EarthBeat Weekly: Latino communities as leaders on environmental issues

Latino communities as leaders on environmental issues Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change May 31, 2024 Georgetown University hosted a Latino Leader Gathering Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Washington. (RNS/Aleja Hertzler-McCain) "Latinos are poised to be leaders in their communities and nationally on environmental issues," said Mark Hugo Lopez, the director of race and ethnicity research for Pew Research Center, during a panel May 22 at Georgetown University. The "Latino Leader Gathering" sponsored by Georgetown's Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life featured a panel including Lopez alongside: Elena Gaona, communications director for the Chispa branch of the League of Conservation Voters; Washington Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar; Bishop Joseph Tyson of Yakima, Washington; and Silvia Foster-Frau, a reporter at The Washington Post. "Three-quarters of Latinos who are religiously active tell us that they hear about climate activism in their sermons where they go to church," Lopez said during the Georgetown gathering, citing a November 2022 Pew Research Center survey on how religion intersects with Americans’ views on the environment. And, he said, "Three-quarters of Latino adults say that their communities are impacted at least some by environmental issues." Drawing on examples from her reporting, Foster-Frau said that despite facing barriers to civic engagement, she has found Latinos effectively organizing for better environmental conditions. "The power of community can really make change in ways that nobody expects," she said. Read more: Latinos play an important role in environmental movement, Georgetown panel says For more on how U.S. Catholics feel about environmental issues, revisit these EarthBeat stories from the past year: Report: US Catholics say environmental justice important, but most unaware of Laudato Si' Poll: US Catholics' views on climate show no significant 'Laudato Si'' effect years later Despite pope's pleas, survey finds US Catholics support fossil fuel expansion more than rest of country     What else is new on EarthBeat: What does it sound like when whales pray? by Daniel P. Horan If whales — and other nonhuman creatures by extension — might be capable of "hearing" diving revelation, then it follows that they, according to their own modality, might be capable of responding. This communication is what we call prayer.   Christian 'Care of Creation Declaration' installed within Chicago Catholic cathedral by Stephanie Clary An ecumenical gathering marked the installation of the "Chicagoland Christians United for the Care of Creation Declaration" within Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral on May 18.   Zimbabwe diocese rebuilds dam in response to climate change, water scarcity by Marko Phiri The Diocese of Gweru has responded to the Zimbabwe government's call for more irrigated lands by reconstructing a dam in the country's low rainfall Midlands province to revive agriculture projects there.   Calif. Catholic college says new energy independence plan models 'creative' stewardship by Jack Figge, OSV News Thomas Aquinas College in California announced recently that it had gained energy independence from the California power grid, marking a landmark in the use of alternative energy resources in higher education.   Caritas Australia mobilizes efforts to aid landslide victims in Papua New Guinea by Juno Arocho Esteves, OSV News "Our partners on-the-ground in Papua New Guinea are currently conducting a rapid needs assessment in the affected villages to determine the most urgent priorities," Caritas Australia stated on its website May 28.   In God's waiting room, creatures great and small cultivate hope together by Toni Rowland During a simple interdenominational prayer service, themed "Becoming seeds of hope," retirement village residents collected, shared and planted seeds to give joy and hope in the weeks to come.    With strawberries and goats, a 'farmastery' reaches out to its neighbors by Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service Part of the new monastic movement began three decades ago among lay Protestants, Spring Forest is a model for how Christians can work, eat and worship as a community.   What's happening in other climate news: 'Unbearable' heat in Delhi is testing limits of human survival —Karishma Mehrotra and Dan Stillman for The Washington Post Study reveals global shortfall in 2020 CO2 emissions targets —Federico Citterich for Vatican News A program meant to help developing nations fight climate change is funneling billions of dollars back to rich countries —Irene Casado Sanchez and Jackie Botts for Reuters Small island nations get big climate victory in international maritime court —Anita Hofschneider for Grist What's at stake for the environment in Mexico's upcoming election? —Maxwell Radwin for Mongabay New research shows how more trees could cut ER visits in heatwaves —Warren Cornwall for Anthropocene   Final Beat: The National Catholic Reporter is hiring a news editor! For details about the position and how to apply, see the full job posting here. Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr     Featured Advertisers       Advertisement