Silence is complicity, and we have been complicit for too long. We stand in solidarity with people demanding justice. Justice for George Floyd. Justice for Ahmaud Arbery. And justice for all of the Black people who have been harmed or killed because of the color of their skin.
We have spent thirty years talking about land and water conservation. But there is no conservation movement or environmental justice without social justice. For us, speaking out against racism is new. But being anti-racist is far more important than remaining silent, in fear that we might say the wrong thing or use the wrong words.
The Conservation Alliance acknowledges the responsibility and power that comes with distributing money. Funders like us can unintentionally reinforce systems of oppression through grant making. We are committed to understanding the dynamics at play in conservation philanthropy so that we can break the cycle of oppression.
Like many of you, we are reading, listening, and making a plan for what comes next. We commit to doing better because Black Lives Matter.
Here are a few people and organizations we’re following and learning from: Edgar Villaneuva, Robin Diangelo, Rachel Cargle, Ijeoma Oluo, Teresa Baker, Layla F Saad, Black Visions, Campaign Zero and Black Voters Matter.
Thank you for making your artwork available to us to start this conversation with our community, Jitterbug Art.
