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Jorge González Canizal, born in Michoacán, Mexico, and raised in Santa Maria, California, leads Latino-focused advertising programs at Climate Power. In his role, he ensures campaigns on TV, radio, and digital platforms reflect the language, values, and lived realities of Latino communities while building partnerships with advocacy groups and media outlets. Driven by his own immigrant experience, González Canizal works to move beyond “checkbox” outreach, pushing for messaging that sees Latinos as whole people and strengthens their voice in the fight for climate action and economic opportunity.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
My greatest career accomplishment is that I get to bring who I am, my full background, perspective, and values, into work that’s making a difference. As a first-generation immigrant and first-generation college student, doing this kind of work never felt possible. When I was younger, I worked construction with my dad, worked in the fields, and took on jobs just to get by.
Now, my family can hear the ads I’ve worked on the radio or see them on TV. I help lead campaigns, have worked on a presidential race, won awards for my work, and I’m even getting recognized as a Latino leader. And through it all, I get to show what people with backgrounds like mine can do when we’re given a shot.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
My greatest personal accomplishment is helping my parents buy their first home. We spent most of my life renting and moving around, never having stability or something we could really call our own. I know how hard my parents worked to give us what they could, even when money was tight.
This was my way of showing them my gratitude when I was finally in a position to give back.
What do you do today to impact your community?
Through my work, I help uplift Latino outreach and work with Latino businesses whenever I can. Outside of work, I try to give back by speaking to students, being on alumni boards, being a panelist at events, mentoring younger folks, and donating to causes I care about now that I’m able to.
I give back because I care about my community, and because I know how much it matters to feel seen. Especially for younger generations, it’s important to see someone who looks like them doing this kind of work. I didn’t always have that growing up, so I try to be that when I can.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself in a bigger leadership role, but with more influence and decision-making power. I want to continue building campaigns that center Latino voices and push the work forward. I’m also exploring the idea of starting my own firm that helps advocacy organizations connect with Latino communities in deeper, more authentic ways. No matter what the exact title or path looks like, my goal is to keep growing as a leader.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
The biggest issue I want to help solve is the lack of representation and power for immigrant and Latino communities in the spaces where decisions get made. Whether political, advocacy, or media spaces. Too often, our communities are talked about but not talked to. I want to change that. I want to help make sure we’re not just in the room, but that we’re shaping the narrative, setting the agenda, and building something that actually reflects our values, our culture, our lived experiences. That kind of representation isn’t just about visibility but it’s about power, access, and respect.
Through my roles, I’ve been the person in the room who brings up what others might miss, like whether we’re truly reaching people of color or making sure everyday Latinos can access resources and feel empowered to use them. I’ve caught messaging that could land wrong with communities like mine and pushed for language and strategy that resonates with all audiences. For me, it’s not about just being included, but it’s about making sure we shape the direction from the start.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
One moment that made me realize the impact of my work was winning a Reed Award for Best Spanish Online Video for the first ad campaign I led from start to finish. We aired a Spanish-language ad during the GOP presidential debate on Univision in 2023, which was widely covered as the first time Univision hosted a Republican debate.
That moment stood out to me because growing up, Univision and Telemundo were the networks my family and I trusted for news. We didn’t watch CNN or Fox. We watched what was in our language, what reflected our community. For this campaign, I got to work with a Latina-owned creative agency that I helped bring into our organization to lead Latino outreach. Together, we delivered a critical message to Latino audiences at a moment when many were tuned in.
That campaign made me feel like I wasn’t just doing the work, and I was reaching the people I came from. It gave me the momentum to keep building campaigns and partnerships on the very platforms I grew up with, on popular radio shows, or with popular Latino content creators and influencers. It reminded me that I have the power to make a difference and actually reach my community through the work I do, and it’s nice to know that others see it too.
What advice would 10-year-old you be shocked to hear you followed?
You’re smart. Smarter than people will admit to. You’re going to end this school year reading at a 7th grade level after starting the year barely able to read English. People are going to keep telling you not to be so stubborn and that you’re on the wrong path, but that’s what makes you, you.
So, here’s the advice: keep being you. Keep speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. People will say again and again that certain futures aren’t for people like you, but don’t listen. That part of you that believes in yourself, even when others don’t, that is what will get you through.
Don’t believe me? Well, one day the struggles will pay off. You’ll help your parents buy a home. You’ll see your work on TV. You’ll travel, meet celebrities, and walk into rooms you never even knew existed. You’re going to do things that didn’t seem “realistic,” and you’ll still be as stubborn as ever.
What’s a cultural tradition that always brings you joy?
A cultural tradition that brings me joy is celebrating Christmas with my family. It’s one of the few times everyone comes together, and there’s always good food—pambazos, buñuelos, tamales, ponche, and atole. On top of that, we play good music and there’s always a lot of dancing. No matter how crazy the world may be, it feels like a moment of reflection and joy. It’s loud, full of laughter, and reminds me how lucky I am to have been born Mexican.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
“Prueba de Fuego” by Hermanos Espinosa
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Connect with Jorge González Canizal on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.
