Contributed by Solange Fortenbach
On February 6th, a culmination of academics and environmentalists congregated in NYU Law School’s Greenberg Lounge to discuss and learn about the ways in which racial diversity is, and, needs to be increased in the environmental movement.
The event, hosted by Green 2.0 and the Institute for Policy Integrity, consisted of two panels and a few introductory speeches by Richard Revesz, Dean Emeritus at NYU Law; Lisa Coleman, NYU Chief Diversity Officer; and Robert Raben, founder of Green 2.0.
Green 2.0’s mission is to uplift both women and people of color in the workforce. Raben stated, “the closer I get to the epicenter of power, the more I see how messed up it is.”
There is much work which needs to be done; the room, ironically lined portraits of white males yet filled with eager and informed employers, shows promise.
The first panel consisted of individuals informed on diversifying the workforce–this ranged from search consultants to the Chief Officer of People and Culture at Greenpeace. Myra Mathis, Executive Search Consultant & Practice Leader at Nonprofit HR, first brought up the necessity of discussing diversity before achieving any real change. This conversation, more times than not, makes people uncomfortable because when you talk about diversity, you inherently talk about color.
The solution to overcoming racial barriers is not to ignore the problem and assume a color-blind stance, it’s to discuss the issue and act to address it. When corporate leaders are not ready to discuss diversity, they have a lot to reconsider both in the way they think, but also the way they lead.
The environmental movement is global because it’s affecting everyone in various ways. How we experience climate change are products of our industrial and societal standings. Geography, race and class are determining factors in how we experience and respond to climate change. Making efforts to diversify the workforce generally, as well as elevate women and people of color to decision-making positions, is an acknowledgement of current diversity deficit and its importance to the movement. If leadership positions in companies acting to counter climate change are not diverse, the solutions we procure won’t be. When individuals of multiple backgrounds and ways of thinking sit at the same table, ideas are formulated and solutions become more tangible.
Not just in the workforce, but the environmental movement in general has made little progress in embracing diversity. However, as notions of environmental justice and environmental racism become more familiarized in social and environmental movements, we can expect to see women and people of color rise up. Building Power in the Environmental Movement’s panelists reminded us that global power starts internally.
It is only when we reconsider our own ideologies and social norms that we can grasp and truly consider the experiences of others. When considering diversity in the workplace, Ms. Mathis drew a correlation between success and diversity: “the culture of your organization is the determinant of success.”