"As the executive director of UPROSE, Brooklyn's oldest Puerto Rican community-based organization, Yeampierre is reshaping what climate action looks like when it's rooted in community, culture, and collective care. UPROSE's mission is simple yet powerful: to build a just, sustainable future by equipping frontline communities to lead the solutions. From community-owned solar to climate education and youth leadership programs, the organization is proving that the most effective climate solutions are those designed by the people most affected."
"A lifelong New Yorker of Puerto Rican, Black, and Indigenous ancestry, Yeampierre grew up witnessing environmental inequity firsthand - from poor air quality to the lack of green infrastructure in neighborhoods like the South Bronx and Brooklyn. That early awareness fueled her path to becoming a civil rights attorney and, ultimately, a national leader in climate justice. Today, Yeampierre is a sought-after speaker at global climate forums and was recently named to TIME's 2025 "The Closers" list, honoring 25 Black leaders advancing racial and climate equity."
Elizabeth Yeampierre has led UPROSE to center community, culture, and collective care in climate action. UPROSE equips frontline Brooklyn communities to lead solutions through community-owned solar, climate education, and youth leadership programs. Yeampierre grew up witnessing environmental inequity in neighborhoods like the South Bronx and Brooklyn, which guided her career from civil rights law to climate justice leadership. The organization focuses on extreme heat, air pollution, and displacement as waterfront industrial land is converted to luxury development instead of local green jobs. Similar fights against polluting infrastructure and environmental racism occur in other U.S. cities.
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