Climate Refugees: What This Means for Educators and Policy Makers

Enrique Morones, a human rights activist, will share his experience as an immigrants' rights activist to build awareness around climate refugees.

Enrique Morones, a human rights activist, will share his experience as an immigrants' rights activist to build awareness around climate refugees.

The world has reached a crossroads for climate change. According to a 2021 report by Refugees International:

• Time is running out.
• Climate change is already affecting displacement trends around the world.
• People displaced by climate-related disasters need real solutions now.
• Policies around climate change, migration, and displacement can help circumvent future crises.
• Existing refugee and international protection regimes do not fully address climate-related displacement.
• The United States has a moral and practical responsibility to lead on issues of climate change, migration, and displacement.

Speaker Enrique Morones will share from his experience directly engaging with climate migrants fleeing environmental crises in Latin America and the Caribbean. Attendees will learn what we, as future educators and policy makers, can do to prepare for the challenge of climate change migration— already at our Border and expected to worsen in near future.

Enrique Morones is a Human Rights activist born in San Diego, California, to Mexican parents who instilled in him a deep love for Mexico, spiritual faith and social justice. He is driven by the passage "for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink." Matthew 25:35

Enrique has a history of firsts—In 1998 he was the first person to be granted dual citizenship with Mexico, the first president of the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and as Vice President in Major League Sports with the San Diego Padres brought the first ever regular season games outside the US/Canada. He is the Founder of House of Mexico and Founder of Border Angels (saving migrant lives), an all volunteer group.

Enrique has been featured on NBC, CNN, CBS, BBC, NPR, Univision's Don Francisco Presenta, Televisa Nacional, Rocio en Telemundo and in countless other international media around the world. He frequently lectures and has more than held his own on shows with Bill O'Reilly and Lou Dobbs. Morones promotes the TRUTH about the migrant community.

As a founder and executive director of GENTE UNIDA (a human rights border coalition) in May of 2005, he has led the national effort against the vigilante Minutemen, soundly shutting them down in California. He is recognized as one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the USA by HISPANIC BUSINESS MAGAZINE and this includes being a FRONTLINE HUMAN RIGHTS international awardee for his lifelong dedication to Human Rights. In 2009 he receieved the National Human Rights Award, presented by Mexican President Felipe Caldron, in 2010 the California Spirit Award, presented by Gil Cedillo, and the Bishop Buddy Alumni award presented by "USD" University San Diego.

Visit the event page for more information and to register.

Contact: sustainability@harvard.edu