Guest Blog: Joining HCLC gave me a platform to learn and advocate for solutions to environmental issues impacting my community
By Ylenia Aguilar, HCLC member from Arizona and Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board member.
Climate change and other environmental issues, from air quality and contamination to lack of access to clean drinking water, disproportionately affect communities of color the most.
As a Mexican Indigenous woman, I know firsthand that our community is deeply connected to the land and the environment. Everything we do, every action we take, from the food we eat to the activities we participate in and our jobs, is linked to nature in one way or another.
The current global climate crisis has caused an extreme drought in the Southwest, which has caused record-low water levels in the Colorado River. This will impact all Arizonans in the future as we move towards different tiers and water reduction.
I have always cared about the environment. Protecting Mother Earth and conserving our natural resources is something I am passionate about. For this reason, I got involved with HECHO and joined the Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council. As a Latina, HECHO is an organization that reflects my values. The HCLC gives me a platform to learn, ask questions, be who I am, and advocate for solutions to environmental issues impacting my community.
Some organizations are leading environmental issues in Arizona, but I don’t feel there are networks or platforms like HCLC for Hispanic leaders outside HECHO. Becoming a member of the Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council here in Arizona has been an excellent opportunity for me to be involved in environmental policy through advocacy. I also feel valued and excited to have a space to share knowledge and experiences with other Hispanic leaders and connect with other remarkable Latinos and Latinas across the Southwest.
The advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., last September was an experience I will never forget and will always cherish. The Colorado River delivers water through all the upper basin states into the lower basin states. I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with HCLC members from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. Even though we live and work in different states, we are experiencing similar issues. We were all together at the nation’s capital advocating and speaking on behalf of our impacted Latino communities to our congressional offices and the administration to act on this and other vital issues.
It was inspiring and empowering to see all these Latino voices joining forces to advocate for the environment and the protection of public lands. We all share the same sentiment, values, and passion for protecting our land and water. As public servants, we want the best for our communities.
As a former undocumented immigrant, I never thought that in a million years, I would gain a path to citizenship, become an elected official, and have the opportunity to go to D.C. to advocate for the things that I care deeply about, which are environmental issues, specifically the water.
I am committed to serving all Arizonans as the first Latina Arizona Central Project Board member. And I look forward to continuing to be part of HECHO’s advocacy efforts as a Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council member.