GreenRoots knows youth empowerment is critical to achieving lasting change. Our Environmental Chelsea Organizers (ECO) youth crew is a team of youth that implement environmental justice campaigns, build community power, foster greater youth engagement and connection; and empower fellow youth to become leaders.

Building youth leadership and empowerment

Five ECO staff at a school hallway.
GreenRoots staff and ECO team at Zumix radio station.
Two ECO crew and GreenRoots staff during ECO’s Bike Rodeo.

The ECO youth crew is a team of 7 high school students, ages 14 - 18 years old, who work 10 - 15 hours per week during the school year and 20 hours per week in the summer and on school vacation. ECO engages in youth-led environmental justice campaigns and builds community, power, and connection with local youth networks!

Learn more about ECO's work below!

  • A colorful mural with the words "resilience" interpreted in different languages behind a group of about 20 Chelsea youth, elected officials and community members.

    Community Murals

    ECO designs and paints murals throughout Chelsea including along storm drains to prevent pollution from entering the Chelsea Creek.

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    Monitoring Water Quality

    ECO collaborates with academic partners to understand and share, through a data visualization project, the water quality violations of seven oil terminals along the Chelsea Creek.

  • A group photo of about 20 diverse youth wearing brown t-shirts and taking a group photo.

    Studying Heat Islands

    ECO monitors and map out impacts of heat island impacts in Chelsea.

  • Youth marching with a white banner with the GreenRoots' logo and a red flag at a rally.

    Youth Leadership

    Organizing youth summits, youth meetings, and community events throughout Chelsea.

Smiling young Latinx woman wearing a black top and a beige cardigan against a gray background.

GreenRoots has been the catalyst for my passion for community work! From my early days in ECO as a youth worker to initiatives like the MBTA Youth Pass, One Chelsea Fund, and health equity, it shaped my commitment to creating change. The dedication to community service instilled by GreenRoots has guided my work, extending beyond the organization. I am eternally grateful for GreenRoots' support and the solid foundation it provided me that not only shaped my professional journey but also empowered me to lead within my community. 

Adela Gonzalez

Contact Us

A woman with a red blazer and earrings against a black backdrop with her hand on a table taking a photo.

Cecilia Del Cid-Liccardi

Director of Food Justice and Youth Programs

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CeciliaD@greenrootsej.org

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Cecilia Del Cid-Liccardi (she, her, hers)

Ceci grew up in Guatemala and has a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences & Latin American Studies from Smith College and a Master of Forestry from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Ceci has researched topics such as conservation genetics, forest and land governance, environmental justice, and gender equality issues related to the distribution and access to natural resources in Latin America and the United States. Additionally, she has led initiatives to increase capacity building and technology transfers tailored to local communities in human-impacted/modified landscapes.

Over the years, she has sharpened her ability to apply a social and environmental justice lens to create sustainability and environmental programming, communication tools, and inclusive and equitable strategies. As a result, she’s more effective in envisioning a thriving world that does not exist, but that can be co-created with and for the wellbeing of the community.

ECO Crew

  • photo of Anderson

    Anderson

    ECO Crew Member

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    Anderson (he, him, his)

    Anderson enjoys taking walks during the summer and staying active at the gym. He joined ECO because he is concerned about the impact of climate change on the City of Chelsea — summers are no longer as enjoyable as they once were. He believes the environment is very important, and we need to protect our access to trees and parks.

  • A teenager with short dark hair wearing a white T-shirt stands against a light-colored wall.

    Denis

    ECO Crew Member

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    Denis (he, him, his)

    Hi my name is Denis the reason I decided to join ECO is because I wanted to make an impact on the earth and help out the community as much as I can!

  • A teenager with medium length hair wearing glasses and a black sweater is standing against a light background.

    Diana

    ECO Crew Member

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    Diana (she, her, hers)

    Having a family member that was involved heavily in the Chelsea community sparked my interest in the community as a little girl. To be apart of ECO gives me the opportunity to further my passion for the environment and advocate for the social issues Chelsea residents face. Through ECO not only do I have a voice but so do the people of Chelsea.

  • Emma a young woman with olive skin and brown hair in a blue hoodie, smiling

    Emma

    ECO Crew Member

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    Emma (she, her, hers)

    The reason I wanted to join GreenRoots was because I’ve always loved to help others and helping the community I live in. And I want the people who live here to feel that they have a safe space to go to and to feel comfortable in.

  • a young latino man with black wavy hair

    Michael

    ECO Crew Member

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    Michael (he, him, his)

    Michael joined ECO to better help his community and to learn more about the environment. He enjoys working on small mechanical projects and computer programming

  • a young Black woman smiling, in a black hoodie, in front of a window

    Nakoa

    ECO Crew Member

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    Nakoa (she, her, hers)

    Nakoa loves listening to music and uses it in all aspects of her life, whether she is walking, cooking, or going about her day. She cares deeply about environmental justice because she can often advocate for both people's health and our environment. That is why she joined ECO.

Program Events

  • 3
    Oct

    Paint a Mural, Beat the Heat!

    4:00 - 7:00pm

    Bear Park, 212 Congress Ave, Chelsea, MA

    Join us as we transform our famous Cool Block outside Bear Park with a vibrant new mural painted using heat-reflective paint. Be part of creating a cooler, more colorful Chelsea!

News

  • CityLine: Lifting voices and planting seeds of promise in young people

    Local organizations providing opportunities young people to earn money while sharing their talents.

  • We Are In It For the Long Haul

    GreenRoots reaffirms its commitment to supporting Chelsea and East Boston communities through challenges posed by climate, environmental, and social injustices. With a focus on resilience and empowerment, GreenRoots will continue advocating for residents' rights, organizing against harmful policies, and fostering inclusive community solidarity.

  • This Chelsea teen is organizing her peers for a greener future

    • In the News

    Throughout Earth Month, weekly conversations with Greater Boston residents focused on enhancing regional resilience against climate change are featured. Arianna, a member of various youth climate organizations including Gov. Maura Healey's Youth Climate Council and Environmental Chelsea Organizers, discusses her efforts in mobilizing fellow young individuals in Chelsea around climate issues and her advocacy for climate justice on Beacon Hill.

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Your support is crucial in ensuring our work continues.

For 30 years, GreenRoots has restored acres of urban salt marsh, created new parks, increased public access to the waterfront and improved the water quality of Chelsea Creek.

Our organizing model is rooted in base-building and community, and your help makes us a stronger force. A contribution to GreenRoots means an investment in the futures of Chelsea and East Boston!

Donate Now

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