November 2023
Indigenous Women Leaders Shaping Environmental Justice
PAST EVENTS
The Green 2.0 Environmental Experts of Color Database addresses a pressing issue–the lack of diversity in experts providing testimony in the policymaking process nationally and locally. The database provides policymakers, organizations, and individuals with an expansive set of environmental and environmental justice leaders, and offers a more representative perspective on these issues. Join us for the launch of the database to hear from key experts and policymakers about how we can implement practices and policies that build a more inclusive set of experts in the environmental sector.
A long and living history of colonialism in the U.S. territories has created circumstances where those most impacted by climate change and natural disasters have the least say in decision-making about their livelihoods and futures. Destructive federal policies have fractured communities from their rightful access to the resources necessary to address these challenges, but movements to turn this tide have been creating meaningful change. Leaders of color in these places are working to create a future that ensures programs and policies are implemented that target climate change and address racial/ethnic, economic, and environmental justice.
Internships play a crucial role in the pathway to careers in the environmental sector, but far too often, they are not accessible to or reflective of the diverse cultures and backgrounds of aspiring young professionals. Systemic barriers, including lack of diversity and inclusion in organizations, unpaid internships, advantages of having pre-existing networks, and prohibitive requirements of prior experience, make it difficult for young people from marginalized communities to enter the movement.