Celebrating 10 Years of Chispa Maryland: A Decade of Environmental Advocacy and Community Leadership
Chispa Maryland, a core program of Maryland LCV, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year! Over the past decade, Chispa Maryland has made significant strides in environmental education, advocacy and community leadership, safeguarding Maryland's environment while empowering Latine communities.
The Importance of Chispa Maryland's Work
Chispa Maryland plays a major role in advocating for cleaner air, healthy water, and climate-resilient communities, and ensuring that Latine communities across the state have a strong voice in environmental matters. Our efforts have led to meaningful changes, not only in policy but also in the lives of individuals and communities. From expanding the base of Latine voters to educating community leaders on environmental issues, Chispa Maryland's work has helped to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for all Marylanders.
The History of Chispa Maryland
Click on each date to learn the history of Chispa Maryland!
2014: Building the Foundation
Chispa Maryland began its journey in 2014 with a focus on increasing voter participation among Latine communities. In a coordinated absentee ballot campaign, Chispa sent over 15,000 bilingual applications to Latinas statewide and made over 10,000 calls to Latine voters. Additionally, they organized a forum that brought together over 40 community leaders, government representatives, and environmental justice experts to discuss environmental issues and promote Latine environmental outreach.
2015: Legislative Advocacy and Community Engagement
In 2015, Chispa Maryland volunteers lobbied for and passed statewide community solar legislation. Although their efforts to address cumulative impacts were initially defeated, they successfully educated key legislators and established an Environmental Justice Legislative Workgroup to advance the issue in future sessions.
2016: Community Activities and Education
By 2016, Chispa Maryland had organized over 30 community activities as part of its stormwater runoff education program and was the lead organizer for the Festival del Rio Anacostia. This year also saw the graduation of the first class of Chispa Maryland Environmental Justice and Action Promotores, a program dedicated to training Latine leaders in grassroots organizing to fight climate change.
2017: Mobilizing for Climate Action
Chispa Maryland mobilized 120 Latine leaders and volunteers to participate in the People's Climate March in Washington, DC, and launched the Clean Buses for Healthy Niños (CBHN) campaign. This campaign led to policy wins, including securing resolutions from local governments and engaging Congress on the issue of zero-emission school buses.
2018: Securing Funding for Clean Buses
In 2018, Chispa Maryland's CBHN campaign secured $12 million to replace diesel vehicles with alternative fuels in impacted communities. This effort included delivering over 6,400 petitions to the office of Governor Hogan, raising the profile of the campaign and developing leadership among their Promotores.
2019: Youth Engagement and Legislative Successes
Chispa Maryland expanded its Promotores program to include youth, graduating several cohorts from middle and high schools in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties. They also played a significant role in securing funding for electric school buses and passing legislation to replace diesel buses with electric, zero-emission buses.
2020-2022: Continuing Advocacy Amid Challenges
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chispa Maryland continued its advocacy efforts, securing significant legislative wins, including the passage of the Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act and the establishment of the Utilities-Electric School Bus Pilot Program. Additionally, Chispa Maryland raised over $10,000 in 10 days to support our partners at the Langley Park Civic Association (LPCA), a Latine led community based organization serving a majority Latine community.
2023: Expanding Impact
In 2023, Chispa Maryland continued to make strides in environmental advocacy, including the passage of the Clean Trucks Act and securing budget allocations for school bus electrification. Chispa also expanded their Promotores training to Baltimore, engaging more community members in environmental justice and civic education.
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate a decade of Chispa Maryland's achievements, we are inspired by our volunteers' commitment to environmental justice and community leadership. The work of Chispa Maryland has not only contributed to a healthier environment but has also empowered Latine communities to take active roles in shaping their futures. As we look to the future, we are excited to see the continued impact of Chispa Maryland's efforts and the positive change we will bring to our state together.
Here's to another decade of advocacy, empowerment, and environmental stewardship! Join us in celebrating Chispa Maryland's 10th anniversary, "Igniting Change, Protecting our Future", and supporting our mission to build a healthier, more sustainable Maryland for everyone.
