Voces in Action
Thank you and Goodbye from Adrianna Quintero
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Thank you and Goodbye from Adrianna Quintero
June 13, 2018

Dear VOCES Family,
 
Voces Verdes was conceived and created around the recognition of the deep leadership that exists in the Latino/a community. I knew that the impressive people who I worked with, knew, surrounded myself with, hoped to get to know, were brilliant leaders in their own right who cared about the needs of our community and understood that we had a responsibility to make our VOCES heard. Whether we were small business owners, political figures, entrepreneurs, homemakers, academics, health practitioners or community leaders, we were ambassadors for our community and eager to represent Latinos on the world stage on all of the issues we face--including the environment.
 
Not only had we established that Latinos care about the environment at levels of intensity far beyond other groups, we also knew--whether we had lived it first hand or not--that many of our fellow Latinos both here and abroad were suffering some of the worst environmental injustices. Most importantly, we knew that we were ready to act to ensure that Latinos were meaningfully engaging in the decisions being made on critical issues like climate change and clean energy.

Over the past 10 years, your leadership has impacted how our community mobilizes on the issue of climate change. You have made your voices heard throughout the environmental advocacy space.  You have inspired a call to action at the highest levels of policymaking and meaningful connections to support essential local grassroots efforts that are carried out daily by our brothers and sisters in communities near and far. Together, we have built alliances and partnerships that have put the well being of our Madre Tierra squarely at the forefront of the Latino agenda.  

Thanks to your commitment, support and work, we have a movement that we all can, and should, be deeply proud of.
 
After 19 years at NRDC, the current political landscape has targeted climate change just as it has our community – demanding us to do more than ever and seize new, bold, opportunities to yield a greater impact. After much soul-searching, I have accepted a new position as Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Energy Foundation. While it is difficult for me to leave VOCES behind, I hope that this transition creates an opportunity for new leadership for VOCES, and space for leaders to organically take hold of climate and clean energy issues in their own way.
 
While I cannot stay connected to NRDC in my new role, I will remain involved with other important efforts designed to elevate the power and leadership that exists in our community. I remain fully committed to ensuring that our voices are heard and our concerns and needs addressed and look forward to connecting with you all in my new role and in other shared spaces in the near future.  Thank you for your leadership and inspiration.
 
Yours in Partnership,
Adrianna Quintero
adriannaquintero@icloud.com
 

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