Lucy Crespo

Speaker

Ayelen “Lucy” Crespo was born in Rio Ceballos, Argentina, and raised in Elizabeth, NJ. As a DACA recipient, Lucy received the opportunity to join Groundwork Elizabeth (GWE) in 2014. Lucy works as the Director of Youth Initiatives to expand the capacity of the organization and increase the number of urban youth in green careers by providing them opportunities with Federal agencies, such as the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service. Over the years, Lucy and GWE have been working with many partners to evaluate truck traffic, air pollution, heat and flooding through a series of citizen science projects, mapping and connecting the results to its historic origins. Lucy and GWE created a Mayor’s Youth Council to work with the City of Elizabeth to mitigate these issues. Lucy led the Mayor’s Youth Council to contribute to the City of Elizabeth’s 10-year Master Plan for “Green Building, Environmental Sustainability, and Healthy Communities Element;” ensuring that her efforts will continue for the next decade in Elizabeth, NJ.