Grassroots Ecology's Plan to Connect More People to the Land
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In order to fulfill our mission to engage and educate the public to restore local ecosystems, Grassroots Ecology needs the support of all people, including those historically and presently excluded from the open spaces we restore.
Motivated by this mutual understanding, Grassroots Ecology staff started a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Meetup group in October 2018, which has continued to convene nearly every month to explore various topics related to DEI and our work. Nearly all of our staff members participate regularly. Last year, we decided it was time to formulate an action plan and articulate Grassroots Ecology’s role in making our corner of the world more equitable and inclusive. We launched a planning process with the support of a consultant versed in community engagement and DEI work.
Today we are proud to announce our 3-year Action Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), which will guide us as we work to engage and sustain a more socially diverse stewardship community. This plan is a reflection of the contributions and support of every staff and board member at Grassroots Ecology, many of whom devoted countless hours to this effort.
We recognize there are a variety of identities marginalized in the conservation movement, and we seek to expand access while maintaining our current impact. Our plan therefore sets a priority of increasing our impact with low-income and immigrant communities. Both of these groups have strong assets to contribute to the fields of environmental restoration, as well as needs that stem from historic oppression and underrepresentation.
In addition, Grassroots Ecology acknowledges the Indigenous People of the lands we steward, particularly the Ramaytush Ohlone, Muwekma Ohlone, and Tamien Nation, who have lived on these lands for over 10,000 years. We recognize that all of our stewardship opportunities occur on the unceded ancestral land of these groups. As the original stewards of this land, Indigenous People have an intrinsic relationship with the land and continue their legacy of land stewardship in the present and into the future. We are humbled to join in caring for the land and are committed to becoming an ally to Indigenous communities in our region.
OVERVIEW OF DEI INITIATIVES
Our DEI plan consists of 5 main initiatives or areas of action. Each of these initiatives has specific, time-oriented action items. The numeric order does not denote hierarchy.
Staff and Board Diversity
Indigenous Culture Acknowledgment and Allyship
Program Accessibility and Diversity
Strategic Partnerships and Communications
Data and Reporting
View a more detailed outline of our plan here:
Even while we were still working to finalize the plan document, we seized the opportunity to begin implementation of several immediate actions:
To make our long-term professional mentorship opportunities more equitable, this fall we transitioned to a paid internship model—so that everyone has the chance to learn and grow with us while earning income.
Our long time Project Lead Valerie Lee has stepped into a new position of Community Engagement Manager, to strengthen our community relationships and grow more stewards in our local communities.
This November, our entire staff and board attended a training on local Indigenous cultures and history led by Redbud Resource Group. This training will guide our next steps towards allyship with local Indigenous communities.
We created and implemented an anonymous demographic survey for participants of our programs in order to get a better sense of who is engaging with our work, and learn where we can diversify our outreach.
We recognize that each of us have a role in the historical and continued marginalization of many communities, and that we all have a responsibility to address it in meaningful and measurable ways. Grassroots Ecology is committed to becoming a more diverse, inclusive and equitable organization, and creating the change we want to see in our community and in our world.
