Campaign looks to connect Latinos with Climate Action Plan funds
A new campaign is underway to help Hispanics in battleground states access federal climate funds they are entitled to but may not be aware of.
Poder Latinx, a Latino voter engagement advocacy group, is launching Nos Ayuda a Vivir — "It Helps Us Live" — Thursday, focused on educating Hispanics about the benefits of the federal Climate Action Plan, which includes programs in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, two of the Biden administration's top legislative achievements.
"We've been working on Nos Ayuda a Vivir, and we're very proud to be launching it. It's a $1.7 million campaign to inform the Latino community about the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act," said Yadira Sanchez, executive director of Poder Latinx.
The bilingual campaign will feature 15- and 30-second video ads to be aired on digital platforms and Spanish-language TV, as well as websites in English and Spanish going more in-depth to help people access federal funds.
The campaign is focusing on Latinos in Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia.
"The climate change in Arizona is very different from North Carolina. But we do know there are very specific trends that are applicable in each state. And inflation is one that we see there's a lot of overlap," Sanchez said.
Eligible Hispanics have historically used federal program at a lower rate than other demographic groups at similar socioeconomic levels, with immigration status a major factor in families' decisions to apply for aid, according to a 2022 policy brief by the University of California, Davis Center for Poverty and Inequality Research.
Poder Latinx's campaign seeks to narrow that gap in Climate Action Plan programs, in part by portraying those programs as an investment to help combat the effects of inflation.
"The provisions are heavily climate oriented, but they're also these investments to really support folks," Sanchez said.
"There is inflation, inflation has definitely hurt our community and they're still recovering. So again, these are investments that we're like, 'We know you're hurting, we know the Latino community is still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic.'"
The two laws in the federal climate plan include funds for everything from new windows and insulation to help homes save on energy, to funding for energy-efficient stoves — targeted government grants that can insulate families from the effects of energy inflation.
For many Hispanic families, the availability of those funds comes as a surprise.
"They're pleasantly surprised, but a lot of the time is also like, 'How do I do it? Cómo comienzo?'" Sanchez said.
"So we know that sometimes there are barriers. There are, you know, technology barriers. There are language barriers. Sometimes if people feel intimidated filling out these applications for the government, they want to make sure they do it right. So we're just here to facilitate and we know that if we do that, we provide those resources, they feel more comfortable taking the leap and taking advantage of the investment," added Sanchez.