Our vision is of a world where people and nature thrive. We are dedicated to this vision — and are committed to clarifying, as is needed inside the conservation community and outside it, that when we say “people,” we mean everyone. For too long, that implication has not been borne out in reality.
Racism is a public health crisis
We cannot separate the health of our communities from the well-being of our environment — nor should we. We’re learning from Black leaders across Washington about how to prioritize protecting and liberating Black lives through policy change. Join this pursuit of justice.
That’s one of the reasons why we’re joining other environmental organizations in supporting the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance’s Legislative Priorities. As we acknowledge in our Equity Statement, we have failed to focus on the inextricable connection between conservation and racial, social and economic justice. We are working to correct these wrongs, working to be better listeners and to use our platform and position of power for good — beyond where we have habitually engaged in policy.
We’ve said before: the issue of racial equity should not be political. It is about the humanity of all of us and our neighbors. We urge the Legislature to show its dedication to racial justice by prioritizing bills for a more equitable Washington — this year and every year going forward.
As we examine our past, learn from our partners in the present and work together for a better future, we know we will continue to stumble. We unlearn and re-learn ways to engage with each other, to prioritize, plan and talk about our work. From that place of humility, we are proud to join our friends in the environmental community and in the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance in speaking up for nature and for all people.
Banner photo, Washington Coast, by Matt Meisenheimer/TNC Photo Contest
