Andres Ramirez has over 20 years of experience advocating for Equity in BIPOC communities through community organizing and policy advocacy. His diverse policy expertise and keen understanding of the strengths and needs of BIPOC communities make him an effective advocate. He has led multiple efforts assuring that land use, transportation, housing, and environmental policies are developed and implemented equitably.
Some of the successful campaigns Ramirez has led include the LADOT Community Ambassador program (Vision Zero), Electro Bici (Pacoima e-bike library), and South Central Power Up (South LA e-bike library). He serves as the Executive Director of People for Mobility Justice. He also serves on LA County Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Policy Advisory Council, the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) advisory council, and the Interagency Equity Advisory Committee for CalTrans/Cal Sta/CTC.
Río Oxas was born in Yaanga Village, also named Echo Park, Los Angeles. Oxas’ mother is from Kuxkatan (Tonacatepeque, El Salvador) and their father from Tiquisate, Guatemala. They are Two-Spirit and their lineages are Nawat-Pipil and Mayan, among others. Oxas’ primary focus is remembering ancestral knowledge as a tool to address emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual imbalances which are often dictated by inequalities and intentional design.
Oxas is a co-visionary and Principal of RAHOK, a family-owned business illuminating the interdependence of race, ancestors, health, outdoors, and knowledge. They host weekly Danza events, bike rides, and bike camping events to support health and spiritual connection. Oxas recently became a caretaker of Xanich (“nest” in Tule Yokut). At this collectively held land in Tulare County, collaborators are co-creating a livable space for generations to come.
Xóchitl Cortez is a passionate and visionary leader. Raised in East Oakland and a cancer survivor, she has firsthand experience with the severe environmental pollution that afflicts low-income communities of color. Cortez holds a BA in American Studies focusing on Public Health from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Mills College. With her extensive community development and health advocacy background, she brings a unique and powerful perspective to the fight for environmental and social justice.
Cortez is the founder and executive director of Frontline Catalysts, an organization committed to advancing environmental justice, social equity, and community empowerment. Her work empowers young activists to lead the charge in sustainable development and transformative climate justice inviting them to address local environmental challenges and advocate for policy. This approach educates and instills a sense of agency. The organization’s effectiveness stems from its deep connections to the communities it serves, ensuring authenticity and trust in its initiatives.
Maria Ruiz uses her background in communication to connect San Joaquin Valley residents to resources supporting a transition to clean vehicles. As an asthmatic, she knows how significant the impact of air pollution can be and she is dedicated to including underserved populations in California’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from California State University, Fresno.
Ruiz works on the Climate Equity and Environmental Justice team at the nonprofit Central California Asthma Collaborative in the San Joaquin Valley. She helped develop, and now leads, the EV Equity Program which connects residents with EV education and incentive application assistance. She also works with members of the Clean Vehicle Empowerment Collaborative to educate communities about EVs and incentives, preparing bilingual educational workshops and materials to ensure that information is accessible.
Natalie Espinoza applies her knowledge of the interconnectedness of people and their environments to advancing environmental justice and sustainability in underserved communities. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and holds a degree in Environmental Science and Policy from CSU, Long Beach, with minors in Geography and Anthropology. Her commitment to environmental justice is intertwined with her dedication to ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities.
Espinoza has over a decade of experience in energy- efficiency program education and engagement. She facilitates the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee for The Energy Coalition (TEC) and recently contributed to the EPIC Grant-funded Bassett Avocado Heights Advanced Energy Community project, serving an environmental justice community in the San Gabriel Valley. Espinoza also leads community engagement with Community-Based Organizations for TEC and implements the Los Angeles County-administered Healthy Stores Refrigeration Program to address food deserts.
Shante Walker has a deep-rooted connection to frontline communities and has dedicated her career to addressing environmental injustices. Walker grew up in South Los Angeles and draws on her experiences with the impacts of pollution and inadequate infrastructure to create site- specific projects. Her environmental justice work involves understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by frontline communities in adopting alternative and renewable fuels, advanced vehicle technologies, and sustainable practices.
Walker’s work at The Niles Foundation includes: spearheading projects in sustainable food and agriculture, clean energy technology, and clean mobility; collaborating with diverse stakeholders to develop equitable environmental solutions; and advocating for policies that prioritize the well-being and environmental rights of frontline communities.
Agustín Angel Bernabe is one of the co-founders of Leaders4EARTH, and was born in Guerrero, Mexico. He is a first-generation graduate from San Francisco State University with a B.S in Health Education and double minor in Holistic Health and Community Health. He has experience working in the public health sector, community health, environmental health/justice, youth leadership and community engagement.
Agustín is a dedicated community organizer and youth educator whose primary work began and continues to work alongside with Salinas Valley (Monterey County), and Bayview Hunters Point (San Francisco) youth and residents. He’s served as a mentor for rising environmental and social justice leaders from these regions, where he’s cultivated relationships with rising advocates and partners from non-profit organizations, government officials, local activists, global activists, community residents, and health professionals. He seeks new opportunities to be of service to his local, state, and global community as an agent of positive societal change and environmental health activist.
Katia Pilar Carranza is a sustainability organizer and researcher focused on improving the reciprocal interconnections between people and nature while increasing equity for underserved and Indigenous people. Sustainability became her passion fifteen years ago when she learned that climate change is threatening the health of our people and environment. Since then, Katia became impassioned to take action, and she has directed transdisciplinary initiatives focused on advancing the environmental and social vision of her communities. As she worked to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Ecology, she organized campus diversity trainings, created a community-driven sustainability club, and established a reusable container program at her college. After graduating, Katia has advanced equity and sustainability through her career and community organizing. She created an equitable engagement plan for the climate department in San Diego, and she developed recommendations for NRDC focused on advancing equitable sustainability in federal environmental programs. She also mobilized her underserved communities to transition a coal plant polluting her hometown, and she organized immigrant people to advocate for their rights. Last year, she founded the Together for Nature nonprofit in her hometown that is working on connecting underserved people and youth to nature and sustainability leadership. Katia is now pursuing a Master of Science in Natural Resource Sciences because she wants to better prepare for advancing the vision of her communities in sustainability planning. She is currently collaborating with Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance in conducting research that supports the socioecological resilience of Indigenous people, and she is serving a grasslands Indigenous Working Group in compiling their priorities into strategy and implementing equitable engagement across North America. Katia is committed to continue collaborating with her underserved, migrant, and Indigenous communities to advance their vision for equitable sustainability that heals our social and environmental relationships.
Zoë Temple (she/her/ella) is an Environmental Science teacher near Downtown Los Angeles working directly with high school seniors from frontline communities across the city. In her role as an educator and as a Programs Advisor for Youth on Root, Zoe designs and delivers relevant, engaging, and justice-oriented curriculum focused on empowering young people to be environmental changemakers in their communities. Youth on Root’s mission is to provide low-income youth and youth of color across California with tools and opportunities for learning to promote environmental justice. Zoe is passionate about building inclusive spaces to redistribute power to marginalized communities through citizen science, youth empowerment, and community-based research.
Iesha Baldwin is a global goal developer and a PIN Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Fellow for Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute and Freudenberg-NOK, a global manufacturer. She is passionate about creating stronger rural workforces through education and training programs for manufacturers and schools.