Environmental Leaders Honored Nationwide

Several individuals from across the nation have been recognized by the inaugural Environmental Leader Awards. The awards are an independent project administratively supported by the Center for Rural Affairs and made possible by the Walton Family Foundation.

“We are thrilled to be the stewards of this new program,” said Anna Johnson, farm and community manager with the Center for Rural Affairs. “The 2022 awards recipients work in a number of different ways to advocate for environmental issues that impact communities of color. It is a true honor to have been able to present them with this award.”

Nominees for the 2022 award were identified within the three geographic areas of focus for the Walton Family Foundation Environment Program: the Mississippi River, the Colorado River, and oceans and sustainable fisheries.

2022 awards recipients include:

Maite Arce, Washington, DC: Founder of the Hispanic Access Foundation, which lifts up Latino leaders across the country to improve lives and create an equitable society, including increasing Latino communities’ access to a healthy natural environment.

Sylvia Burgos Toftness, Clear Lake, Wisconsin: Raises grass-fed beef and medicinal permaculture on her farm and advocates for and promotes regenerative farming through on-farm programming and in several community leadership roles.

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, San Francisco, California: Founder and executive director of Azul, an environmental justice organization working with Latino communities to protect coasts and oceans.

Emma Robbins, Los Angeles, California: Diné artist, activist, and community organizer with a passion for empowering Indigenous women.