Jessica Guadalupe Tovar has been working as an environmental justice community organizer and campaigner for more than a decade in a variety of urban, rural and indigenous communities throughout California & Arizona.

Jessica interned with the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative in 2003, working with environmental justice organizations across the United States on issues of climate justice. She has conducted and co-published an NIEHS Air Sampling Study in Richmond, CA & successfully mobilized against the Chevron Richmond oil refinery expansion.

Jessica grew up in East Los Angeles near industrial City of Vernon, and experienced cancer in her family. This experience prompted her to focus on preventing and reducing local industrial pollution and advocate for stronger policies that protect vulnerable communities.

Jessica has been invited to speak at various educational institutions throughout the United States. The topics range from personal testimony on environmental racism in East LA to organizing in Richmond on the Chevron Refinery and perspectives on incidents such as the British Petroleum spill in the Gulf in 2010.

Specialties: Public speaking & testimony on issues of race, poverty, environmental, climate, oil industry, indoor/outdoor pollution, cancer, clean energy, community choice energy & energy democracy.