Mayte Abrica: I grew up in central Mayte Abrica: Mexico.

One of the Mayte Abrica: most prominent issues Mayte Abrica: that I remember Mayte Abrica: growing up with was Mayte Abrica: the lack of water and Mayte Abrica: the access to water.

Mayte Abrica: We would go sometimes Mayte Abrica: days or even weeks Mayte Abrica: without it.

Jose Guzman-Wug: Those struggles fueled Jose Guzman-Wug: Maite Abrica's Jose Guzman-Wug: passion for environmental Jose Guzman-Wug: work.

Jose Guzman-Wug: Now, at USC, Maite Jose Guzman-Wug: is helping more people Jose Guzman-Wug: understand climate Jose Guzman-Wug: issues through Jose Guzman-Wug: advocacy and Jose Guzman-Wug: storytelling.

Mayte Abrica: Once I came over here Mayte Abrica: and I immigrated, and Mayte Abrica: learning more about the Mayte Abrica: environment, climate Mayte Abrica: change, and then Mayte Abrica: environmental justice, Mayte Abrica: it became a really Mayte Abrica: rooted issue.

Mayte Abrica: It kind of helped shape Mayte Abrica: my view of the Mayte Abrica: different disparities Mayte Abrica: in terms of the Mayte Abrica: environment.

Jose Guzman-Wug: In 2024, Abrica Jose Guzman-Wug: co-founded the Jose Guzman-Wug: bilingual newsletter Jose Guzman-Wug: Sustainability Sin Jose Guzman-Wug: Fronteras, or Jose Guzman-Wug: Sustainability Without Jose Guzman-Wug: Borders.

Jose Guzman-Wug: The newsletter serves Jose Guzman-Wug: the Latino community Jose Guzman-Wug: in Los Angeles, Jose Guzman-Wug: with articles in Spanish, Jose Guzman-Wug: professional development opportunities, Jose Guzman-Wug: and information on Jose Guzman-Wug: environmental events Jose Guzman-Wug: nearby.

Mayte Abrica: We try to be as Mayte Abrica: accommodating as we Mayte Abrica: can by like making Mayte Abrica: the information more Mayte Abrica: digestible, making it Mayte Abrica: more in simpler terms Mayte Abrica: for everyone to kind Mayte Abrica: of understand.

Mayte Abrica: And then in terms of Mayte Abrica: language, we use both Mayte Abrica: English and Spanish.

Jose Guzman-Wug: Also doing this Jose Guzman-Wug: work is Miguel Jose Guzman-Wug: Ordenana, an Jose Guzman-Wug: environmental educator Jose Guzman-Wug: and wildlife Jose Guzman-Wug: biologist who has Jose Guzman-Wug: been featured in Jose Guzman-Wug: the newsletter.

Miguel Ordenana: I grew up here in Miguel Ordenana: Los Angeles, so Miguel Ordenana: my perspective on Miguel Ordenana: nature, my perspective Miguel Ordenana: on science is Miguel Ordenana: really informed Miguel Ordenana: by my multiple Miguel Ordenana: identities.

Miguel Ordenana: I identify as a Miguel Ordenana: proud descendant of Miguel Ordenana: Nicaraguan immigrants Miguel Ordenana: who worked really Miguel Ordenana: hard to create a Miguel Ordenana: better life for the Miguel Ordenana: next generation.

Miguel Ordenana: My community is Miguel Ordenana: historically excluded Miguel Ordenana: from environmental education, Miguel Ordenana: scientific research Miguel Ordenana: opportunities, and Miguel Ordenana: I want them to be Miguel Ordenana: part of this conversation Miguel Ordenana: as, especially like Miguel Ordenana: when we're working on projects, Miguel Ordenana: working in a community Miguel Ordenana: called El Sereno in Miguel Ordenana: LA, and 80% of the Miguel Ordenana: community identifies Miguel Ordenana: as Latino.

Jose Guzman-Wug: To involve Jose Guzman-Wug: community members, Jose Guzman-Wug: Miguel leads events Jose Guzman-Wug: like the Annual Jose Guzman-Wug: Bilingual Community Jose Guzman-Wug: Habitat Survey at Jose Guzman-Wug: Edleton Hill, a Jose Guzman-Wug: rare 150-acre green Jose Guzman-Wug: space in El Sereno.

Jose Guzman-Wug: Here, residents of Jose Guzman-Wug: all ages are Jose Guzman-Wug: invited to connect with Jose Guzman-Wug: nature, learn about Jose Guzman-Wug: native species, and Jose Guzman-Wug: take part in education Jose Guzman-Wug: that speaks to Jose Guzman-Wug: their lived experiences.

Miguel Ordenana: We are going to Miguel Ordenana: have two of our Miguel Ordenana: team members that Miguel Ordenana: are fluent in Miguel Ordenana: Spanish be Miguel Ordenana: translating all the Miguel Ordenana: training, all the orientation, Miguel Ordenana: and offering to be Miguel Ordenana: on these hikes with Miguel Ordenana: community members Miguel Ordenana: that maybe have Miguel Ordenana: somebody in their Miguel Ordenana: group that may just Miguel Ordenana: feel more comfortable Miguel Ordenana: speaking in Spanish.

Miguel Ordenana: Being out in nature Miguel Ordenana: is very healing.

Miguel Ordenana: So events like Miguel Ordenana: Habitat Surveys in Miguel Ordenana: Elephant Hill is Miguel Ordenana: something where.

Miguel Ordenana: You can be out in Miguel Ordenana: nature and do Miguel Ordenana: something that you Miguel Ordenana: normally don't do Miguel Ordenana: in cities sometimes Miguel Ordenana: because you're always Miguel Ordenana: indoors or Miguel Ordenana: surrounded by buildings Miguel Ordenana: and things like that.

Miguel Ordenana: My daughter is going Miguel Ordenana: to have the access Miguel Ordenana: to this and there's Miguel Ordenana: hope that areas Miguel Ordenana: like this are going Miguel Ordenana: to be preserved for Miguel Ordenana: future generations and Miguel Ordenana: people of all ages Miguel Ordenana: and backgrounds are Miguel Ordenana: standing up for it.

Mayte Abrica: A lot of the joy from Mayte Abrica: my work comes from Mayte Abrica: when maybe I'm speaking Mayte Abrica: with my younger sibling Mayte Abrica: or a family member or Mayte Abrica: a neighbor or a Mayte Abrica: friend that may not Mayte Abrica: know about what's Mayte Abrica: going on.

Making that Mayte Abrica: little difference or at least Mayte Abrica: changing someone's Mayte Abrica: perspective or at least Mayte Abrica: having them think Mayte Abrica: about it.

You know, I Mayte Abrica: think it's a step in Mayte Abrica: the right direction.