The ocean, vast and seemingly infinite, has been humanity's dumping ground for plastic waste. With 171 trillion pieces of plastic amounting to 1 million to 1.7 million tons currently floating in it, this crisis threatens marine life and impacts the health of our planet and ourselves. Yet, amid this seemingly unsolvable and worsening challenge lies a potential solution that gets overlooked: the power of the Latino community. With a deep connection to the ocean and a culture rooted in conservation, Latinos hold the key to combating marine plastic pollution and safeguarding the ocean.

Conservation groups, tribes and community organizers are praising President Joe Biden's decision Thursday to expand two national monuments in California.

Hispanic Access Foundation is pleased to unveil the inaugural cohort for its “Olas y Acción Deepening Inclusion Via Engagement Support” (D.I.V.E.S.)  groundbreaking scuba diving certification program aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion within the realm of certified Latino divers. This initiative also seeks to enhance access to skill development and community-building opportunities for aspiring leaders in marine conservation.

Today, Senator Alex Padilla announced a bill to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument in California and protect approximately 660,000 acres of public lands. In addition, Senator Padilla and Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. sent a joint letter to President Biden urging him to use the Antiquities Act to designate the proposed monument. In response, Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation, released the following statement:

El cambio climático ya no es una amenaza lejana, sino una realidad que golpea duramente, y las comunidades latinas están en la línea de fuego.

El domingo 17 de marzo, Hispanic Access Foundation llevó a cabo la primera charla educativa bilingüe de ciencia que es parte de una serie de charlas y proyecto de tutoría "Senderos a la Ciencia", que se ofrecerá durante cinco años, para exponer a estudiantes latinos de secundaria desatendidos a diversas oportunidades profesionales, proporcionar recursos y desarrollar la próxima generación de profesionistas latinos en salud y en ciencia en New London, Connecticut.

On Sunday, March 17, Hispanic Access Foundation hosted the first STEM Spanish bilingual educational talk that is part of the five-year-long “Senderos a la Ciencia” (Pathway to Science) talk series and mentorship project to expose underserved Latino high school students to diverse career opportunities, provide resources, and build the next generation of Latino professionals in health and STEM in New London, Connecticut.

In the vast tapestry of America’s cultural landscape, the voice of Latino communities emerges as a critical one for conservation. The recent findings from the 14th annual Conservation in the West Poll conducted by Colorado College State of the Rockies Project echo a resounding sentiment: Latinos are not only deeply concerned about the future of our environment, they hold the key to effective conservation strategy implementation.

The Colorado River originating high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and stretching an impressive 1,450 miles, crossing 30 tribal nations and most of the United States, is a lifeline winding through the arid landscapes of the American Southwest. It meets the water needs of 40 million people, irrigates 5.5 million acres of agricultural land, generates electricity through its various dams, and supports a $1.4 trillion economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs across the West. Its ecological significance is equally extraordinary, as it nurtures vast landscapes, including the 277 miles within the Grand Canyon, supports 65 percent of wild species in the West, and safeguards numerous culturally significant sites. Imperiled by climate change and overuse by the very states that rely on its waters, it now faces a daunting future. This is an issue that is not just of environmental local concern but also of national interest.

The 14th annual Conservation in the West Poll again showed strong, bipartisan support for conservation policies, and concern about a range of environmental issues. On many questions, results for Latino respondents showed even higher levels of support and concern.