Iris Valladares

Iris Valladares first joined Planting Justice as a student intern in Fall 2024. She then discovered how much she enjoyed getting her hands in the dirt and officially joined the PJ team as a Nursery Technician in January 2025.

Iris connected with gardening at a young age through her grandparents. Surrounded by plants and gardening for most of her life, it wasn’t until college that she developed a deeper interest in environmental justice and working with plants.

With her cultural background as a California Native from the Miwok and Maidu tribes, Iris says that her work with Planting Justice has deepened her connection to the earth by helping her understand the importance of different plant care practices.

An ideal day off for Iris includes creating a flower bouquet, discovering a new cultural dish, sewing, or attending a lowrider car show with her family and friends on a beautiful, sunny day.