NAME

Nora Cabrera Velasco

TITLE

Cofounder & Executive Director, Nuestro Futuro AC

LOCATION

Mexico

ABOUT

Nora Cabrera Velasco is the cofounder and Executive Director of Nuestro Futuro AC, a youth-led organization committed to advancing climate justice in Mexico through legal advocacy, education, and policy reform. Since its founding in 2020, Nuestro Futuro AC has built a network of over 15,000 direct beneficiaries through community programmes, legal initiatives, and educational campaigns aimed at promoting climate-conscious policies.

Under Nora’s leadership, the organization successfully challenged Mexico’s 2021 Electricity Industry Law, securing a legal victory against fossil fuel expansion that threatened the country’s energy transition. This victory was driven by Mexico’s first youth climate lawsuit, mobilizing over 200 young people and 30 youth organisations under the campaign #NoQuemenNuestroFuturo (“Don’t Burn Our Future”).

Nuestro Futuro also played a key role in securing legal recognition for El Bosque’s climate-displaced community in Tabasco, the first case of its kind in Mexico to be officially acknowledged by the Mexican government. She also supported the community during the public hearing of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Manaus and participated in the first hearing on forced human mobility and climate change before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The organization expanded its reach through the Hackatón por Nuestro Futuro, bringing together 600 young applicants, selecting 40 “Hackers for our Future,” and gaining a commitment from Mexico’s president-elect to meet with youth climate leaders.

To close educational gaps, they developed Mexico’s first climate justice law course for law students, set to launch at three universities and train 200 students, with plans for national expansion.

Through the Mexican Methane Emissions Observatory, Nuestro Futuro promotes transparency in methane emissions from the oil and waste sectors, raising awareness through public training sessions that have reached over 5,800 people.

MOTIVATIONS

Nora Cabrera Velasco’s dedication to climate justice is rooted in her deep conviction for justice and her lifelong commitment to building a more equitable world. Her journey has been shaped by this pursuit, but it was through discovering the profound intersection between the climate crisis, human rights violations, nature rights, and the exacerbation of inequalities that she found her true cause.

For Nora, walking through the most affected territories and listening to stories of fear, resilience, and loss, she recognized the immense responsibility borne by those who witness these injustices without suffering them firsthand at this moment. She believes it is part of her social responsibility to accompany, support, and amplify the voices of those who live this reality daily. 

To Nora, climate justice is about confronting and dismantling the structural inequalities that perpetuate these injustices. This belief fuels her energy and passion for working towards a future where no one is left behind in the face of the climate crisis.

Nora Cabrera and her team believe in a youth-driven movement dedicated to ensuring the right to a future for younger and future generations. By combining legal strategies, advocacy, and grassroots action, the organization amplifies the voices of youth in spaces traditionally dominated by older generations, striving to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all. Under her leadership, Nuestro Futuro AC has grown into a pioneering organization in the fight for climate justice in Mexico.

IMPACT

• Won a landmark legal case against the 2021 Reform to the Electricity Industry Law, ensuring fair competition for renewable energy and halting fossil fuel expansion. More information 

• Led Mexico’s first youth climate lawsuit, mobilising over 200 young people and 30 organisations under the #NoQuemenNuestroFuturo campaign.

• Secured legal recognition from Mexican authorities for the community of El Bosque, Tabasco, as climate-displaced persons. This community stands as the first to be officially recognized as climate-displaced in Mexico. This case is emblematic for its profound intersection between human rights and the climate crisis, setting a critical precedent for addressing climate-induced displacement within a legal and rights-based framework. More information

• Won a lawsuit in favor of communities fighting the climate crisis by preserving their territory against the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. Establishing new implementation standards for consultations under the Escazú Agreement.

• Created the Hackatón por Nuestro Futuro, engaging 600 applicants and selecting 40 "Hackers" to develop policy proposals that earned a meeting commitment from Mexico’s president-elect. More information.

• Launched Mexico’s first climate justice law course for lawyers in universities, training 200 law students across three universities, with national expansion planned.

• Founded the Mexican Methane Emissions Observatory, promoting accountability and transparency in methane emissions, with over 5,800 people trained through advocacy programs.

CHALLENGES

• Expanding advocacy programs and scaling educational initiatives requires sustained financial support.

• Ensuring that all affected communities, particularly those in remote or marginalised areas, are fully represented in national and international policy discussions.

GOALS

• Building climate justice in Mexico by representing more communities impacted by the effects of climate change, ensuring they can adapt or receive reparations for the damage caused.

• Providing legal representation for additional climate-displaced communities in Mexico.

• Inspiring more lawyers to take an interest in climate justice to build a network that enables climate justice to be pursued across different dimensions, locations, and scopes.

• Launching the climate justice law course nationwide to train a new generation of climate-conscious legal professionals.

• Representing the rights of nature in opposition to fossil fuel expansion projects.

• Building stronger networks of youth activists to influence climate policy at the national and global levels.

•  Building a network capable of impacting over 50,000 direct beneficiaries by 2030 through community programs, legal initiatives, and educational campaigns aimed at promoting climate-conscious policies.

• Driving the implementation of a climate change adaptation policy in Mexico that prevents systemic human rights violations, while establishing the Climate Justice Laboratory to document and address these violations, creating a comprehensive approach to tackling the impacts of the climate crisis.

NORA’S ADVICE

“My leadership has always been driven by a pursuit of justice and the belief that everyone has the power to transform their surroundings. Working for climate justice has shown me that leadership isn’t about individual efforts but about collaboration—joining forces, amplifying marginalized voices, and standing firm against seemingly impossible challenges.

Behind every statistic are communities with stories of fear, resilience, and hope. Leading in climate justice means using law and storytelling as a tool for social and environmental change, building real and sustainable solutions.

Three lessons I’ve learned:

• Live your purpose: Align your actions with what truly inspires you.

• Adapt to change: Progress takes time—stay flexible and focused.

• Build in community: True leadership is collective, not solitary.

For me, climate justice is a mission. It’s about leveraging the power of law to protect the planet and ensure everyone—people, ecosystems, and animals—has a chance to thrive. Leadership starts with action, collaboration, and the conviction that we can build a better future for all.

True success is not measured by individual achievements but by the ability to transform realities to build a fairer Earth.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Support Nuestro Futuro AC’s mission by:

• Joining Nuestro Futoro AC’s social media channels and helping amplify our mission.

• Supporting operations or key projects that create real impact.

• Becoming a strategic partner or connecting them with other allied organizations. For more information, email us at contacto@nuestrofuturo.mx.

• Sharing time, skills, or technical expertise to strengthen their work. If you're interested, their WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LdFYmZusGnDDSneGTZ1ESp.

• Contributing your expertise and methodologies to enhance our initiatives.

• Helping build relationships with key organizations or individuals to expand our impact.

• Participating in workshops and educational activities to join the climate justice movement.

CONTACT

Website: www.nuestrofuturo.mx
Instagram: @nuestrofuturoac 

@cabreranora_Newsletter: Nuestro Futuro Boletín