The North Tahoe Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby and La Fuerza Latina have announced the selection of three Climate and Equity Interns, who will work this summer under the mentorship of both organizations to assess climate awareness in the Truckee-area LatinX community and design LatinX outreach events on climate change and climate solutions.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (citizensclimatelobby.org) is a nonprofit, non-partisan, grassroots organization focused on building political will for national climate solution policies, particularly putting a robust price on carbon to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. With 200,000 supporters in 500 volunteer-driven local chapters, Citizens’ Climate Lobby is one of the nation’s most effective citizen advocacy organizations on climate change.

La Fuerza Latina is a college admissions and mentoring program for academically talented but under-represented students in the Truckee Unified School District.

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“One of the core values of Citizens’ Climate Lobby is diversity,” said Deirdre Henderson, Co-Group Leader of the North Tahoe Chapter. “We empower everyone to exercise their personal and political power to address climate change, and we seek out, support and elevate people whose voices may not have been fully heard. So we are pleased and grateful to partner with La Fuerza Latina on these internships.”

The internships will last for approximately 10 weeks and offer stipends that have been generously funded by Truckee community members. “The outpouring of generosity in funding these three internships speaks volumes about the commitment of the Truckee community to broad and inclusive climate awareness and action,” said Henderson.

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The three summer 2021 Climate and Equity Interns are:

Daniella Paniagua-Ruiz is a graduate of Truckee High School who just completed her first year at University of California, Riverside.  “I am excited to learn new things through this internship and also be able to pass it on to my community,” said the political science major.

Estafania Morales is a 2021 graduate of Truckee High School who will be heading to Tufts University in the fall as a biology major. “I am excited to help teach and advocate about climate change!” she said.

Karina Solis Martinez is also a 2021 graduate of Truckee High School.  She will attend Connecticut College. “My whole life I’ve lived in the town of Truckee where making connections with our representatives and taking care of our environment are both very important,” Karina said. “ I am excited to be working with Citizens’ Climate Lobby to further our LatinX involvement and representation towards the goal of becoming more environmentally aware.”

The three interns will be mentored this summer by Ella McDougall, CCL North Tahoe’s Diversity Coordinator, Craig Rowe, the founder and coordinator of La Fuerza Latina and an English teacher at Truckee High School, and Henderson.

McDougall, a climate change specialist with a masters’ degree from the Middlebury Monterey Institute and a former Peace Corps volunteer in Peru, was instrumental in designing the structure of the internships. “We are so excited to bring together Citizens’ Climate Lobby, La Fuerza Latina, and these three brilliant students to raise awareness and overcome disparities in climate education and awareness within the Truckee community,” she said. “This opportunity will allow the students to gain leadership and community organizing skills, while benefiting our town and local climate goals.”

Craig Rowe founded La Fuerza Latina to identify academically talented under-represented students and mentor them through high school, the college admissions process, and their experiences as first-generation college students. He has helped many LFL scholars access enrichment programs and special opportunities.

“Much more than just an ‘ally,’ these inaugural Citizens’ Climate Lobby internships represent a true community investment in our La Fuerza Latina scholars at a crucial moment in the push to place a price on carbon,” commented Rowe. “Through bilingual cultural events, community-based canvassing, and local survey data collection, the CCL/LFL interns will gain invaluable real-world skills while helping CCL pass its urgent climate legislation.”

Source: Citizens’ Climate Lobby