Ecomadres - Moms Clean Air Force

Climate change significantly affects the health and well-being of Latinos in the U.S., with 71% saying it impacts their local community. Nearly 10 million Latinos live in counties with failing grades on ozone or particulate pollution measures. Everyone deserves clean air, water, and soil, yet many Latino communities remain overburdened by pollution. Latinos have long been engaged in environmental activism, and at EcoMadres, we help you take the next step. Our growing network of state-based field teams and allies help Latino communities fight for clean air, a stable climate, and protections from toxic chemicals.

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What We’re Working On

Latina Maternal Health

In the U.S., there’s a large gap in maternal health outcomes, including death, between Latinas and non-Hispanic whites. While air pollution and extreme heat threaten all pregnant people, the impacts are disproportionately high in Latino communities owing to their proximity to sources of pollution as well as exposure to extreme heat in living and working environments. Hispanic mothers are more likely to live in areas with high levels of air pollution compared to their white counterparts, are more impacted by wildfire smoke, and are at higher risk of stillbirths from ozone exposure. They are also at increased risk for impacts of extreme heat, including pregnancy loss as well as preterm birth and low birth weight.

EcoMadres advocate for legislation that protects maternal and infant health, like the Resolution on Protecting Latina Maternal and Infant Health From Extreme Heat and Air Pollution.

Climate Migration

Global warming is intensifying extreme weather events and changing the land we live on. Scientists anticipate that as the planet continues to warm, more and more people will be forced to leave the places they call home—either forcibly, such as in the aftermath of a hurricane, or proactively, to avoid harm from severe risks like sea level rise.

Given that nearly half of the world’s 2.2 billion children live in countries that are at extremely high risk for significant climate impacts, climate migration has profound implications for the well-being of children and families. If we don’t drastically reduce emissions from industrial sources, 200 million people may be displaced—both within their own countries and across borders—by global warming’s impacts by 2050.

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Petrochemicals

Plastics are produced from fossil fuels. They are the biggest category of petrochemicals. Petrochemical plants, incinerators, landfills, and other heavily polluting industries are commonly sited in communities of color that already are burdened by multiple pollution sources.

The prevalence of plastics and other petrochemicals comes at a steep cost to our health, especially for those living near production and processing facilities. These facilities are sickening local neighborhoods and heating the planet with their emissions. We need EPA and other government agencies to implement the strongest protections to curb this toxic pollution. At EcoMadres, we bring community members together to discuss the need to reduce and stop the buildout of petrochemicals in the Ohio River Valley and the Gulf Coast.

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EcoMusica

The EcoMusica initiative launched in fall 2022 to address air pollution, global warming, and injustice through music by offering hope to listeners and inspiring action. Through music, we encourage community involvement in the issues we are most concerned about. The performers are professional musicians and EcoMadres members based in the Midwest and originally hailing from Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, and Argentina. To appeal to the diversity of Latino cultures, the songs cover a broad range of styles, such as cumbia, banda, bolero, and contemporary pop.

Listen to our album on Soundcloud and read through our lyrics.

Watch a Son Tierra Performance