The first Latino Voices of the Mississippi River Poll, conducted by The Hispanic Access Foundation, showed the cultural ties Latinos have with nature and the river.
The poll revealed that Latino voters who live near the Mississippi River consider environmental issues such as pollution from microplastics, trash, chemical waste, and forever chemicals a top priority.
According to Vanessa Muñoz, the Hispanic Access Foundation’s waterways manager, “87% of Latinos support the 30 by 30 goal of conserving 30% of America’s lands, fresh water, and ocean by the year 2030. This great initiative will highlight how Latinos care about our environment”.
Muñoz highlighted that 91% of Latinos support potential policies that could be proposed in Congress to establish new national parks, monuments, or wildlife refuges. This overwhelming support underscores the urgent need to create more outdoor spaces and enhance their accessibility.
“The poll taught us that the Latino vote is growing. Because of this, we see a concern for conservation in the Latino communities, whether because of environmental justice, a spiritual connection, or something related to them due to health impacts. It is critical to understand that the Latino vote and voices matter because they’re facing these issues they have to deal with,” said Magali Rojas, Environmental Justice Advocate and Student at The University of Kansas-Missouri.
The poll surveyed 400 Latinos across AR, IL, IA, LA, KY, MN, MO, MS, TN, and WI. The survey was conducted between July 23 and August 1, 2024. More survey data is available, here.
Latino Voices of the Mississippi River Poll(Hispanic Access Foundation)