Paula Torrado Plazas

Paula Torrado Plazas is the Air and Toxics Policy Analyst at Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles (PSR-LA). In her role, Paula leads PSR-LA’s Community Air Protection Grant from the California Air Resources Board.  In addition, she works to address the pollution burden in South Central Los Angeles where she authored the 2019 South LA Air Quality Assessment Report. Through this work, Paula led policy advocacy efforts to ensure South Los Angeles was selected for an air improvement plan. She also coordinates the Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy (CHANGE) coalition and supports policy efforts that address the impacts of legacy toxic chemicals in frontline communities from extraction to disposal. Paula is from Colombia and brings her experience as a Latina immigrant and a broad understanding of social justice to her environmental justice work.

Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles (PSR-LA) is an environmental health organization whose mission is to advocate for policies and practices that improve public health, eliminate nuclear and environmental threats, and address health disparities. PSR-LA is guided by the precautionary principle to foresee and forestall environmental challenges that damage human health such as air pollution, climate change, exposure to toxic chemicals, incompatible land use, and nuclear threats. For the last 30 years, PSR-LA has been a leader in addressing the social and environmental determinants of health through a justice, equity, and health lens. PSR-LA brings the strength and credibility of health professionals to the environmental justice movement, local organizing efforts, and policy advocacy to build collective power to protect public health and the environment.