Center for Latinx & Latin American Studies

Dear colleagues and friends,

The recent fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades are stark reminders that environmental catastrophes exacerbate existing inequities. Our colleagues at the UCLA Luskin School have documented the disparate effects of these fires on Black and Latino households across Los Angeles County. Their findings reinforce what many of us working in affected communities have witnessed firsthand: the compound nature of environmental vulnerability in communities already burdened by economic precarity and historical patterns of disinvestment.

As we grieve with those who have lost loved ones and homes to these fires, we must also confront the insidious threats stemming from a long history of environmental disaster. For example, the lingering effects of smoke-related toxins pose ongoing health risks for workers and residents that go unnoticed and unaddressed. These dangers are particularly acute in working class and poor neighborhoods, which already experience disproportionate exposure to ambient pollution from industrial facilities, transportation corridors, and other environmental hazards. Consequently, these communities find themselves trapped in a devastating cycle, where each new environmental crisis compounds existing health and economic disparities.

In response to these challenges, the Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies is building collaborative partnerships across USC and beyond to identify effective strategies that address the complex interplay between climate change, environmental vulnerability, racial inequities, and economic status. Central to our mission is the transformation of academic and public discourses on climate and sustainability. This initiative reflects our Center’s commitment to scholarship that serves our communities while advancing important intellectual debates.

As California grapples with increasingly frequent and severe climate disasters, our work becomes more urgent. We invite colleagues across disciplines to join us in this critical effort to build more resilient and equitable communities in the face of environmental change.

Juan De Lara, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies
Associate Professor
American Studies and Ethnicity
University of Southern California