Leading Latinx Serving Organizations Call on Congress and Administration for a Bold, Progressive, and Comprehensive Infrastructure Package

Latinx groups urge investments in healthcare, education, and water infrastructure in rural, tribal, low income, and communities of color and a transition to a clean and sustainable energy economy that creates union jobs

Washington, D.C. -- Today, 90 of the nation’s leading Latinx focused organizations and  Latinx-serving allied organizations called on Congress and the Biden Administration to prioritize a comprehensive infrastructure package that advances justice for communities on the frontline of climate change and pollution, as well as create union jobs and invest in clean energy economy, healthcare, education and water infrastructure in rural, tribal, low income and communities of color.

In an open letter to Congressional leaders and the Biden Administration, renowned Latinx serving organizations emphasize how Latinx, Black, and Indigenous communities have been hardest hit by a trifecta of health, economic and environmental crisis, and called on elected officials to put science, economy and their constituents’ public health before politics. The Latinx groups also expressed how the infrastructure bill presents a unique opportunity to invest in a clean, resilient energy future that transitions the country away from polluting fuels while addressing past injustices and advancing equity.

“As leading organizations within the Latinx community, we are united in our call for a bold economic recovery. We urge our elected officials to support historic levels of investment that will safeguard our environment and livelihoods, address the impacts of climate change and pollution from fossil fuel extraction and related industries, and fulfill our moral obligation to leave a habitable world for future generations,” said Lydia Cardona, the Climate & Clean Air Program Manager at GreenLatinos, a national organization that convenes a broad coalition of Latino leaders committed to addressing environmental, natural resources and conservation issues that significantly affect the health and welfare of the U.S. Latino community. “The Latinx community has borne the burden of the climate crisis for far too long. It is time for our government to take action and the necessary steps in creating legislation that will remedy this for the sake of our future and that of our communities, children, and families.”

“Environmental justice should be a key component of any infrastructure-related legislation that Congress is thinking of passing. Low-income communities and communities of color are the most vulnerable to extreme weather disasters and yet receive the least amount of aid. We need to reverse this so our most vulnerable communities can be protected from further harm,” expressed Yadira Sanchez, Executive Director of Poder Latinx, an organization that is building a political wave where the Latinx community plays a key role in the transformation of the country.

The letter sponsored by GreenLatinos, Poder Latinx, Hispanic Federation, Hispanic Access Foundation, Ecomadres, and Corazón Latino, pointed to a Yale University study that found seven in ten Latinxs are highly concerned about climate change, ranking it as a priority in the 2020 elections. Additionally, an overwhelming 83% of Latinxs stated they supported the transition to 100% clean energy over the next 10-15 years, signaling that Latinxs across the political spectrum believe climate change is real and want legislators to take immediate action.

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Press contact: Kristian Ramos, comms@greenlatinos.org