El Puente’s Latino Climate Action Network (LCAN)
About El Puente’s Latino Climate Action Network (LCAN)
The mission of LCAN is drawn from the mission of El Puente “to inspire and nurture leaders for peace and justice”. Specifically, El Puente seeks to empower Latinos (Puerto Rico and Stateside) to build 21st century community sustainability through holistic preparedness plans that integrate climate change strategies in the context of culture, education equity and social justice. Led by Luis Garden Acosta, El Puente launched LCAN in 2013 by convening and facilitating Puerto Rico’s first Leadership Summit on Climate Change. El Encuentro engaged 200 leaders representing virtually all sectors of Puerto Rican society and fostered the Governor’s signature on five Executive Orders in support of climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience that, taken collectively, lead all stateside governors’ actions in regard to climate change policy. Since then LCAN has been doing grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy regarding environmental justice, climate change mitigation and preparedness. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria our LCAN team distributed over 40,000 lbs of goods/supplies as well as over 12,000 solar lamps across the Island. LCAN has organized and led an island-wide Climate Walk for the last 3 years. “La Caminata” has become a powerful event engaging over 2,000 paticipants and over 60 cross sector organizations united around climate change mitigation and self determination. Currently, our LCAN team is focused on bringing supplies to the island’s earthquake impacted communities and coordinating holistic teams to create sustainable community lead support and infrastructure.
For more information, contact Federico Cintron Moscoso: fcintronmoscoso@elpuente.us
Once again Puerto Rico has been struck by a major environmental disaster that is profoundly impacting the ongoing humanitarian crisis throughout the island. As we did with Hurricane Maria, our El Puente Puerto Rico LCAN (Latino Climate Action Network) team is working in the affected communities providing support and resources. In addition to the 12,000+ solar lamps we distributed island-wide post Maria, we have been creating “solar oasis” in several communities. We have purchased and installed solar panels in community sites where residents can charge phones as well as other devices and safely store medicine and additional essential supplies. These solar hubs are also safe spaces for communities to receive support, share resources, and get information about how they can create sustainable solutions to change their lives and transform Puerto Rico. With additional funding and support, we will continue to expand our “solar oasis” project and provide holistic community development support to communities directly impacted by the earthquake.
LCAN Puerto Rico Caminata Website