We are proud to share that Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, founder and executive director of Azul, has been honored with the 2025 Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Environmental Justice by the California Latino Legislative Caucus. This recognition celebrates her unwavering dedication to ocean conservation and her efforts to amplify Latino voices in environmental advocacy.
Marce established Azul in 2011 to ensure that Latino communities are central to environmental policy and coastal conservation. Under her leadership, Azul has achieved significant victories, including California's bans on shark fin sales and single-use plastic bags, and has influenced national policies to incorporate ocean justice. Azul.org
This award underscores the impact of community-driven initiatives in shaping a sustainable future. We congratulate Marce on this well-deserved honor and look forward to continuing our collective journey toward environmental justice.
Read the full Azul press release here!
Comments will be approved before showing up.
When we first featured José Hernández in 2012, he spoke about the ingredients for success: preparation, persistence, and purpose. More than a decade later, those same principles are shaping his latest chapter through Tierra Luna Cellars — proving that true success evolves, but its foundation remains the same.
Joseline Peña-Melnyk made history as she was unanimously elected Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, becoming the first Afro-Latina to lead a legislative chamber in the state’s history.
This week, Helena Moreno was officially inaugurated as the 63rd mayor of New Orleans, marking a historic first as the city’s first Latina mayor and only the second woman to ever hold the office.