Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month Event Identifies Challenges, Celebrates Leaders

Hartford, CT – Tuesday morning, 40 environmental justice advocates, community leaders, legislators, and supporters gathered at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford for a roundtable discussion in celebration of Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month, hosted by the Connecticut Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity (CWCSEO) and Save the Sound. Conversation centered around the environmental challenges faced by Connecticut’s Latine communities, and the impactful work of Latine leaders advocating for environmental justice in the state.

“As intersectional as our communities are, so are our environmental and energy justice challenges. At a time when Connecticut communities are experiencing some of the highest energy costs in the country, Black and Latine communities are disproportionately impacted,” said Jayson Velazquez, Climate and Energy Justice Policy Associate at the Acadia Center. “Energy burden, which is the percentage of income a household pays for energy, is extremely high in our communities. We must ensure our programs, such as the state’s energy efficiency programs, are deeply invested in to meet the needs of folks who could benefit the most as we continue our clean energy transition. We are missing the mark, and as leaders with access, proximity, and power in processes, we cannot leave each other behind.”

To read the full press release from Save the Sound, click here.