Andrea Vidaurre is a 29-year-old Peruvian-American activist, who has been awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in protecting predominantly Latino communities from air pollution in California. Vidaurre is recognized for her leadership in convincing state officials to adopt regulations to improve air quality in California and reduce toxic emissions from the local transportation industry.

Born and raised in California's Inland Empire, an area known for having some of the worst air quality in the country, Vidaurre has witnessed the rapidly deteriorating environment due to the expansion of the freight transportation industry in the region. She began organizing with her neighbors and community members to address environmental concerns and health risks associated with air pollution, according to NBC News.

Together with environmental groups and labor unions, Vidaurre lobbied California state officials for stricter regulations on emissions from trucks and trains. In 2023, these efforts resulted in the passage of significant regulations to limit emissions and promote the transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2036, according to NBC.

Vidaurre’s story highlights the challenges faced by her and her community as they face a powerful and well-funded industry. However, through building a great community coalition and persistence over the years, they have been able to achieve a significant victory for air quality and the health of local communities.

Vidaurre expresses her hope that the success of her initiatives can be replicated in other cities and states and emphasizes the importance of continuing to monitor and improve transportation systems to make them more efficient and less harmful to communities and the environment as a whole.