Lizzeth Henao's Blog
About
- Bio:
I grew up in the metro-city area of Los Angeles and attended public school for the entirety of my educational life until college. In fact, I attended one of the largest and most under-performing high schools in the country, Belmont High School, located in the downtown area of the city. Despite lack of access issues, and thanks in large part to the support of my family and teachers, I attended Harvard University where I earned an undergraduate degree in international relations, focusing on third world political and economic development.
I returned to LA after graduation and have spent my entire professional career in the non-profit sector. For five years, I worked with inner-city youth in educational and college preparatory programs encouraging them to reach their full potential despite the institutionalized barriers to their success and then another four years working for tenants’ rights at a housing-rights nonprofit.
The scope of my knowledge of social justice issues was expanded at a conference that talked about environmental justice issues. The conference sparked in me a deep interest in EJ issues and I now find myself working at NRDC in the Air team at the Santa Monica office and I could not be happier. I appreciate everyone’s commitment to not only environmental air issues but also to environmental justice issues and to bringing justice to under-served, under-represented, urban, minority populations.
- Roots in:
- Los Angeles (Mid-city, Koreatown, Pico-Union), Colombia, South America
- Favorite place:
- My favorite place in the entire city is the beach. Venice and Hermosa are the regular beaches I visit in the summer. Second favorite place is anywhere where I can run. I found running really late in my life but now love it with a deep passion.
- Why "environmentalism" matters:
- Environmentalism matters because capitalism has not been a good steward of natural resources and now we are left with a movement that is really trying to do damage-control after centuries of abuse and destruction, with the hope that we can bring benefits to future generations who deserve a clean biosphere that provides them clean air to breath and water to drink, green (and blue) spaces to enjoy nature, and healthy communities free of pollutants.
Recent Blog Posts
- Negative health impacts of freeway expansion: A NO BRAINER! (November 6, 2009)
- Maywood's water woes (October 28, 2009)
- You have a future! (October 26, 2009)
Read more in Lizzeth Henao's Archives→
