Nicole Hernandez Hammer was born to Oscar Hernandez and Maria Eugenia Estrada, in Guatemala. Her brother is the actor Oscar Isaac. At the age of four, her family migrated to the US. When Hernandez-Hammer was an infant, her family experienced a substantial earthquake and when she was a teenager, a hurricane hit her home in Miami. She and her family lost everything. She earned an M.S. in biology from Florida Atlantic University, and an MBA from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Research and career
Research
Hammer's research is focused on how climate change is affecting communities of color and low-income communities. Hammer made the connection that Latino populations were the most vulnerable to sea level rise compared to other populations. With this information, she was determined to spread the message through outreach and further research. In 2013, Hammer was a part of the 2013 Climate Assessment of Southeast US to further assess the damage of infrastructure due to sea level rise and has done many interviews and publications on the effects of sea level rise on communities of color.
Public outreach
Hammer is involved in outreach to the general public. She and her work have been discussed in outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, NBC, National Geographic, and NPR. In 2016, Hammer attended the Climate March and spoke to several news networks on how important research funding from the government is for tracking the changes of the earth from climate change. She was also on panel for Amy Poehler's Smart Girls where she talked about the disproportionate impacts of climate change on communities of color. In general, she communicates on how important it is for the government to become involved in combating climate change for future generations. Additionally, Hammer has done outreach in the political sphere as well. She has spoken at the Democratic National Convention in June 2016 on how climate change is an immediate concern for the country through the effects of rising sea levels on vulnerable Latino communities. She communicated direct immediate actions the government can take to relieve the stresses of rising sea levels and pollution on Latino communities. Her public outreach also extends to Latino communities to make climate change information more accessible to those who need it most. While working at Moms Clean Air Force, she worked to develop Spanish outreach materials on climate change so that individuals can arm themselves with information they need to protect themselves. Additionally, while working at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit that informs people about climate change, she led climate change adaptation projects for not only Latino communities but all communities of color. Her goal is to help to inform Latino voters on issues of climate change and empower them to talk to their local officials.
