There is something to be said about officially swinging into the mid-point of a year. A valuable moment for evaluating and reflecting on where we’ve been, and considering how that shapes things going forward. We can show up best for this practice too when we’re rooted in a deep sense of gratitude; for our communities, one another, and ourselves. This month is a special Climate Hero we’re celebrating, someone who we are immensely grateful for, Emily Garcia!

Emily was born and raised in Colorado and loves the outdoors. “I love being outside and experiencing nature and I think that everyone should have the opportunity now and in the future to do so without worrying about the negative health impact of air pollution,” says Emily.

Emily’s time with 350 Colorado extends back to March 2024 when she attended a Fracking & Pollution Action Tour that we were putting on in Greeley with Earthworks and their special OGI camera. We saw the invisible pollution when visiting various fracking sites, including that of Bella Romero Academy, where a fracking site was developed after the initial project was pushed out of a predominantly white neighborhood.

Thanks to the on-going efforts of local leaders like Patricia Garcia-Nelson, the environmental racism and injustice of this situation was not swept under the rug and forgotten. Instead 350 Colorado and the 350 Northern Colorado Team worked for years to secure funding that would allow for deeper community organizing to stand up against this injustice. And in 2024 an environmental justice grant from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) was awarded!

So when the funding for the work began in July 2024, for Greeley Clean Air, the team first set out to build more connections in the community near Bella Romero. And as with any grassroots organizing, there were challenges to overcome. Sufficient people power, language barriers, proximity to the community, just to name a few. It became evident that the team needed another leader.

We joined UNC’s COOLER ‘CLImates’ program, made up of staff, students, and groups that are working on climate issues in northern Colorado. And as if by fate we got to reconnect with Emily, as she was participating in the program as well. After sharing more about the project’s needs Emily began working with us as the Community Outreach Leader.

A lot of people’s senior year in college can be an easy ride into graduation, but not with Emily. She stepped right into the role with great energy and commitment to make a difference. At the beginning of 2025 we were planning for our second community workshop. Emily helped in so many ways, from securing a location to communicating with participants who signed up. She helped present a few sections of the content, and was hands on in helping make the homemade air filtration systems!

 

“It has been an absolute privilege to witness Emily’s growth throughout her time working on the Greeley Clean Air project,” says Sarah Burke, 350 Northern Colorado Team Coordinator and leader of the Greeley Clean Air work. “Her eagerness to learn and her willingness to embrace new challenges have been truly inspiring. I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate closely with her, and I can say with unwavering certainty that the success of the Greeley Clean Air project was largely due to Emily’s leadership.” 

Emily also played a crucial role in organizing other events in the project, like the Community Art Showcase for clean air in April. Showing ‘people power’ doesn’t always have to mean being in the streets and marching. It can also be channeling creativity into something that demonstrates our shared vision for less pollution and healthier communities. At Zoe’s Cafe we had multiple local artists come together and share pieces about clean air and why the Greeley community deserves better. It was so great, and largely thanks to Emily’s efforts and outreach.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time working on the Greeley Clean Air project and getting to connect with the Greeley community and feel like I was making a difference,” says Emily. “It has been really encouraging to work with people who care about the climate and are enthusiastic to create change and I am excited to continue advocating for a healthier environment!”

“If the climate movement is shaped by individuals who have even a fraction of Emily’s knowledge, passion, and determination, I have no doubt that we are headed in the right direction.” – Sarah Burke, 350 Northern Colorado Team Coordinator

When she isn’t organizing Emily enjoys growing house plants and trying her best to keep them alive. “I think it can be really inspiring to watch a little living piece of the earth grow.” She recently graduated from UNC with her degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and a minor in Anthropology. Emily’s passion for both the environment and the Colorado communities is evident in everything she does, and we are excited to see the incredible impact she will have in the future.

 

Thank you so much Emily for all the ways in which you showed up and supported the community of Greeley and Colorado at large! It was such a gift to get to organize together. You are an awesome teammate, and there is no doubt that you will continue to do great things with your passion, dedication, and hard work.

Written by Chelsea Alexander and Sarah Burke 

Want to be our next Climate Hero of the month? 

Join the climate movement and shine with your unique skills! Email volunteer@350colorado.org.