Did you know that Latino/a/e, Indigenous, and Black communities in Albuquerque have the least access to green and open spaces? Or that nearly 300,000 residents of Albuquerque, again predominantly Hispanic/Latino/e people, live with food insecurity? GreenLatinos is hosting a community gathering to commemorate the launch of our Urban Greening Initiative that will result in 2-4 projects, including new, expanded, or renovated green spaces in predominantly Hispanic/Latino/a/e neighborhoods in Albuquerque. This initiative will invite grant proposals from community-led groups with an established presence in Latino/a/e communities for urban greening projects -including but not limited to community gardens, parks, and urban farms.
Project Feed the Hood and our International District Community Garden
The International District Community Garden is located in Albuquerque's International District, a diverse and low-income area. The project offers numerous benefits, including providing a green space for community gatherings, increasing access to fresh produce, and offering educational opportunities on gardening and sustainability. It also supports local food hubs that serve families in the area.
Growing Resilience: Land-Based Learning and Community Gardens
Semilla's project will focus on Albuquerque’s parks and open spaces, particularly in underserved Latinx neighborhoods such as the International District and South Valley. Their goals include expanding cultural representation in outdoor spaces, supporting Latinx youth and families in accessing and enjoying outdoor activities, and addressing the historical and systemic barriers that have made these spaces feel unsafe or inaccessible for our communities.
Fruits of Health
The Rio Bravo/Second Street community is located on approximately 100 acres in Albuquerque's South Valley, Mountain View neighborhood. The project will transition land from heavy industrial use to a vibrant, green space featuring community gardens, a fruit orchard, and a production farm. This will provide free or low-cost produce, create employment opportunities, and offer green spaces for community use.
CESOSS Acequia Education
The Acequia Outdoor Learning Initiative is located in the Middle Rio Grande Region in Albuquerque. This project holds profound potential to uplift and empower our predominantly low-income Latine community. It serves as a living laboratory where traditional knowledge meets modern needs, offering hands-on learning experiences that honor cultural heritage and foster a sense of pride and belonging.
About GreenLatinos:
We are a national network of Latino/a/e environmental and conservation champions fighting against climate change and environmental degradation that intensifies systemic social, health, and economic injustices in our communities.
About the GreenLatinos Sustainable Cities Urban Greening Initiative:
As part of the broader Greening America’s Cities Initiative from the Bezos Earth Fund, GreenLatinos is set to allocate a total of $2,650,000 to back urban greening, gardening, and farming initiatives in Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and Chicago. Specifically, this funding will encompass nearly $1.05M for both Albuquerque and Chicago. We're inviting proposals from community-led groups in Albuquerque for urban greening projects- including but not limited to community gardens, parks, and urban farms. The outcome of this initiative will be 2-4 new or expanded urban greenspaces in Latino/a/e communities in Albuquerque. We are hoping that this effort will integrate long-marginalized voices into the larger environmental and climate justice movement, as well as help local communities access significant funding for urban greening initiatives to begin to bridge the existing nature gap and to increase environmental equity in the city of Albuquerque.
