Harnessing Collective Power: Advancing Environmental Justice & Pesticide Reform in Latino Communities

Environmental Justice & Energy

This session will examine the critical role of community organizing in building collective power to advance policy changes that benefit communities across California. We will highlight the significant contributions of Latino communities to the pesticide reform movement and their leadership in strengthening health protections against hazardous agricultural chemicals. The session will feature the work of CPR’s Monterey Bay coalition, Safe Ag, Safe Schools, and illustrate how local grassroots efforts connect to broader statewide campaigns for meaningful reform. Participants will gain insight into how organizing at the community level translates into state-level advocacy and policy change. The discussion will also explore the intersection of environmental justice and public health, recognizing that pesticide exposure disproportionately impacts Latino communities. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of current advocacy efforts and opportunities to engage in advancing stronger health protections throughout California.

Yanely Martinez

Yanely joined the CPR team in October 2021 as a Community Organizer for the Monterey County area, after more than five years as an active volunteer and community leader with the Monterey Bay–based coalition Safe Ag, Safe Schools. In 2023, she became the Regional Coordinator for organizing efforts across the Central Coast. She began her advocacy work in 2016 after being elected as a council member for the City of Greenfield. Yanely dedicated 10 years of her life to early childhood education as a teacher and more recently works as an in-home supportive caregiver for senior citizens. She is proud to be part of the team.

Angel Garcia

Angel Garcia, joined CPR’s core staff in 2017 after working with the coalition for more than three years as a staff member of the Lindsay-based nonprofit El Quinto Sol de América. He became Organizing Director in 2020 and Co-Director in 2022. A Tulare County native, Angel graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Latin American & Latino Studies and Politics. He is also the founder and coordinator of the Tulare County Coalition Advocating for Pesticide Safety (CAPS).