Diversifying the US Climate Movement
People of color are more concerned about climate change than the general population yet they continue to be underrepresented in environmental organizations. This report summarizes the barriers for civic engagement on climate change for people of color, their perceptions of climate change, and strategies that environmental organizations can take to improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Diversifying the U.S. Climate Movement PDF
Diversifying the U.S. Climate Movement:
Four Interviews
Jacqueline Patterson
What is the current state of diversity in the environmental movement? Why are people of color underrepresented in the climate movement? What can environmental organizations do to engage more people of color on climate change? In this report, I interviewed four experts in the environmental field about their perceptions of diversity in the climate change movement:
- Marcelo Bonta, Founder and CEO of J.E.D.I Heart
- Nellis Kennedy Howard, Director of Equity, Justice, and Inclusion at The Sierra Club
- Thomas Easley, Vice Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
- Jacqueline Patterson, Director of Climate and Environmental Justice at NAACP
Diversity Interview Report PDF
Presentations
September 22, 2019. Citizens’ Climate Lobby Great Lakes Regional Conference. South Bend, Indiana.
September 10, 2019. Global Ecovillage Network of North America. “Diversity in the Environmental Movement”
June 7, 2019. Citizens’ Climate International Conference Seminar. Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC.
April 18, 2019. Citizens’ Climate webinar. The recording of my presentation and the slides are available online at Citizens’ Climate University.
Resources
Center for Diversity and the Environment
Residence on Earth 