Words from the Heart 💚

¡Hola Familia! Corazón Latino had a very busy month filled with activities across the country to celebrate Earth Month. And we’re thrilled to share that our Civic Engagement program from last year was just recognized with a prestigious Reed Award! Read on to learn more about all the exciting things our team has been up to…

1 Big Thing: Celebrating our Mother Earth🌎

Corazón Latino celebrated Earth Month with more than 15 events in 10 states and Puerto Rico with the support of the USDA Forest Service’s Woodsy Owl Conservation Corps and Forest Health Protection programs.

Why it matters: After a year of pandemic restrictions, we are slowly (and safely) resuming our in-person work around the country.

Go deeper: Here are some of the highlights:

In Arizona, we partnered with the Rio Reimagined initiative in a week-long cleanup of the Río Salado that brought 50+ volunteers, Mayor of Phoenix Kate Gallego, Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari, and Rep. Raquel Terán.
In West Virginia, we co-hosted an online celebration with the West Virginia Climate Alliance and conducted two forest therapy sessions at Cacapon Resort State Park with our friend Sage Raindancer.
In Illinois and Arkansas, we supported the caring and maintenance of community gardens for Latino families.
In Utah, we partnered with Bryant Middle School to help measure trees as part of the NASA GLOBE Observer Citizen Science Program.

In Puerto Rico, we organized City Nature Challenge events in Fajardo and Luquillo.

What's next: We will soon announce some surprises for World Environment Day and Latino Conservation Week, so follow us on social media for the very latest news, and be sure to check out our events page! Safety is our priority, and all Corazón Latino events will adhere to CDC, state, and local guidelines.

2. Reed Awards Update: ¡Ganamos! 🏆

We’re honored to share that our Latino voter mobilization campaign, Soy Latino. Si Voto., won the 2021 Reed Award for Best GOTV Campaign to Mobilize Young Voters, and was a finalist for Best GOTV Campaign to Mobilize Diverse Communities.

Why it matters: Corazón Latino was able design and implement a targeted voter turnout campaign that empowered and mobilized more than 130K Latino registered voters in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Go deeper: Our team produced and tested evidence-based messaging that was culturally and linguistically appropriate to the targeted communities. Our staff and volunteers connected directly with voters via text, phone calls, and social media, sharing conservation and environmental-protection messaging.

And: Our efforts also included arts and culture as we co-produced with SANCRE Productions concerts featuring hip-hop superstars Ozomatli and New Mexico’s Gabriella Salazar, amplifying our messages with thousands of viewers.

Our thought bubble: This award shows that with the right team, talent, and love, ¡Sí se puede!

Here's a summary of the campaign.

3. Televised and online town halls with Univision Arizona 📺

Corazón Latino, in partnership with Univision Arizona, Environmental Defense Fund, and Climate Power hosted the first-ever climate and environmental justice Spanish-language televised town hall in Arizona.

Big picture: The televised and online special brought together the voices of elected officials, community organizations, and Univision’s Arizona meteorologist Suheily López Belén.

Go deeper: Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Mesa Councilmember Francisco Heredia highlighted how investing in infrastructure and environmental protection is producing job opportunities and helping to protect our planet.

The bottom line: The broadcast and its messages generated more than 1 million media impressions in Arizona and around the country.

What's next: We will be implementing similar events in upcoming months in key states around the country. Our next event event will be May 26 in partnership with the newspaper El Comercio de Colorado.

4. Amigos for Monarchs 🦋

With the support of Corazón Latino and the Woodsy Owl Conservation Corps, Liam López-Wagner (aka #LiamtheLepidopterist) celebrated his annual #AmigosforMonarchs milkweed seed giveaway.

Why it matters: The number of monarch butterflies - an important pollinator - is rapidly declining, and milkweed is their only food. This year, Liam's personal goal is to distribute 500 seed kits in the U.S. by mail or local (western MI) Covid-19-safe drop-offs, so that families around the country can help rebuild the milkweed population, thereby protecting monarchs and our planet. Way to go, Liam!

5. Chesapeake Gateways Online Trainings 🦀

As part of our partnership with the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office, we’ve conducted a series of webinars that provide members of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network with baseline information, best practices, and recommendations for creating meaningful engagement with their local Latino communities within the Chesapeake watershed.

What's next: Our next webinars will be on Wednesday, May 29 at 9:00 AM ET and Wednesday, June 2 at 4:00 PM ET. If you are interested in joining, please send an email to Nicole Randall at nicole@corazonlatino.us.

6. Green Table Talk 💚

We are honored to announce that Corazón Latino joined forces with Black Millennials for Flint, BlackGirlEnvironmentalist, and Environmental Defense Fund to co-host the new season of #GreenTableTalk.

Why it matters: #GreenTableTalk is a monthly, intergenerational discussion breaking down topics of environmental racism from the Black and Brown perspective where the full BIPOC tribe can feel at home.

Go deeper: On the debut episode of the new season, Creating Our Space: Setting A Black × Latinx Infrastructure Agenda, we hosted a conversation that features a message from Rep. Raúl Grijalva.

What's next: May’s episode will focus on mental health and the climate crisis in Black & Brown communities. It’s going to be an illuminating discussion — we hope you’ll join us! The show will air LIVE May 25, 2021 6PM ET/5PM CT on Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

Thanks for reading and for joining us as we celebrate this month’s accomplishments. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are interested in partnering with Corazón Latino, and please consider supporting our work.

Felipe