Walking the streets of New York City as a Parsons School of Design fashion student, Valeria Quintero imagined being surrounded by luxury fabrics and fashion magazines.
At age 19, she says, she was completely unaware that the industry she loved was a major contributor to environmental destruction. One day, in a Sustainable Systems class, her perspective changed.
In 2010, 9-year-old Valeria Quintero moved with her family from Venezuela to Miami, a city that was rapidly changing. The Magic City’s beaches became her playground, and her brother’s passion for the outdoors deepened her appreciation for the environment. But as the area grew, Valeria noticed a difference.
“We saw Miami go from an untouched, natural city into a big cosmopolitan hub,” she recalled. “It brought opportunities, but the environment took a hit.”
Valeria’s love for fashion led her to study at Parsons School of Design, where she planned for a future in fashion until one Sustainable Systems class transformed her view. A professor’s lecture on the industry’s environmental impact exposed the pollution it creates, from dye-filled rivers to oceans clogged with microplastics.
“She made me realize how deeply the fashion industry contributes to pollution,” Quintero said. “From that point on, I knew I had to do something.”
Now, she channels her creative vision into environmental advocacy, working to protect and preserve the city she calls home.
The 23-year-old real estate agent is a co-founder of the JQ Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental conservation and education. Instead of sketching high-end designs, she spends her time organizing cleanups, community events and teaching others about sustainability. Among the events the foundation coordinates is their annual golf tournament, which raised $80,000 last year.
One of the foundation’s primary initiatives involves repurposing recycled materials from local hotels, such as towels and linens, into tote bags, purses, and other items.
“We’re taking waste that would otherwise go to landfills and turning it into something beautiful and useful,” Quintero said.
Isabella Sironi, the foundation’s executive director, added, “It’s not just about creating products. It’s about changing behavior. We want people to think twice before they throw something away, and Valeria’s vision drives that message home every time.”
Quintero’s passion for environmental advocacy didn’t just inspire those outside the JQ Foundation — it profoundly impacted her own family, particularly her brother Jesus Quintero, who co-founded the organization with her and serves as its program manager. Reflecting on her leadership and the foundation’s future, he noted how her vision was essential to shaping their mission.
“I’ve seen her grow into a full-blown leader within the organization,” said Jesus “She’s incredibly determined, the driving force behind everything. Valeria doesn’t sugarcoat things. She tells it like it is, and that’s what makes her an effective leader.”
For Quintero, the foundation’s primary goal is education. Reflecting on her own experience, she is driven by a desire to ensure that future generations learn about environmental issues earlier than she did.
“I didn’t understand the gravity of the situation until I was in college,” she said. “If I had learned these things as a child, I could have made a difference sooner. That’s why our mission is to educate the next generation.”
One of the foundation’s most effective tools for change has been its beach cleanups. Participants often come away shocked by the amount of pollution they find.
“People are stunned when they scoop up what looks like clean sand only to find it filled with microplastics,” she said. “That’s when they have their ‘Aha!’ moment.”
“You don’t realize how bad things are until you’re holding the problem in your hands,” added Sironi. “It’s moments like that where Valeria’s leadership really shines. She helps people connect the dots and see how their actions, even the small ones, can make a difference.”
This is precisely what drives Quintero: helping others understand the direct impact the environment has on their lives.
“I just want to leave the world better than I found it,” she said. “If we can inspire even a handful of people to care, then we’ve succeeded.”
With each beach cleanup, educational event, and repurposed product, Quintero and the JQ Foundation are proving that small actions can lead to big changes, one step at a time.
