About
Our Mission
CAAEJ is a group of progressive Asian Americans in the greater Chicagoland area working to provide an Asian American voice in the environmental movement and center the people impacted by environmental injustice.
In addition to engaging and educating Asian Americans on local and national environmental justice issues, we mobilize our community to stand in solidarity for other organizations doing this work in Chicago and beyond.
Our Values
We believe in the power of collective, grassroots action. We believe building community and creating space for people to learn, listen, and act is key to creating change. We strive to make our work accessible and inclusive across stages of life, levels of literacy, and understanding of environmental justice issues. We aim to stand in solidarity and collaborate with other people of color and historically marginalized groups that face environmental injustice.
Our Leadership
Our Board
Gemini Bhalsod
Gemini is a Horticultural Educator with the University of Illinois Extension and provides training to Chicago Master Gardeners serving Cook County. Gemini holds a master’s degree in Crop and Soil Science and a bachelor’s degree in Plant and Environmental Biology with a specialization in Science, Technology, and Environmental Public Policy from Michigan State University.
Our Steering Committee
Cyatharine Alias (she/her)
Cyatharine fell in love with the environment when her parents took her brother and her to the nearby park every week to hang out with the ducks and fish. As she got older, her dad changed jobs because of work-related asthma and her mom’s health required daily walks outside. Since college, she’s become passionate about fighting for everyone’s access to a healthy environment for a healthy body and soul.
Kelly Chen (she/they)
Kelly Chen is a lifelong Bridgeport resident and leads much of CAAEJ’s work on the Chinatown Environmental Justice Initiative (CEJI). Kelly holds a Master’s in urban planning from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Andrea Chu (she/they)
Andrea Chu is a Taiwanese American organizer based in Chicago working to organize Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the Midwest. She founded Chicago Asian Americans for Environmental Justice, the only Asian American organization in the Midwest focused on climate and environmental issues. Andrea is a lover of breakfast, Iron Goddess tea, and a good science fiction novel.
Charles Espedido
As an Igorot living in America, Charlie is inspired by all environments he is surrounded by like the rice terraces in Ifugao, Black, Indigenous, and brown environmentalists, and Chicagoland environmental justice community. Charlie supports the community relationships for CAAEJ across the Chicagoland region.
Darek Lau
Linda Trey
Linda is a second gen Taiwanese American from Queens, New York. She is passionate about empowering people to come together to make systemic change. At her day job she works on transportation issues such as trucks and public transit.
Micaela Wu (she/her)
The zero waste and alternative foods movements sparked Micaela’s interest in environmental and food justice issues. Micaela supports CAAEJ’s communications and outreach and is involved with other organizations that support sustainable food systems in Chicago.
Sarah Rosengard (she/her)
Sarah is an ocean scientist from Queens, NY. Her past research has focused on carbon cycling and satellite imagery over the ocean and rivers. In Chicago, she is very passionate about how citizen science, “DIY” science and art can make research on the environment more accessible to communities.