Rooted in Community on KRQE
Nature Niños Featured on KRQE for Youth-Led Urban Forestry Kickoff in the South Valley! 🌳
On June 14th, the South Valley came alive with hope, action, and green dreams as Nature Niños kicked off our Urban Forestry Initiative at Mark Armijo Academy—and we're thrilled that KRQE News was there to capture the impact!
Teens from Mark Armijo and RFK High School rolled up their sleeves and took the lead in launching a long-term vision: planting over 500 trees throughout the South Valley to help reduce the rising heat index and rebuild our neighborhood tree canopy. In a region where pavement often outnumbers shade, this work is not only restorative—it's essential.
"It is considerably warmer in this community. And by adding green space, by adding more trees, we're then encouraging our families and our youth to spend time outside," said Sarah Candelaria, Executive Director of Nature Niños, in the KRQE feature.
Thanks to a $500,000 grant from GreenLatinos, our youth are now at the forefront of transforming their schools and communities through sustainable practices. With each tree planted, they're creating healthier outdoor spaces and gaining tools to advocate for long-term environmental justice.
🌿 What happened on June 14th?
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Youth learned about tree care, native planting, and the role of shade in urban heat resilience
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Families received free trees, native plants, and tree vouchers to green their own yards
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Partners like the Water Authority and GreenLatinos joined us in sharing resources, support, and inspiration
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Youth-led education stations included olla-making demos and tree watering techniques
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And our story made it to TV—highlighting youth as the changemakers they truly are!
"It's so critical that our youth understand how to make these changes, and that they have voices they can use to advocate for these changes in their community," Candelaria added.
🎥 Watch the full KRQE segment here: Teens in the South Valley leading urban forestry efforts
We are proud of every young person who showed up, spoke up, and planted something meaningful—literally and figuratively. This is just the beginning. Let's keep growing, together.