Olivia Lopez

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AFFILIATION: Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Hispanic Access Foundation

TITLE: Government and External Affairs Manager, Community Investment Recovery Center; Community Engagement Manager, Gulf Water Justice and Climate Policy Project 

LOCATION: Maryland

LANGUAGE: English

EXPERTISE AREA: Black/African-American Communities, Climate Change, Conservation, DEIJ, Environmental Justice, Environmental Racism, Hispanic/Latine/a/o Communities, Ocean Justice, Water, Youth

ABOUT THE EXPERT:

I’m an early career environmentalist driven to use my expertise in science and policy to advance equitable solutions at the intersection of coastal watershed conservation and climate change resilience. Energized by community-led initiatives, my goals include working with Black and Latinx advocates to reclaim our rights to a healthy, thriving environment and implement nature-based solutions. I’m proud to have been raised in Milwaukee, WI, a city along Lake Michigan widely celebrated for its dedication to protecting our waters. I have two bachelor’s degrees in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies as well as a minor in Afro-American Studies, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Personal highlights of my education include studying and conducting field work in coastal Maryland, Panama, and Puerto Rico. I have working experience in scientific research, ocean and climate policy analysis, and strategy rooted in social science. 

As a proud Afro-Latina, I find it important to apply my knowledge of U.S. and global history to all work I do, using it to inform strategies that address contemporary environmental and social injustices that we continue to experience.

I’m currently based in the Washington, D.C. area working for the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, which is based in New Orleans, Louisiana. At DSCEJ, I manage Governmental and External Affairs for our Community Investment Recovery Center (CIRC) technical assistance hub. I’m also the Manager of our Gulf Water Justice and Climate Policy Project.

CONTACT:

Contact Olivia Lopez HERE.