Why We Talk About the Climate Catastrophe at our Events

(By Tommy Díaz, Healthy People & Communities Program Manager)

In recent years, the climate crisis has become a more pressing issue and a bigger priority for us to address as an organization. It is vitally important to support the communities we serve to the best of our ability, which is why we’ve been increasingly including climate-related language in our outreach and programs. As we celebrate Earth Month during April it seems fit to bring up this topic and remind you as our followers and supporters about this urgent problem.

Earth Month is just one opportunity to have conversations about climate issues that concern all of us but mostly affect frontline communities, people who are at the core of our food system.

Through our workshops and outreach sessions we have been sharing resources and materials with the Latinx community. We’ve been able to open up safe spaces for conversation and hear their concerns regarding their safety and that of their families. We’ve been progressively hearing more about these concerns as our attendance grows larger, like at our latest Plática Participativa, where we had 68 Latine adults and over 50 children attend the Migrant Education Program’s offices in Hermiston, Oregon. An enormous milestone for our Spanish language programming!

Photo: NCAP's Ana Elisa Wilson and Tommy Díaz speak with a group of farm workers at the Migrant Education Program in Hermiston, OR.

We have an unparalleled opportunity to hear from frontline communities about how the consequences of short-sighted environmental policies are affecting them more.

At another recent event in partnership with PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste), we shared environmentally friendly gardening practices with farm workers and landscaping professionals. We had a practical session at their community garden, where we shared with community members and other grassroots organizations.

As we’re able to share more alternatives to chemical pesticides, we better protect the waters, soil, air, plants and non-human animals. We’re also able to better care for our communities and our families.