Graciela Garcia Irlando

Mom, environmentalist, and community advocate who has spent more than a decade leading in Colorado's nonprofit, environmental, and civic sectors. Currently serves as the inaugural Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition, a national organization connecting and supporting leadership of historically marginalized communities in the stewardship of waterways, lands, oceans, and coasts. Founder of the Colorado chapter of Latino Outdoors and founding leader of Brown Girls Climb. Has twice climbed Mexico's El Pico de Orizaba (18,500 feet) and completed wilderness first responder certification. Department of Ethnic Studies Valedictorian and Phi Beta Kappa member at CU Boulder.

Comes from multiple generations of Coloradans with a significant immigrant history. Her grandfather was repatriated to Mexico during the mass deportations of the 1930s. Her grandmother immigrated to the U.S. as a housekeeper. Her maternal grandparents and family were activists in the labor movement. Her father did not complete high school but pursued community college and later medical school. As a child in Texas, she spent afternoons picking pecans with her grandmother and weekends riding bikes with her two brothers. Her mother taught her that if things were wrong, then it was up to her to make it right.