From Our Executive Director
In 2025, as environmental justice funding shrank and political threats intensified, Central Valley communities faced increasing risks to their health, livelihoods, and safety. The Central California Environmental Justice Network’s (CCEJN) 25 years of organizing were not just a milestone — they were a lifeline. We launched this anniversary year with a retreat that brought together board members and staff to reflect on how far we have come, and to imagine what is possible in the years ahead.
Since our last Strategic Plan (2019–2024), CCEJN has achieved meaningful growth and impact. We expanded our programs into Madera County, deepened youth leadership across all program areas, and strengthened the connection between environmental justice and climate change. We also made exciting strides in Sustainable Food Systems — an area not previously outlined in our strategic plan, but one that has become central to our work.
At our January retreat, we took time to reflect on who we are today as an organization. This reflection led us to adopt a new mission statement that captures the heart of our work:
To uplift low-income communities of color in the San Joaquin Valley by ensuring access to clean air, water, land, and food sovereignty.
While 2025 was a year of celebration, it was also a year that tested our resilience. A new federal administration brought renewed threats to climate justice organizations, immigrants, and low-income communities of color. The loss of environmental justice funding, threats to nonprofit organizations, and enforcement actions that instilled fear in our communities underscored the urgency of our mission.
Even in the face of these challenges, CCEJN remained rooted in community power. We continued to advance programs that expand access to clean water, reduce air pollution, address extreme heat, promote nutritious food grown through sustainable practices, and improve working conditions for farmworkers.
Looking ahead, the challenges our communities face are growing — but so is our resolve. The next chapter of CCEJN’s work will require sustained partnerships to scale community-led solutions, defend hard-won protections, and build long-term resilience in the face of climate and economic disruptions.
As we close this milestone year, we are proud of what we have accomplished together. None of this work would be possible without the trust, partnership, and dedication of our funders, environmental justice allies, and the community members we serve.
With gratitude and determination,
Nayamin Martinez
Executive Director, Central California Environmental Justice Network