Saira Ramirez Mingueta has vivid memories of visiting her grandparents’ home in Jalisco, Mexico, where she was born. “I was surrounded by plants, animals and birds. It was magical. I felt safe, loved and safe in nature.” Ramirez Mingueta, the eldest son of six, was a baby when his family moved to the US and settled in Los Angeles, but his early and deep connections with nature, family and community inform her of her current climate policy path.
Ramirez Mingueta is a current MA candidate David C. Lizaraga Fellow At Columbia Climate School. We talked about her and what led her to New York City and where she went next.
What inspired your interest in advocating for your community and environment?
I came from a Mexican immigrant family. I was young when I took on the role of leader and translator to help families navigate multiple complex systems in this country: education, public transport, healthcare. I grew up in East Los Angeles, but the community is surrounded by low-income, green spaces, food deserts, and pollution passes through the roof. They were heavily affected by some climate dangers, and that fact made me mad and annoyed.
My goal was to attend university. How did you achieve that?
My journey is non-traditional, shaped by ambition, necessity, liability and loss. I started at San Antonio Mountain University, a community college, and in 2019 I completed my fellow English degree while navigating full-time jobs. He then transferred to Chapman University and earned his Bachelor of Arts in 2021 in Creative Writing.
After graduating I was able to acquire technical sales jobs, gain my place, help my family and build financial freedom. However, I was lacking in the community so I applied to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (CHCC) in California. Create a path to success (CAPS) Program. The programme has stitched me together with other young Latinxes, providing professional development, and launched my own digital strategy and media business.
My work with CHCC was connected to the California Climate Action Corps (CCAC) and partnered with the UC Riverside Department of Sustainability to build a zero waste program on campus.
But what really moved me is hearing older English-speaking immigrants share stories of children born with asthma and develop lung cancer, saying how difficult it is to see a doctor in the low-income and immigrant community. It was a perfect circle moment as my mother had recovered from breast cancer. I think this is what our community is opposed to. They are literally poisoned.
I wanted to continue learning about the systems I was playing so I could create changes. I applied for a team leader position in the CCAC and Columbia Climate School Program.
What was your experience in Colombia?
It took me a while to adjust to my new city, but in the end I found my own path and a group of strong women in my cohort. The lessons discussed the dangers of climate very theoretical, and it was difficult to feel the emotional weight that comes with being in this space when we were talking about people who die because of the environment. I reached out to support and connected with Natalie A. Unwin-Kuruneri, assistant dean of Academic Affairs, and Sarah Newman, founder and executive director of Climate Mental Health Network, for campus resources. As a result, I worked with a friend to launch a student-led support group on mental health and climate work. There were two events and created spaces for students to come, create art, talk about our experiences, and build a community.
You have made great connections with your colleagues. How about the professor?
Javier Lopez, Christina Douglas, Thomas Chandler and Joshua L. Devinkenzo Everything was an incredible mentor and friend. Professor Douglas teaches integrated and justice-centric research on the environment and climate. It must be a core class. It’s very validated to see another woman of colour working in this field. Talking to Professor Douglas helped me realize that my mother’s cancer and the barriers I faced were not just one experience. This is happening at the national and global level.
I will earn my degree in September. What’s next for you?
There were several exciting Capstone Project options, but ultimately we decided to focus on opportunities for the NYC Health Department to work at the intersection of climate justice, public health and policy. Based on this experience, I hope to eventually return to California and work with local and state-level agencies to advance our climate justice initiatives.
This was a bittersweet year for you. In the midst of all your success, your mother passed away. What about her legacy?
My mother wanted me to make my dream come true, and she sacrificed her life to create a better future for me. I carry her legacy with me and I am proud of my mother. Being the first generation means that I have to make a path when I walk it, and I want to make a path not only for myself, but for my community and future generations.
