The colors of nature are boundless, but the American conservationist movement has historically been mostly white, and the effects are still being felt to this day.

In Chicago, predominantly Latino communities often bear the environmental burden of heavy industry, and residents of those communities say they have a hard time making their concerns heard.

As part of our Last Word series, theIllinois Nature Conservancy’s community outreach team gives“La Última Palabra”on how they say bringing diverse perspectives to conservation can bring about a natural change.