This is a guest post from Green The Block about MCAF blogger, Elisa Batista:
Who would’ve known that becoming a mom could turn you into an activist? Elisa Batista became a vocal advocate for clean air in the Latino community after having kids. The “Mama Bear” in her came out, Elisa says. Her instinct to protect future generations from the harmful effects of air pollution inspired her to educate her community about how they’re disproportionately affected by pollution.
A savvy social media activist and blogger, Elisa uses writing as a tool to educate and empower her community to make sure that their voices are heard louder than that of corporations. She also shows up at city council meetings with her kids, making sure her family is on the front lines when a plant is polluting in her neighborhood. In 2005, she helped to launch Mother Talkers, a progressive parenting blog with her partners. In her free time, this powerhouse mom runs half-marathons and is planning on running a full one soon!
She’s won many awards but, Elisa attributes her success to her humble beginnings, to her upbringing by her Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrant parents. Elisa reminds us not to underestimate the power of others (and social media) to be powerful sources of change!
You can check out her award-winning bilingual blogs at Mother Talkers, Moms Rising, and Moms Clean Air Force.
Thank you, Green The Block!
Green The Block is a national campaign aimed at helping low-income communities of Color address the many environmental issues affecting our cities and towns and to become a driving force a new clean-energy economy. It is a long-term campaign grounded in regular people like you stepping up to educate and engage our communities so we can effectively join together with our neighbors, community organizations, and businesses to take action block by block!