Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, & Justice
Virginia Conservation Network’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Work Plan
VCN is committed to building a more equitable and diverse organization and Network. Our work has always worked on environmental justice: the principle that all people regardless of race, ethnicity, income, or location, have the right to a healthy environment and equal protection from environmental harms. We understand that we can not have a healthy environment if there are groups that face disproportionate environmental harm.
In 2020, VCN decided to take the next step and not only consider environmental justice for our issue areas but also to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice internally in our organization and our broader Network. We released our initial Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice Workplan in 2020 to put in place key initiatives to build a more just and inclusive movement.
It’s important to note that this work is ongoing and changes. While VCN’s DEIJ Workplan is an important tool to hold ourselves accountable, we also know that we must be ready to adapt and change as as we continue to listen and learn. This is a long-term process that will take commitment over decades and adjustments as we go. See the steps we have taken in our journey to create a more equitable and inclusive conservation movement below.
Equipping Staff & Board
We identified that our role starts with addressing the culture and capacity of our own organization and our Network Partner’s organizations.
In 2021, VCN’s journey began with staff and board going through a DEIJ Cohort developed by Ebony Walden Consulting the result was training and developing our initial DEIJ plan. This provided a foundation for the commitment, language, concepts and increasing our understanding and capacity to do the work with a DEIJ lens.
Defining Our Values
Staff developed shared values together based on feedback through our conversations around racial equity, diversity, and inclusion:
We drive meaningful, mission-driven environmental change across Virginia. We cultivate an equitable, people-centered movement grounded in collaboration, respect, and trust. We know that people bring their whole lives to work, so we show up with care, follow through on commitments, ask for help, offer support, and celebrate our wins along the way. Our team operates under these shared values:
- Collaboration & Partnership
- Mission-Driven Impact
- People-Centered Culture
- Joy, Celebration & Gratitude
- Structure with Equity
- Accountability & Integrity
Expanding the Conversation
Racial Equity Learning Series
VCN’s Racial Equity Cohort brings together environmental professionals in our Network build a more just and inclusive conservation movement overall. With mentorship from Ebony Walden, a leader in equity, inclusion, and justice in organizations, the Cohort’s educational program allows participants to:
- Recognize, explore, and address how white dominant culture and implicit bias manifests in themselves and in their non-profit organizations;
- Evaluate their organization’s culture, programs, and policies on measures of DEIJ;
- Develop organizational plans to implement changes in culture and practices;
- Discuss identity, privilege, implicit bias, microaggressions, allyship, equitable hiring, leadership development, and more.
“This is an accessible, comprehensive series that approaches inclusion and equity in environmental spaces with thoughtfulness and compassion. It’s given me a roadmap for how to begin conversations and take action in my organization.”-Leslie A. Clements (she/her), Virginia Aquarium
“Learning from expert facilitators and peer organizations as we are implementing changes over the course of a year allowed us to vet our ideas and accelerate their implementation. Thank you, VCN for providing this critical opportunity.” – Susan Kruse, Community Climate Collaborative
“The Community Climate Collaborative (C3) has the pleasure of working with Ebony Walden again, and we have already found opportunities for C3 to reaffirm and clarify our racial equity, diversity, and inclusion work both internally and externally. We are looking forward to incorporating tools and feedback from our training sessions into a DEIJ strategic plan, so we can better integrate DEIJ principles, practices, and metrics into our everyday work and relationships with partners.” – Sarah Delgado, Community Climate Collaborative
“I learned a lot from the materials and the other participants, a thoughtful, intentional group of people.” – Nancy Stoner, Potomac Riverkeeper Network
Building Equity into Our Common Agenda
In order to avoid policy recommendations that may have an adverse impact on environmental justice communities – specifically low-income communities, communities of color, and rural communities – a team of Network Partners serves on the Equity Review Committee for Our Common Agenda Environmental Briefing Book. The committee reviews all briefing paper drafts to ensure that policies won’t have unintended consequences and looks for opportunities where policies can lift up historically marginalized communities.
“Being part of the Briefing Book equity review committee reminds me that progress in conservation is strongest when every voice has a seat at the table. Embedding equity in the Briefing Book ensures our shared goals reflect the people and places we aim to serve.””-Maribel Castañeda, Our Virginia Outdoors
Building Shared Language & Understanding
To support the policy papers within Our Common Agenda, we developed an Environmental Glossary within Our Common Agenda Environmental Briefing Book which defines DEIJ concepts and technical environmental terminology to make our Briefing Book more accessible and inclusive to those who aren’t as familiar with DEIJ or environmental policy work.
Building & Supporting Leaders
Hosting Environmental Leaders Fellowship
VCN’s Environmental Advocacy Fellowship program aims to build up our pipeline of professionals of color by facilitating opportunities for underrepresented communities in our conservation movement. Fellows work directly under a VCN manager and with Network Partners to gain first-hand experience and knowledge in Virginia’s environmental network.
“Black in Green” Career Panels with BlackOak Collective
One of the best ways to dismantle systemic racism is by supporting Black-led organizations, diversifying hiring, and promoting Black leaders in our organizations. By teaming up with BlackOak Collective (BlackOak), we are expanding the pipeline of Black professionals launching careers within Virginia’s environmental movement through our “Black in Green” Conservation Career Panels. These virtual career panels connect young Black professionals launching careers within Virginia’s environmental movement with Black environmental advocacy leaders.
See the featured Black leaders within the Virginia Conservation Network who have joined these conservation career panels:
Continuing the Journey
DEIJ Workplan
VCN publicly releases our annual DEIJ Workplan to hold us accountable to our words while also providing a platform for partners and advocates to give us feedback and to share ideas for partners to implement in their own organizations.
Network Partners gather at our Annual Meeting & Partner Retreat to join our keynote presentation, “Staying the Course: Racial Equity Practice in a Shifting Landscape” led by Ebony Walden.
VCN’s Board joined the “Cultivating an Inclusive Board Culture: Practices for Equity, Belonging, & Shared Power” workshop led by Ebony Walden.
