About us:
Founded in 2017 at UC Berkeley, Latinxs and the Environment (L&E), formally known as The Latinxs and the Environment Initiative (LEI), is a comprehensive program that fosters knowledge and promotes research on the relationship between the Latinx community and environmental issues, both within the U.S. and abroad. This program brings together policymakers, community-based organizations (CBOs), and academic communities to facilitate coordinated efforts.
As a proud partner of the Chicanx Latinx Student Development Office (CLSD), L&E focuses on holistic student retention, ensuring they have the support needed to thrive in all aspects of their lives including social, and personal development.
L&E also seeks to empower students by offering guidance and resources to make research, graduate school, and other higher education pathways more accessible—especially for first-generation low-income students. L&E improves student retention and success at UC Berkeley by providing tools and support. Key efforts include funding undergraduate and graduate research projects, organizing student-led seminars and community spaces, and fostering connections between students, faculty, and community partners.
L&E is proud to announce that our chapters at UC Riverside andUC Davis are now active, visit the UCR L&E Website, or the UCD El Centro Website for more information.
To keep up with our latest programming and opportunities, follow us on Instagram @LATINXENVIRONMENT
Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 Fellowship Cohort
The L&E Research Fellowship aims to develop emerging scholars while providing a supportive space for students to explore their research interests. The program takes a holistic approach by not only fostering academic growth but also connecting students to campus resources such as the Latinx Student Resource Center (LSRC). We encourage students to visit our partners from Career Engagement, Financial Aid, CAPS, and our From Day One Program.
Since its launch, the fellowship has evolved into a structured program with clear goals and expectations for both undergraduate fellows and their graduate student mentors. Undergraduate student fellows are matched with graduate student mentors and meet bi-weekly in addition to attending mandatory research workshops. Research workshops cover topics ranging from “What is Research? Why does my Research Matter?” to “ArcGIS Basics” and “How to Conduct Community Based Participatory Research.”
Applications to join our fellowship open every summer. To stay up to date with current opportunities, please subscribe to the CLSD Newsletter!
L&E DeCal
Our undergraduate student-led Decal is offered every Spring and Fall semester! Our decal takes place on Thursdays from 5pm-7pm. It is open to all students and can be taken for 1–2 units or as a volunteer, depending on capacity. The Decal course explores interdisciplinary environmental topics based on the interests of the undergraduate leads, with examples including Food Sovereignty, the Chevron Richmond Refinery, and the Environmental Impact of Food Production. Students also engage with guest speakers, such as faculty from the School of Public Health, and collaborate with community partners like the Berkeley Ecology Center.
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