clean energy, and good jobs for Latine families and neighborhoods   Washington, D.C. – During a national bilingual conversation hosted virtually by Chispa LCV on Wednesday, May 7th, Texas Congresswoman Veronica Escobar and environmental leaders from Chispa National, Chispa Texas, Chispa Nevada, Chispa Maryland, and Climate Power en Acción led a discussion about the impacts on Latino communities from the current gutting of federal programs that protect our clean air, clean energy, health, and household costs. Watch the recording and presentation materials here. This conversation took place as federal budget reconciliation negotiations continue in Congress. The sweeping reconciliation bill is slated to gut more essential programs and protections in one of the most anti-environmental bills in our nation’s history. The cuts threaten to worsen the climate, health, and cost impacts on Latino communities, who are experiencing severe health and climate impacts including extreme heat, asthma, bad air quality, and high electricity bills, speakers said. They discussed key programs, such as clean energy tax credits, programs that help families switch to clean energy appliances, Electric School Bus funding for cleaner transportation, and environmental protections that lower costs and protect health while fighting climate change. “The administration has begun to unilaterally undo decades of safeguards that protect our air, water, and public lands. They’ve worked to stop the transition to clean energy sources, kneecap the EPA, and lawlessly canceled billions in federal investments meant to help communities prepare for extreme weather events, reduce pollution, create jobs, lower costs, and slash climate pollution in half by 2030,” Rep. Escobar said. “Pushing back against these policies requires all of us.” “Our Latine communities are feeling multiple threats from rolling back the environmental progress we have made toward clean air, clean water, clean energy, and lower costs of living,” said Estefany Carrasco-Gonzalez, Chispa’s National Senior Director. “And even though they are gutting the most essential clean air and clean water protections for everyone, which are critical to life itself, Latino and communities of color will feel it the most. We want our community to know we can organize and build power to continue to push against these rollbacks, and our communities living with the impacts in their own neighborhoods are in the best position to do so.” “What the Trump administration is doing isn’t abstract—it’s recklessly hurting our communities,” said Antonieta Cádiz, Deputy Executive Director for Climate Power En Acción. “As we head into extreme weather season, Latino families are already facing higher energy bills and the threat of severe storms and extreme heat. These proposed cuts would leave our Latino communities even more exposed. Once again, Trump and Republicans in Congress are showing us who they really serve—it’s not the families living in flood zones or those struggling to cool their homes during the summer heat; it’s their wealthy donors and Big Polluters. If these cuts go through, our families will pay the price.” “We hear from many community members that they are deeply concerned about higher costs. Here in Nevada, utility bills have been going up and up over the last couple of years. We hear from many families who are having to make tough decisions. What can I pawn off this month so I can pay the basic utilities?” said Chispa Nevada Program Director Audrey Peral. “These are choices no family should have to make. But we have no other option. Because of climate change, Nevada has two of the fastest-warming cities in the country, so our summers are getting longer and extremely, dangerously hot. This makes air conditioning a necessity to survive, not a luxury. We can’t afford higher prices. Our community is organizing to fight back and defend the programs that save us money and reduce pollution.” The conversation also included remarks from Chispa Texas State Program Director Elida Castillo and Chispa Maryland Organizing Manager Morena Zelaya, as well as attendance from Chispa community members and environmental leaders from various states. ### About Chispa: Chispa is a program of the League of Conservation Voters and LCV Education Fund. Our mission is to build the power of low-income communities of color across the country to achieve climate justice, community health, and environmental protections while fighting for accountability from polluters and decision-makers.