Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) individuals support environmental protection at a higher rate than their white counterparts. 36-42% of the U.S. population are BIPOC, but only 16% of environmental nonprofit staff are BIPOC, and only 12% of those individuals are in leadership positions.

Join Rocky Mountain Wild and Next 100 Colorado to explore how we can make environmental organizations more equitable, inclusive, and just.

We’ll be screening the Elevating Voices documentary, having a short panel discussion, and break out into affinity groups to talk about how we can envision equity in the environmental nonprofits we navigate.

The Elevating Voices documentary, created by CSU students with the mentorship of Next 100 Colorado, builds powerful narratives that explore the role of diversity in the conservation movement. The film highlights the experiences of Coloradans working toward conservation who have traditionally been marginalized in that space.

The “mainstream” environmental and conservation movement is rooted in colonialism, forced removal, and white supremacy culture, and this film considers what it would mean to challenge the predominant narrative and approach. The Being in Right Relationship Panel will discuss how allies showing up to build right relationships in community might look like, how a conservation ethic might shift towards more equitable models, and what they wish, hope, and dream for their fellow BIPOC colleagues in this work.

After the panel, we will break out into a White Ally and Accomplice Group Session and Next 100 Colorado’s inaugural BIPOC Affinity Group Session.

In the White Ally and Accomplice Group Session, white allies and accomplices will be invited to share how they envision they can show up for this work in the spaces they navigate.

In the BIPOC Affinity Group Session, BIPOC attendees are invited and encouraged to share joys, struggles, request support, and in any other way build community with one another.