Alex is an artist from Cape Verde where he earned a degree in ecotourism. He was an air traffic controller before emigrating to the US to escape an environment of abuse and discrimination. Alex studied English at the Holyoke Community College Ludlow Adult Education program and began building a reputation as a “green artist.” He worked with local youth to introduce them to the concept of sustainable, usable art, and in 2015 won a Fulbright grant to work with Cape Verdean artists. This fall, Alex will continue his coursework at Holyoke Community College toward an associate degree in art so he can teach communities the importance of Green Art as a tool of growth and economic stability.