Creating a truly sustainable future means building an inclusive and equitable one where all voices are being heard, represented and valued.
However, according to the latest E2 report, Hispanic and Latino workers are underrepresented in the clean energy workforce compared with the rest of the economy, making up only 17% of this sector compared with 60% of white workers.
Gerardo Aguilar, who holds a Bachelor of Science in sustainability and a minor in urban planning from Arizona State University’s College of Global Futures, attributed this disparity to the broader socioeconomic and political systems that historically excluded Hispanic and Latino communities from meaningful climate solutions.
An ASU alumnus, Aguilar is a passionate changemaker who is leading efforts for advocating Latino representation and empowerment in the sustainability workforce.
Encouraged by Cristina Gracia, who ran the Latinxsgender-neutral term used as an alternative to Latino/a in Sustainability group chapters in New York and San Diego, Aguilar founded the Latinxs in Sustainability group in Chicago to bring together Latino professionals, thus creating pathways and resources for them to engage in the sustainability workforce.
“I feel that there is a need for community, for not only our diverse backgrounds but also because there are sustainability professionals whose voices may not be being heard,” he said.
“And I want to hear their voices. I want to know who they are. I want to know what companies they work for.”
Aguilar grew the group from a solo initiative to a thriving community. In October, they will organize their first-ever National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the Climate Action Museum of Chicago to spotlight local sustainability leaders.
“Simply put, I saw the opportunity to bring something meaningful to my community. I believe that as someone with a background of ‘trying to figure it out,’ and whose parents did not finish university and were immigrants, that was a very large gap for me to overcome,” Aguilar said.
“Everyone's story is different and unique, and my wish is to help others fill in the gaps that I struggled to fill in.”
From an early age, Aguilar found his calling to care for the environment, inspired by his late stepfather, who worked as a garbage collector and a scrapper. He would take Aguilar on ride- alongs to landfills, where a young Aguilar witnessed the environmental consequences of metals and disposable materials.
“Growing up, I saw firsthand what our impact was on the environment, which was kind of gnarly,” Aguilar said.
Those early lessons have been a catalyst for his sustainability journey.
Initially, he wanted to pursue earth and environmental science. However, he went on to pursue sustainability at ASU through Starbucks’ Pathway to Admission program.
During his time attending ASU Online from Chicago, Aguilar acquired various internship roles in waste management, circular recycling and renewable energy, including with Alliance To End Plastic Waste and Lakeshore Recycling Systems. He also interned as a sustainability energy analyst at Starbucks in Seattle, where he helped out with their community solar project.
Aguilar currently works as a sustainability account manager at CDP, where he helps organizations better measure their sustainability goals. Recently, Aguilar was selected by Trellis Group as an emerging leader of VERGE 24, the national climate tech conference, organized in California this year. He will explore environmental stewardship and the economic viability of climate technologies.
“Just being honest, it's very seldom that I'm able to, as an individual, see representation of people like me that are working in jobs within sustainability,” Aguilar said.
Through his own experiences working full time at Starbucks and completing his ASU degree online at the time, Aguilar realized that it was challenging to navigate his career journey and overcome hurdles.
“I'm hoping that I can use my voice to help elevate those who don't have the opportunity to speak, whether they're part of the BIPOC community or not, because there are so many talented sustainability individuals that have come out of ASU,” he said.
“I want to honor my stepfather's legacy by advocating for initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and create a brighter future for generations to come.”
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