Cultivando is a Promotora-led grassroots organization working to advance corporate accountability and grassroots organizing in the fight for environmental justice.
Cultivando is a Colorado-based non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Latino community through advocacy, collaboration, and policy change. One of their key areas of work is environmental justice.
Environmental Justice in Colorado:
Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
In Colorado, many Latino communities face disproportionate environmental burdens. For example, they are more likely to live near polluting industries and to experience health problems related to air pollution.
Cultivando's Work:
Cultivando is working to address environmental injustice in Colorado by:
Raising awareness about environmental health disparities faced by Latino communities.
Educating residents about their rights and empowering them to advocate for cleaner air.
Working with policymakers to implement stricter regulations on polluting industries.
Supporting community-based solutions to environmental problems.
Cultivando's work has been featured in a number of press releases this year, including:
Rocky Mountain PBS published, Suncor settled with Colorado for $10.5 million but neighbors say ‘they’re trying to shift attention' The piece quotes Cultivando's Guadalupe Solís, director of environmental justice programs at the Hispanic health nonprofit Cultivando,
“The current settlement structure doesn't address the root cause,” said Guadalupe Solis, director of environmental justice programs for Cultivando, a Commerce-City based social equity organization. “It just allows for polluters to continue to pollute, pay their way out of these fines, and then receive money back so that they can continue their business,” she said.
“Applying for these grants from a small nonprofit like Cultivando is very taxing. We're a team of 11, three of which are part time,” said Solis. “We're all women. We are caregivers, we are mothers. We hold multiple roles. And for some of us, our first language is Spanish.”
Environment News Service published, COLORADO: Three New Bills Aim to Eliminate Ozone Pollution. The piece quotes Cultivando's Guadalupe Solís, director of environmental justice programs at the Hispanic health nonprofit Cultivando, said,
“As they stand, Colorado air quality laws and regulations do not protect public health and wellbeing. Communities in Commerce City and North Denver know we cannot rely on existing laws and regulations to enforce the law and bring true accountability to polluters. We need the support of bold and compassionate legislators to ensure that industry cannot continue to repeatedly pay their way across violating the law.”
FOX 31 published, Drilling pauses, pollution fines proposed in suite of Colorado air quality bills. The piece quotes Cultivando's Director of Environmental Justice Programs,
“After years of inaction and dismissals to our calls for action, our community is ready for a win,” said Guadalupe Solis of Cultivando, an organization focused on health equity.
Telemundo Denver published, Multa millonaria contra Suncor Energy por contaminación ambiental. The newsclip interviewed Cultivando's Director of Environmental Justice Programs, Guadalupe Solís:
“It’s important to have fines and legal agreements, but unfortunately Suncor has broken these, which are really designed to benefit the polluter, which in this case is Suncor, and not the people impacted by the polluter’s actions and negligence.”
The Guardian published, ‘The EPA needs to humble itself’: why some US non-profits are turning down agency funds. The piece quotes Cultivando's Executive Director, Olga González:
“I was actually shocked that they didn’t know more” about how community-based organizations operate, executive director Olga González said. “The EPA needs to really humble itself and think about what it means to partner with community-led efforts.”
How You Can Help:
There are many ways you can help Cultivando in their fight for environmental justice:
**Donate to Cultivando to support their work here.
Upcoming Events: