Identity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

Keecha Harris and Associates, Inc (KHA), published the Closing the Gap report that quantifies the funding gap between white-led and BIPOC-led environmental nonprofits. In this Q&A with Green 2.0, KHA president Keecha Harris shares more about the initiative. KHA has worked extensively with Green 2.0 on producing the Transparency Report Card and most recently, the Tracking Diversity: The Green 2.0 Guide to Best Practices in Demographic Data Collection.

Angelo Villagomez, senior officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts, is the campaigns manager for Blue Nature Alliance, a global partnership that seeks to protect 18 million square kilometers of ocean in support of the global goal to protect at least 30 percent of nature by 2030. Villagomez, who identifies as Indigenous Chamorro, is a co-author on a recent scientific publication, Advancing Social Equity in and Through Marine Conservation, and in this guest blog post for Green 2.0, he writes about how including Indigenous peoples in conservation can lead to more durable outcomes.

Grace Edelen was a recent 2021 summer fellow at Green 2.0 and a graduate of Bellarmine University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a minor in Anthropology. She completed her undergraduate research on the effects of climate change on medicinal plants, analyzing how this shift affects Indigenous communities in Ecuador. Grace is passionate about supporting Green 2.0’s mission of making environmental causes more inclusive and equitable.

Green 2.0 Communications Manager Raviya Ismail discusses the release of Tracking Diversity: The Green 2.0 Guide to Best Practices in Demographic Data Collection (Tracking Diversity Guide) with her colleague Andy Beahrs, Grants Manager.

Sage Renninger is a fellow at Green 2.0 and a student at Washington State University studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. Honoring National Wellness month, Sage has featured ways in which the outdoors can support physical and mental wellness in our day-to-day lives. Getting outside has helped Sage increase her own physical and mental health, and she believes creating an inclusive space where BIPOC communities can utilize nature is critical in combating systemic injustice.

In this Q+A, David Andrusia, Executive Director of the March on Washington Film Festival (MOWFF), discusses the origins of the festival in the civil rights movement, how to watch the festival, and this year’s festival theme. The MOWFF was founded by Robert Raben in 2013 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Michael Roberts, a member of the Tlingit Nation, is the president and CEO of First Nations Development Institute. First Nations works to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities. This blog post was written in accordance with International Day of the World’s Indigenous People and to call for economic policy changes to the way conservation and environmental movements are being funded.

Johana Vicente is a climate and environmental justice advocate working to grow the political power of Latinx communities. In celebration of Latino Conservation Week, Vicente, a woman of color and immigrant from Loja, Ecuador, shared what keeps her inspired in the fight for climate justice and equity.

Juan Martinez, Senior Program Manager at the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions and Fresh Tracks founder, participated in Green 2.0’s Reimagining a Diverse and Inclusive Great Outdoors Congressional briefing held in coordination with Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Jimmy Gomez last month. This guest blog post is part of Green 2.0’s commemoration of Latino Conservation Week, which takes place July 17-25.

Green 2.0 Deputy Director Adriane Alicea talked with Eddie Love, Program Manager at The Ocean Foundation about drawing strength from community, how to use organizational resources to promote equity and not worrying about having uncomfortable conversations.