The “Latino Voices of the Mississippi River” poll surveyed Latinos on their perspectives, concerns, and support relating to the Mississippi River’s health, threats, impact on local communities, and conservation initiatives. The survey was conducted in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the states the Mississippi River passes through, by New Bridge Strategy and Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates.

• Full English Language Presentation / Poll Numbers
• Hispanic Access Foundation's Press Release
• Latino Voter Statistics 2024
  • Combined
  • Latino only
• Factsheet

La encuesta “Voces Latinas del Río Misisipi” consultó a latinos sobre sus perspectivas, preocupaciones y apoyo en relación con la salud del Río Misisipi, las amenazas que enfrenta, su impacto en las comunidades locales y las iniciativas de conservación. La encuesta fue realizada en Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Luisiana, Minnesota, Misisipi, Misuri, Tennessee y Wisconsin, los estados por los que pasa el Río Misisipi, por New Bridge Strategy y Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates.

• Presentación completa en español / Cifras de la encuesta
• Comunicado de prensa de Hispanic Access Foundation
• Estadísticas de votantes latinos 2024

Our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and resulting climate change are leading to higher temperatures, record-setting heat waves, and drier and more arid conditions in the West. These conditions matched with underfunded forest management, outdated land use policies and practices, and more people living in fire-prone areas has led to catastrophic wildfires that affect more people. Since 2000, an average of 73,200 wildfires burned an average of 6.9 million acres, a figure which has nearly doubled the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres). In 2017 alone, wildfires burned 10 million acres. In addition, a new study has found that approximately 85% of wildfires are caused by human activity and one in three houses in the US resides in the wildland urban interface (approximately 44 million homes).

Hispanic Access Foundation Calls For an Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument!

Melissa Morris has been in the conservation sector for over eight years working on plastic pollution and offshore drilling at the federal, state, and local level. She has advocated for change from congress to co-sponsor legislation and have created ordinances to eliminate single use plastics in southern California. Melissa previously founded a non-profit called Service to Sea – which provided active-duty military personnel with opportunities to connect with ocean conservation in San Diego. She has also worked as a science communicator for a variety of nonprofits and private companies spreading the word about preventing plastic pollution and encouraging sustainable seafood. Melissa’s love for the ocean began on the shores of Miami, Florida. She has been a passionate conservationist and water enthusiast since childhood, launching multiple catch and release fishing programs, a sustainable fisheries initiative, and raising awareness about the importance of transparency when it comes to local seafood from South Florida to San Diego. Melissa holds a Master’s degree in advanced studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Miami.

Why she works for Hispanic Access…

"As a Cuban American woman, Melissa works to elevate the voices of latinos in the conservation space while expanding on different sectors from waterways, climate change to oceans."

In her spare time…

"I spend time with my husband, family, and our dog, Kaia. We enjoy being out in nature whether at the beach, hiking, or at a park. I love cooking, baking sourdough bread, tending to my herb garden, playing with pups, and watching horror movies.”

Her favorite book…

“A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena.”

A person she finds inspirational…

“My husband, parents, brother, and grandparents.”

Sofía is a passionate environmental advocate and mission-driven climate professional. She has spent the last few years working in ocean conservation at Sustainable Ocean Alliance where she held the roles of Ocean Leadership Program Associate and Global Community Manager. There she engaged in ocean conservation grantmaking, ocean policy initiatives, and overseeing the operations of the global young ocean leader network. Sofia was also a key organizer and implementer of international events such as the United Nations Ocean Conference Youth & Innovation Forum in Portugal and the Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit in Panama, which featured honored guests such as UN Secretary General António Guterres and the UN Environment Programme’s Advocate for Life Below Water (actor Jason Momoa).

She holds a Master’s in Climate & Society from Columbia University where she studied climate dynamics, climate change & variability, and related societal impacts; at Columbia she was a teaching assistant for the “Water Resources & Climate” course for the MS in Sustainability Management and worked with the Kenya Red Cross on a geospatial analysis to understand climatic & weather drivers of the recent locust plague. Sofía is also a Fulbright Scholar, having received 2 Fulbright Grants to Brazil where she taught at the Federal University of Pernambuco and the Federal University of Campina Grande. She holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh with minors in Spanish and Portuguese and Certificates in Global Studies and Latin American Studies. Sofía is determined to work in collaboration with others at the ocean-climate nexus in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change on people and the planet.

Why she works for Hispanic Access…

"As the daughter of Costa Rican immigrants to the United States and a dual citizen (US/Costa Rica), I haven’t always felt like I belonged, especially since I grew up mostly in quite non-diverse towns.

I know that our community can face barriers and obstacles to access and I am thrilled to be joining the Hispanic Access Foundation to engage with and for the benefit of US Latinos. As one of the fastest-growing groups in this country, it is essential that we are heard and represented. Additionally, studies have shown that Latinos are more engaged and concerned with the topic of climate change than other groups in our country; I am so excited to work with the Hispanic Access team and community to make progress at the ocean-climate nexus. Finally, I really value the intersectional approach at Hispanic Access - everything is connected!"

In her spare time…

“In my spare time, I love to cook and try new recipes (especially when I can cook for others!), read, listen to podcasts and music, sing as a member of my community choir, and do yoga! I also absolutely love to travel and learn new languages; I’m currently studying Italian in my free time!”

Her favorite book…

“One of my favorite books is “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez. I first read this book when I was 18 years old and it had such an impact on me as it is based on the true story of the Mirabal sisters resisting the repressive dictatorship in the Dominican Republic at the time. The way they exemplified courage and took action was incredibly moving and inspiring. Being one of 4 sisters myself, this book also spoke to me on that personal level. Thinking about this book always reinvigorates me to continue working towards justice.”

A person she finds inspirational…

“Malala Yousafzai inspires me immensely through her perseverance, resilience, and advocacy for education. I often think of the quote “You can’t save what you don’t love, and you can’t love what you don’t know” in relation to the climate crisis and am reminded of the paramount importance of education. I am also tremendously inspired by Dr. Sylvia Earle. She is an incredible marine expert and was the first woman to lead NOAA!”

Through her career, Nicole has focused on creating professional development and educational programs for underrepresented communities, particularly Puerto Rican communities. Her professional journey spans academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors where she has consistently advocated for accessible and equal education and professional development tools for underrepresented minorities. Through strategic partnerships and innovative initiatives, Nicole has contributed to bridging the gap in access to education, empowering individuals to pursue and thrive in their chosen fields. Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey, and a Doctorate in Plant Pathology with a focus on forest conservation and agroecology. She also holds a Certification in College Teaching from the University of Arizona, and a Certification in Project Management from Google.

Before joining Hispanic Access, she worked at Corteva Agriscience as a scientist and outreach steering team member. During this period, Nicole conducted research on sustainable products aimed at controlling plant diseases in the Midwest, while developing and supporting educational initiative to introduce Indiana’s youth to STEM fields, fostering a passion for science and innovation among the next generation.

Why she works for Hispanic Access…

"I join Hispanic Access because I am deeply passionate about addressing the lack of equity in opportunities and education for Hispanic communities. Through my education and early career, I have witnessed firsthand the disparities faced by these communities, and I am driven to make a difference and advocate for change. Hispanic Access values resonate with me on a personal level, as they align closely with my own goals and values. I believe working here will provide me with the platform to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these communities."

In her spare time…

“In my spare time I enjoy reading, mostly fantasy books. I also love spending time outdoors hiking, visiting new landscapes, and taking my 4 dogs on walks on the beach. I enjoy dancing and baking, and spending time with family.”

Her favorite book…

“Selecting one is really hard. From Latin American Authors, Paula from Isabel Allende and El Alquimista from Paulo Coelho will be my top two. In terms of English fantasy books, the City of Bones Series by Cassandra Clare and the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling are my top two.”

A person she finds inspirational…

“In my personal life, I find inspiration in my family. One of my biggest inspirations is my mom. During my early childhood, she became a single-mother and put a pause on her dream and professional goals to provide for my sister and me. Her sacrificed allowed us to complete advance degrees in science and education and contributed to our development as professionals. She has instilled in us the importance of working hard for your dreams, contributing to our community, and having integrity.

In my professional life, I draw inspiration from my grandfather and Dr. Alexandra Colon Rodriguez. My grandfather was my first introduction to the agricultural world. He is a farmer and Puerto Rico and thought me the importance of protect our natural resources for future generations. Alexandra is a scientist and my previous internship mentor at Michigan State University. Through her career she had played a leadership role in developing opportunities to provide accessible education and representation to underrepresented minorities. Her programs had impacted more than 140 students increasing their professional capacities and fostering representation in the STEM fields. Alexandra is a fierce and advocate of her mentees, helping them identify opportunities to succeed and caring for their mental health and wellbeing. I could not be the professional I am today without her mentorship, advocacy, and guidance. She has inspired me to follow her footsteps and give back to my community through mentorship.”

Amalia was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, moved to the USA when she was 10 years old, first-generation college graduate, proud mother of 4 girls, has a BA in Sociology, MS in Business Management with a specialization in Human Resources, an MBA and is a licensed Realtor in the state of Texas.

Amalia has over 15 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector. Most of her career has been in education. Initially providing direct student services, parent engagement, conflict resolution and over the past 7 years has provided financial oversight, and support, for several programs receiving federal grants, state funding and donation.

Fun fact, Amalia has remodeled several houses, and most recently was the general contractor in the construction of her house.

Why she works for Hispanic Access…

"I work at Hispanic Access, because I believe in the mission. I personally know the struggle, born in Chihuahua, Mexico, moved to the US at the age of 10, being the oldest, I was often the one tasked with heling my parents figure stuff out that I was probably too young to know about, and at the same time being on my own when it came to my education and advocating for myself, due to the language barrier and lack of knowledge. I believe that creating access and equity within our communities."

In her spare time…

“In my spare time, I spend a lot of time with my kids, we like to go bowling, eat out, movies, shopping, and to travel.”

A person she finds inspirational…

“My parents are my inspiration.”