Oscar Armando Lopez III brings a unique perspective to his role as UNA-USA’s Youth Observer to the UN — one that is rooted in his experience growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border.  

Like many communities in the south, his hometown of Laredo, Texas faces serious challenges when it comes to climate, equity, and inclusion. Large swaths of Laredo are classified as “food deserts,” where affordable, nutritious food is inaccessible for most low-income families. Meanwhile, extreme heat is killing Laredo’s most vulnerable residents, and a prolonged drought is drying up the Rio Grande, which supplies water to 6 million people in the U.S. and Mexico, including Laredo’s entire population. “It is the very thread that weaves our countries and communities together,” he says of the iconic river.  

As Oscar sees it, universal and interconnected problems like hunger, poverty, and climate change require holistic solutions. “My upbringing on the border taught me that the issues we face don’t have borders,” he says.  

As co-founder of the El Rio Es Vida Coalition, Oscar is rallying community members to confront the Rio Grande’s worsening water crisis, which threatens future generations on both sides of the river. He inherited this dedication to environmental stewardship from his grandfather, who farmed and cared for the land in Mexico before his family immigrated to the U.S. 

Oscar is also an outspoken proponent for digital inclusion, a passion he picked up early being raised in one of America’s “worst-connected cities” at the time. Oscar remembers how some of his high school classmates were forced to rely on fast-food Wi-Fi to finish their homework. Through fellowships with Google and Next Century Cities, Oscar has advocated for policies to close this digital equity gap. After all, he points out, “access to the Internet is access to opportunity.” 

In addition to his environmental activism and policy advocacy, Oscar uses the camera lens to challenge stereotypes about immigrants, migrants, and blended cultures as an Artist-In-Residence with the Daphne Art Foundation last year. “I wanted to show that my community isn’t defined by struggle alone,” he says of his documentary photography. His images seek to reframe the border as a place of cultural richness and hope by capturing moments of joy and resilience. 

This multifaceted approach to sustainability and social justice embodies the interconnectedness of the SDGs and illustrates why he’s such an effective champion for young people. It also reflects a powerful truth: By embracing diversity and leaving no one behind, we can inspire progress in our own backyards — and beyond. 

— M.J. Altman, United Nations Foundation