Rolando Favela

Rolando Favela is a life-long resident of the southwest side of Chicago. His upbringing on the southwest side, surrounded by industrial corridors, played a key role in his choice of study because it served as a catalyst to find solutions to the lacking green spaces around his community.

As a result, he studied Horticulture and the Environmental Sciences during his undergraduate and graduate careers. In an effort to find ways to get communities from his childhood neighborhood to engage with the environment and green spaces, Rolando decided to start volunteering with multiple non-profits and community organizations as a way to advocate for the residents of the southwest side of Chicago.

These organizations combat the social, economic, and environmental injustices that have persisted in communities of color in Chicago, focusing on the south and southwest side. He holds various environmentally focused leadership roles, such as collecting and analyzing data, advising on environmental initiatives, or even becoming physically involved such as through community gardening efforts. These efforts help guide the types of green initiatives that could best serve residents.

This information ranges from physical data of air quality and traffic congestion to new or ongoing policy and working in collaboration with local elected officials, such as aldermen, state and congressional representatives, to see initiatives come to life. His personal experiences of seeing how large developments can change the landscape of various communities allow him to use that as a lens within his role on various community projects.