PERRO stands for Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization. It is a grassroots community group of Pilsen residents that formed in 2004 to fight the disproportionate amount of pollution in the Pilsen neighborhood. PERRO believes all people have the right to live in a clean and healthy environment, regardless of their race and class. Its mission is to spread awareness about this concept of environmental justice and make Pilsen a healthier place to live, work, and raise children.
Pilsen is made up of a 1,000-acre tax-increment funding (TIF) district that offers tax breaks to industry. PERRO feels that a neighborhood that receives tax breaks for manufacturing should also receive assistance to make sure equipment is state-of-the-art and that industry’s byproducts do not decrease our quality of life with harmful pollution.