This April, as communities across the globe honor Earth Month, students, researchers, staff, and community advocates will gather at University of California (UC) Berkeley for the Latinxs and the Environment (L&E) Spring Research Conference, “Sembrando el Futuro [Sowing the Future],” taking place on April 25^th, 2026 from 10:00am-3:00pm (PT) at the Latinxs Student Resource Center. Free and open to the public, the conference will spotlight UC Berkeley and UC Riverside student-led research at the intersection of environmental science, public health, agriculture, and social justice while underscoring a critical truth: representation in these fields is essential to building equitable and sustainable solutions.

Latinxs and the Environment: The Importance of Representation

Latinxs and the Environment was established at UC Berkeley in 2017 by Co-Founders Dr. Lupe Gallegos Diaz and UCGHI Center for Planetary Health Deputy Director, Dr. Federico Castillo. To date, UC Berkeley L&E has supported 118 undergraduate student fellows, 58 graduate student fellows, and 37 undergraduate internships. The program has since expanded to UC Riverside and UC Davis, with expansion efforts in development at UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced. At the heart of L&E is a commitment to providing research opportunities mentored by faculty and graduate students and supporting career pathways for undergraduate and graduate students into PhD programs. For many L&E students, access to mentorship and hands-on research opportunities are not just an academic opportunity, but a pathway to belonging, leadership, and making an impact in California and beyond.

“The program impacts are felt beyond the student and the UC Berkeley campus. Program participants impact their communities, change research paradigms when they start graduate school, impact policy directions through their work and much more,” says Dr. Castillo.

Reflecting on representation in the environmental sciences, fourth-year Ethnic Studies and Data Science student at UC Berkeley and L&E Fellow, Jade Jaimes Chavez, said, “I grew up in Orange Cove, a rural and unincorporated city in Fresno County, California, and was raised by Mexican immigrant farmworkers. Witnessing firsthand the pervasiveness of poor air quality, the isolated spatiality and distance from institutions and resources, and cycles of poverty, I viewed higher education as the avenue through which I can serve our communities to transform more equitable environmental policy.”

With the support of UC faculty and graduate student mentors, L&E works to increase accessibility to academic careers and research by providing opportunities for students to conduct their own mentored research project, learn about graduate school, and connect with faculty across disciplines.

“I attribute many of my achievements as a first-generation student, including being accepted into my graduate programs of interest, to the support that communities and programs like L&E provided me over the past four years,” says Jade.

Fifth-year Integrative Biology and Global Poverty and Medicine student at UC Berkeley and L&E Fellow, Cristal Michele Ludena, shared how participating in L&E has felt empowering. “[L&E] has demonstrated to me that my lived experiences, identity, and academic interests are not separate; rather, they complement and inform one another. Prior to the program, I did not believe a career in research was something accessible to me. I now understand that research is not something exclusive to a selective background but is a space where I can create and contribute critical and necessary work,” said Cristal.

Sembrando el Futuro

With a focus on agriculture, farmworker health, and food security, conference attendees can expect three engaging panel discussions, student poster presentations, networking opportunities, and a vibrant exchange of ideas grounded in both science and lived experience. The conference planning committee, comprised of four undergraduate students and L&E Coordinator, Alexandra Acevedo Grave, strives to expose students to researchers and institutions beyond UC Berkeley. Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Stanford University, Dr. Aidee Guzman, will be presenting at the conference to discuss her work designing agricultural landscapes that work for both the environment and people. In addition to scientific presentations, several community-based organizations across Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco have been invited to the conference for networking opportunities.

The conference will highlight the work of student researchers whose work reflects both academic rigor and deep community connection. Alexandra shares that, “[student] projects connect them to home and to their families. Students will do research on the effects of heatwaves and climate change on farm workers and day laborers because a lot of them have a personal connection and will take information back to their communities in the Central Valley during the summer.”

Reyanna Ortega, third-year Environmental Science student at UC Berkeley and L&E Fellow, focuses her research on advocating for improved personal protective equipment (PPE) use among California farmworkers exposed to pesticides and improving outreach efforts to ensure farmworkers are aware of available resources to protect them from workplace exposures. For example, California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation launched SprayDays California, a statewide system that broadcasts information about scheduled applications of pesticides up to 24-48 hours before they are used. “How many community members actually use this tool, and have farmworkers been told about this online resource? Implementation without community engagement does not solve the problem at hand,” explains Reyanna. Community-engaged research like Reyanna’s can demonstrate how culturally grounded perspectives in research can lead to more nuanced, effective, and just environmental solutions.

Join the Movement

Whether you’re a student curious about research, a faculty member seeking collaboration or a community member passionate about environmental justice, the Latinxs and the Environment Spring Research Conference offers a unique opportunity to engage, learn, and connect.

This Earth Month, be part of a movement that centers community, celebrates culture, and advances environmental justice. Register today!

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