For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Media Contacts
Lucila Garcia, López-Wagner Strategies, 323-646-2150, garciaoneil@gmail.com
Betsy López-Wagner, López-Wagner Strategies, 708-717-9408, media@azul.org
Azul Applauds Biden-Harris Administration World Ocean Day Commitments to Advance Ocean Justice
Azul celebrates World Ocean Day with ocean documentary premiere in DC
Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2022) – Azul, an environmental justice organization working with Latinx to conserve coasts and the ocean, today applauds the Biden-Harris Administration on their announcement of a series of environmental actions aimed at ocean stewardship and protection. This announcement comes days following Azul and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators letter on behalf of Latino state legislators from 12 states plus Puerto Rico asking President Joe Biden and Secretary Deb Haaland to ensure the nation’s conservation initiatives provide equitable access to U.S. lands, waters, and the ocean.
According to the White House factsheet on the actions, “Today’s actions include initiating the designation process for a new national marine sanctuary to conserve Hudson Canyon in the Atlantic Ocean, a phase out of single-use plastics in national parks and public lands, and the launch of efforts to create America’s first-ever Ocean Climate Action Plan and to center environmental justice in ocean science and technology activities and investments.”
The following is a statement from Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Executive Director of Azul, on this World Ocean Day news:
“Azul has long advocated that the pursuit of ocean conservation addresses the systemic inequities of policies and practices that burden low-income and frontline communities from access to nature and its benefits. We are heartened to see ambitious goals to advance equity at the heart of these Administration ocean commitments. As we have said since 2011, protecting nature WITH people, not from them is the surest way to advance environmental justice.”
“We know successful environmental justice policies, driven by communities, are those which continue to have ambitious and just initiatives. This is the moment for our Federal government to build on the groundbreaking legacy of coastal access work in California to drive environmental justice policies such as 30×30. We are heartened by the Biden-Harris Administration’s World Ocean Day announcement to begin tackling these justice-centered efforts and policies that are so urgently needed.”
To mark the momentous day, Azul will premiere EnClave, an original Azul film by award-winning filmmaker, Bocafloja. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Eaton D.C. Following the film’s screening, there will be live music (some of it from Azul’s music album En El Mar by Maikel Vistel) by Leonardo Garcia y Son Horizonte at the Eaton’s rooftop bar. At the event, Azul will present a member of Congress with the coveted Estrella Marina award for their ocean championship. Recipient to be announced tonight.
For interview opportunities or to attend tonight’s event, contact Betsy López-Wagner.
About Azul
Azul is a grassroots organization working with Latinxs to conserve coasts and oceans. It was founded in 2011 to bring Latinxs perspectives and participation to ocean conservation and has long advocated for environmental justice and equity in the state of California, across the nation and at international levels.