Jason Glaser

As a filmmaker in Nicaragua, Jason Glaser saw young, otherwise healthy workers fall victim to chronic kidney disease, a result of long, intense work in high temperatures. Extreme heat may be here to stay, but Glaser believes governments must do more to protect workers from preventable heat deaths. Over the past decade, his ­foundation, La Isla Network, has advanced global research and advocacy on the human consequences of extreme heat.

In the Nicaraguan communities where Glaser’s work began, his push for rest breaks, hydration, and paid leave has reduced kidney injuries by two-thirds. His work carries major implications in the U.S., where proposed local and national standards have faced political headwinds. 

After the recent death of a Florida farmworker, Glaser urged U.S. policy­makers to use tools he developed abroad to protect workers at home. As his influence grows, Glaser’s efforts will undoubtedly save lives in a warming world.

Castro, a Democrat, is a U.S. Representative for Texas