california Climate Action Corps
Empowering Californians to Take Meaningful Action
The California Climate Action Corps (CCAC) Fellowship is an AmeriCorps service program that’s part of a California statewide initiative to address and mitigate the effects of climate change. The program is rooted in hope for a better tomorrow and offers a Fellowship for emerging climate and civic leaders.
Fellows with the program join public agencies, tribes, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions to harness the power of volunteerism and mobilize community members to take direct climate action through education, volunteer mobilization, and assessment focused on urban greening, wildfire resiliency, and organic waste diversion and edible food recovery.
SAMO Fund’s hosted Fellows have been working to expand green spaces to combat the heat island effect, improve air quality, boost biodiversity, and sequester carbon. They have proudly planted and maintained microforests throughout the greater L.A. area.
Meet the CCAC Fellows
Taylor
Returning CCAC Fellow
UCLA, B.S. Biology, Minor in Geography & Environmental Studies
As a second-year fellow and leader of the Urban Greening Field Team, I oversee maintenance operations across several microforests and pollinator gardens. I am also heavily involved in site planning, field monitoring, and community outreach efforts. I am deeply passionate about ecology, conservation, environmental justice, and climate science, and firmly believe that multidisciplinary approaches are key in remedying the climate crisis. I resonate most profoundly with local-level work done in urban centers like Los Angeles, wherein the environmental impact of anthropogenic activities is heightened and access to green spaces for both wildlife and humans is inequitable.
Jonah
Returning CCAC Fellow
UCLA, B.A. Geography & Environmental Studies
Focusing on GIS and organizational outreach in my fellowship at SAMO Fund. I help chart out the location of potential sites by analyzing environmental data, make both internal and external maps to communicate with the team and the public, and film aerial footage for social media. I hold a GIST certification and Part 107 remote pilot license.
Talisa
Returning CCAC Fellow
MSMU & CSULB, B.S. Sociology. M.S. GIS
My passion for urban greening developed during my studies at CSULB, where I used Geographic Information Science to investigate the discrepancies between neighborhoods of varying socioeconomic indices and their relationship to tree coverage and soil health.
Aubrey
CCAC Fellow
Creative Writing & Theater, Johns Hopkins University
A kinship with the natural world has guided my life, through activism in my youth, during studies of creative writing and theatre at Johns Hopkins University, and while working to support sustainably-minded businesses. For the past six years, I have deepened my relationship to and understanding of local ecology as a nature educator in Topanga Canyon and Calabasas.
Armando
CCAC Fellow
UCLA, B.A. History & Chicano Studies
I developed a passion for climate action by volunteering for forestry restoration in my local community. I chose the Urban Greening Fellowship because, in addition to mitigating climate change, microforests also help resolve the disconnect and separation that our modern society has with nature.
Nicole
CCAC Fellow
CSUN, B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Post-Baccalaureate at Louisiana State University
My background is in ecological research, which motivated me to get involved with microforest work. During my term, I aim to improve science communication to bridge the gap between the scientific community and the public and support the study and maintenance of the microforests.