WHY: The Endangered Species Coalition believes that in order to truly protect our natural environment and biodiversity, the environmental movement must work in meaningful collaboration with all members of our society. All the world’s people are impacted by the loss of biodiversity and, therefore, must be included and have a say in how we respond, especially the frontline communities most vulnerable to environmental collapse. We know that our movement and our organization is stronger when we are unified and inclusive in our mission. Inclusivity means we will enhance our ability to attract people with cultural and historical differences to our board and staff. Incorporating diverse perspectives will enable ESC to face challenges in a more global, creative way. By working with diverse individuals, communities, and groups, ESC is open to new opportunities to continuously reassess historical and contemporary injustices. We remain conscious of areas where acknowledgement, growth, and change are necessary and attainable.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The Endangered Species Coalition acknowledges that in order to effectively conserve the diversity of life within our nation, we must build a movement that represents and reflects all people within the United States. In order to do this, we must first acknowledge the wrongs of the past, and the inequitable impact of these wrongs on the present.
We acknowledge the discriminatory practices perpetrated by society as a whole. In that spirit we acknowledge the systemic exclusivity of the environmental movement, and recognize that the impacts of environmental degradation disproportionately affect women, youth and people of color. We acknowledge the theft of millions of acres of sacred indigenous lands and the lands of people of color, including theft in the name of conservation. Finally, we acknowledge the ongoing impacts of historic racism and colonial culture that reside in our own organization.
