Joao Vilca Soto

Joao Vilca Soto (he/him) is an environmental activist, entrepreneur, and founder of Ruta Verde Nonprofit . Joao has experience working in nonprofits focused on supporting socially disadvantaged groups and studying sustainable development in places like the Amazon Rainforest, Iceland, and the Pacific Northwest, earning a Bachelor's of Sustainable Practices at Cascadia College. Joao was born in Peru and is a descendant of the Indigenous Peoples of the Andes, this fostered an interest to learn more about Indigenous Andean Culture as it focuses on the relationship that humans have with the natural world. Using his skill and experience, Joao is developing programs aimed at strengthening and bringing increased recognition to the messages of the Andean Culture of Reciprocity through the recovery of natural environments, sustainable food systems, and sustainable fashion trends.