Today, President Joe Biden launched the American Climate Corps, an initiative that will train young people to develop essential skills to work in wind and solar production, disaster preparedness, land conservation, and other efforts to combat climate change. Alianza Americas, a multi-ethnic and multi-racial network of 57 grassroots organizations in 18 states and Washington D.C. fighting for an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life, applauds this action resulting from years of community and grassroots organizing by those most impacted by the climate crisis.

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“Biden’s initiative must include just transition principles of establishing good-paying union jobs for all, and be a collaborative effort between the government and civil society organizations that have been advancing this work for years. We personally work with and train excluded workers who deserve an opportunity to learn crucial skills to better tackle the impacts of the climate crisis in their communities.” Giselle Rodriguez, Director, Illinios Workers in Action, which works with communities of Latin American descent.

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“Black, Indigenous, Latin American, and other ethnic and racial minorities have historically been excluded from union jobs in the environmental field. The administration must recruit historically excluded and directly impacted communities to this program, as they know their struggles and needs best. Biden’s new program must make the effort to not reestablish trends from the past, like when President Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps that prioritized training white men to improve the nation’s infrastructure.” Melanie Minuche, Climate Justice Organizer, Alianza Americas.

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The American Climate Corps is a step in the right direction, yet we must not forget that the United States continues to be one of the world’s largest polluters and has not pledged to take formative steps to transition our society away from our dependence on burning fossil fuels for energy.

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Alianza Americas calls on immigrants of all generations to take advantage of this opportunity. The American Climate Corps should be an opportunity to learn about the challenges that communities face and to build personal and collective commitments to climate justice.

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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.