José Castro-Sotomayor is an Assistant Professor at California State University Channel Islands. He is Doctor in Communication with an emphasis on intercultural and environmental issues. He has twenty years as a teacher, and the principles of environmental and social justice guide his teaching philosophy, research practice, and work as a consultant collaborating with indigenous and Afro-descendant populations in Ecuador and Colombia, and with organizations dedicated to carry on environmental education in the United States.

His work has been recognized by the National Communication Association, including the Book of the Year Award for his co-edited book The Routledge Handbook of Ecocultural Identity (2020).

Originally from Ecuador, Dr. Castro-Sotomayor talks and shares stories with his family in Spanish, English and Spanglish to remember, engage, dream, and imagine.