< PreviousWhat were some of the challenges you encountered? One of our challenges is resourcing both from the perspective of time and fi nances. All three co-founders have day jobs, and we manage our organi- zation on top of full-time jobs, other volunteer commitments, and young families. Th is also applies to our volun- teers and Advisory Panel members, as the organization is volunteer-driven. It’s also challenging for us to fi nd and secure funding for our organi- zation as our current governance structure limits our ability to access certain grants. We also want to ensure that we’re thoughtful about where our funding comes from so we’re not compromising the values of our organization; we seek to partner with like-minded organizations. What do you consider Diversity in Sustainability's biggest success? We’ve managed to accomplish a lot over the past three years, and our achievements have been possible with the network we’ve built. Our organization has a network of about 5,000 people who are members of our Google group, our various social media platforms, and those who attend our events and support our work in various capacities — and all this has grown through word of mouth. Th is strong network of supporters has enabled us to continue to build the organization. In addition, we’ve been amazed to hear back from people in the network about how it has helped them grow, fi nd new opportunities, positively im- pacted how they hire, and connected previously disparate networks. What makes Diversity in Sustainability unique? What makes our organization unique is our focus. Th ere are many organizations focused on sustainability and organizations dedicated to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion, but there are only a handful that are doing both. As diverse sustainability practitioners, we’re proud to be taking a leadership role in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within our fi eld of practice, and we also think that we are doing important work in cross-pollinating new concepts, organizing groups, and connecting people to new opportunities in many diff erent geographies and of many diff erent backgrounds. How do you feel Diversity in Sustainability makes the world better? We make the world better by fostering a sustainable world built through diversity, equity, and inclusion. BIPOC are disproportionately aff ected by social and environmental issues, yet our voices and perspectives are not often included nor are we part of critical conversations to address sustainability challenges. Our perspectives must be valued and integrated into institutions at every level, particularly at a time when societal systems and institutions are being rethought. Centring the needs and thoughts of the most vulnerable will help create the most resilient systems for all of us to thrive. It is our goal to ensure that diverse people and perspectives are advanced in our fi eld. How would the world be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive? There is a lot of great research on this question. First of all, creating an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the centre, underpinned by a sense of psychological safety, helps us make better decisions. These diff erent viewpoints help us to understand diff erent dimensions of problems. This has many benefi ts, including: Increased profi tability: According to a McKinsey study, companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have fi nancial returns above their respective national industry medians. Innovation: A diverse and inclusive workforce is crucial to encouraging diff erent perspectives and ideas that drive innovation. A Boston Consulting Group study found that companies with more diverse management teams have 19% higher revenues due to innovation. Team collaboration and commitment: Workers in highly diverse and inclusive organizations tend to see a signifi cant increase in team collaboration and team commitment. Employee retention: Employees at highly diverse organizations also reported a higher intent to stay than peers with lower levels of diversity. Enhanced decision-making: According to Cloverpop, inclusive teams were also found to make better decisions 87% of the time. We’ve been amazed to hear back from people in the network about how it has helped them grow, find new opportunities, positively impacted how they hire, and connected previously disparate networks. 30 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINETell us about Diversity in Sustainability’s goals. Our goals are to contribute to a sus- tainable world and inclusive society by centring BIPOC voices in the main- stream, including BIPOC individuals within institutions at all levels, helping build a continuous pipeline of BIPOC talent, increasing opportunities for BIPOC practitioners, and working with non-BIPOC allies to contribute to enabling inclusive environments. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you'd like to share? We’d like to share more about our Inclusion Blueprint Dialogues. To provide a bit of context, in 2021, we conducted the inaugural State of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Sustainability Survey. Th e survey explored the demographics, barri- ers to entry and advancement, and individual experiences of those within the sector, as well as organizational support on diversity, equity, and inclu- sion for sustainability practitioners. It also highlighted the inherent privilege in the sector and the value of further discourse and conversation to drive concrete action on diversity, equity, and inclusion within the sector. For example, 75% of survey respondents come from middle-class backgrounds or higher levels of social mobility, 62% have at least a mas- ter’s degree and 90% have at least a bachelor’s degree, and only 27% feel as though the leaders in their organiza- tions are diverse. Following the survey, we created the Inclusion Blueprints Dialogues. Building an inclusive sector of sustainability requires active participation from all corners of the sector. We are looking for those participants and partners who wish to inquire deeply, build empathy, and take bolder interventions in their professional roles and environments to create an inclusive sector. Th rough the Inclusion Blueprint Dialogues, we aim to work together to build a plan to get us there. Th e dialogues were formulated by assessing the life cycle stages of a sustainability professional — looking at youth, admissions, academics, career counsellors, recruiters, HR practitioners, and sustainability leaders of diff erent backgrounds and examining key infl uences, inhibitors, and enablers to entry and advancement. To learn more about this initiative please go to our website: Inclusion Blueprint Dialogues - Overview — Diversity in Sustainability. We’d love to have more people involved. What do you most want people to know about Diversity in Sustainability? We want people to know that our organization is here to support current and aspiring BIPOC sustainability practitioners. Our vision is to foster a sustainable and prosperous world built through equity and inclusion, and anyone that wants to support our eff orts to achieve this vision is welcome to join us in whatever capaci- ty they can. We encourage them to reach out to us to learn more about our organization. BIPOC are disproportionately affected by social and environmental issues, yet our voices and perspectives are not often included nor are we part of critical conversations to address sustainability challenges. How can people help or contribute to Diversity in Sustainability’s mission? There are many ways to contribute to organization, which include: Volunteering for our organization – Please reach out to marie@diversityinsustainability.com if you want to learn more about volunteer opportunities with our organization. Donating to our organization – More information on how to donate can be found on our website: Donations/ Sponsorship — Diversity in Sustainability. Attending our events, which include community calls and career series – We host quarterly community calls, which are an open forum for sustainability practitioners to learn from one another, share resources, and ask for career advice. We also host career series sessions where we profi le BIPOC sustainability practitioners who work in various sustainability roles. Joining our Google group – We created this group as a space for current and future BIPOC sustainability professionals and allies to share resources and learn from each other, whether it is job/board/ speaking opportunities, relevant events, and articles. To sign up and learn more about our Google group, please go to our website: DiS Google Group — Diversity in Sustainability. Currently we have around 2,500 members. diversityinsustainability.com twitter.com/diversityinsust linkedin.com/company/ diversity-in-sustainability/ JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 31DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION OVER 2,000 CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE 50 – 30 CHALLENGE, WHICH ASKS THAT ORGANIZATIONS ASPIRE TO GENDER PARITY (50% WOMEN AND/OR NON-BINARY PEOPLE) AND SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATION (30%) OF OTHER EQUITY-DESERVING GROUPS ON CANADIAN BOARDS AND/ OR SENIOR MANAGEMENT. Government of Canada 32 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEFACTS IN CANADA, ONLY 59% OF WORKING-AGE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE EMPLOYED, DESPITE A LABOUR SHORTAGE ACROSS ALL SECTORS. Canada Gazette JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 33limate change impacts everyone. Coming up with innovative solutions requires a diverse range of input, but most environmentalist spaces lack proper diversity, equity, and inclusion to reckon with the intersectionality of its eff ects. The BIPOC Sustainability Collective was launched in order to unite and support BIPOC folks who have experienced discrimination in the environmental sector. We spoke with Rita Steele, Founder of the BIPOC Sustainability Collective, about how this initiative is not only growing but making a real impact both when it comes to DEI and rescuing the planet. Tell us about the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s mission. Climate change and environmental degradation dis- proportionately impact people of colour, yet we are underrepresented in the organizations tackling these issues. On the West Coast, many BIPOC sustain- ability professionals and activists fi nd themselves as the only person of colour in their organizations. Th e BIPOC Sustainability Collective is an initiative that aims to foster a capacity-building community for BIPOC professionals and activists to connect and seek peer support while navigating largely White environmentalist spaces on the West Coast. With 170 members and growing, we aim to build a support system, resources, and sense of community among BIPOC working in sustainabili- ty, climate action, and environmental conservation. BIPOC SUSTAINABILITY COLLECTIVE Supporting BIPOC sustainability and climate change professionals in Vancouver 34 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEWe know that one of the most eff ective ways to move up in organizations and make meaningful change is to have strong, reciprocal, and supportive networks, especially when it’s not always possible to fi nd allies within the organizations we work in. What inspired you to start the BIPOC Sustainability Collective? In 2021, I launched the BIPOC Sustainability Collective in response to my own experiences in a toxic and discriminatory work environment. I created a Facebook group to support other BIPOC sustain- ability and climate change professionals and activists around Metro Vancouver and invited individuals in my network. Initially, the intention of the collective was to help BIPOC folks to make meaningful and lasting connections with peers and mentors working in the sustainability sector. My hope was that those who were going through experiences of oppression and discrimination while working in climate action and environmental protection could reach out and seek help from a network of supporters. In 2022, I started forming a relationship with the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) because our teams shared similar goals to diversify the sector and support the BIPOC leaders who face barriers within it. Th rough a budding partnership, VEC off ered offi cial support to help scale up the potential of the BIPOC Sustainability Collective in their Zero Emissions Economic Transition Action Plan (ZEETAP). In November 2022, VEC worked with the Collective to plan our fi rst in-person kick-off panel and dialogue event where we invited 40+ BIPOC sustainability professionals to convene about their ex- periences in the sector -– bringing the Collective from social media into real life. Th at event really kicked off the momentum of the Collective and got the network on the map. Overnight, the BIPOC Sustainability Collective went from a Facebook group managed by one moderator to a 15-person volunteer-led organization with strong partnerships with multiple organizations, funding opportunities oncoming, and ambitions far beyond what I had initially thought was possible. VEC is now our foremost partnership, and we are building more by the month. What were some of the challenges you encountered? Th e growth of this organization has been very organic and has largely grown through word of mouth. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve mostly been met with over- whelming support. We have had so much volunteer interest that we haven’t had to promote or formally recruit volunteers to join our cause at all. We are experiencing organizations requesting to partner with us, potential funders asking more about us, and all of our volunteers are here with both a personal stake in and a deep passion for the work. I think this shows that there is such a dire need for a space like this one in Vancouver. I feel very fortunate that the group is able to grow so organically. What do you consider the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s biggest success? Bringing the BIPOC community together. Th is network gives us a community, support system, voice, and a platform to achieve our goals, move up through our careers, and forward a collective mission toward justice-centred and people-fi rst climate action. Th rough our ongoing events, we are fostering opportunities for like-minded BIPOC folks to build relationships amongst each other and seek meaningful With 170 members and growing, we aim to build a support system, resources, and sense of community among BIPOC working in sustainability, climate action, and environmental conservation. Rita Steele, Founder JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 35At the BIPOC Sustainability Collective's November event, Towards a Just Transition: Building an Inclusive & Climate-just Workforce, in partnership with VEC. support from peers with relatable experiences to forward climate and environmental action. Th rough a partnership with VEC, we ran an event in November 2022 called Towards a Just Transition: Building an Inclusive & Climate- just Workforce, which explored the experiences of BIPOC climate professionals in Vancouver and how we can envision a climate-just workforce together. Additionally, in our fi rst collaboration with Connecting Environmental Professionals, we held the BIPOC Sustainability Collective x CEP Networking & Learning Collaboration Event in February 2023, an event for BIPOC professionals and allies to explore justice, equity, decoloniza- tion, diversity, and inclusion (JEDDI) challenges within our sector and how we can collectively contribute to addressing them. What makes the BIPOC Sustainability Collective unique? We are the only BIPOC community in the sustainability space within the Metro Vancouver region and throughout British Columbia. Everything we do is about inclusivity and that may also lead to working with allies and partners outside BIPOC communities to forward diversi- fying the sector. Our growth strategy is organic and, at its core, we’re really focused on our new organizers’ diff erent capacities and interests in all ways which matter to them. We will be balancing needs we hear from our community with capacities we hear from our team. Th is is so that the work that goes behind our collective is also sincere and grounded in rest and resilience and accounts for the diff erent needs of our volunteers with various commitments. Our goal will not necessarily be to grow the fastest or the largest but to grow in a strong, stable, and sustainable way. How do you feel the BIPOC Sustainability Collective makes the world better? Th ere’s no denying that the link between our BIPOC communities and the climate crisis exists. Marginalized groups and communities have been hit harder, particularly those from lower economic countries, women, people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and immigrants. Th is coupled with discrimi- nation at work makes for a compelling case to create safe and empowering spaces such as the BIPOC Sustainability Collective to exist and support diversifying the sector and leading our region toward more inclusive, just, and equitable climate action. 36 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEfacebook.com/groups/ bipoc.sustainability. collective Tell us about the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s goals. Th e BIPOC Sustainability Collective is on its way to forming its fi rst strategic plan. For now, it is guided by its passion to support and connect BIPOC activists and professionals in their work on sustainability, climate action, and environmental conservation. Overall, we are passionate about diversity in the sector as a whole, safe and inclusive networking spaces, professional development support, advocacy and sector research, resources and career support for BIPOC professionals, getting BIPOC on boards and in leadership positions, mentorship/peer support, and deep collaborations with other networks. Our short-term goal is to attract talented individuals to join our mission. Our long-term goal is to be a community BIPOC individuals go to in order to feel supported and successful in their sustainability endeavours. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you'd like to share? We are currently working on building out our email list. If you identify as BIPOC and are working in the sustainability sector in Metro Vancouver, please add yourself to our email list or join the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s Facebook group to stay updated on future events. At this time, we only have communi- cation/email channels available for those who identify as BIPOC. For allies, partners, and those who are interested in learning more, please contact our founder directly through LinkedIn. What do you most want people to know about the BIPOC Sustainability Collective? We’re here and ready to serve and support the BIPOC sustainability community. We’re also committed to diversifying the sustainability sector and making it a safer and more inclu- sive space for BIPOC folks to champion their climate action, sustainability, and environmental work within. How can people help or contribute to the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s mission? Increase awareness of our events and initiatives in order to reach more BIPOC folks! If you are BIPOC, join our collective! If you are an ally, send our group and work to people in your network, talk about us with colleagues in your workplace, and share the BIPOC Sustainability Collective’s Facebook group link online! Additionally, join our email newsletter. How would the climate sector, and the world in general, be better off if it were more diverse, equitable, and inclusive? In our conversations with BIPOC professionals working in the sustainability sector, we’ve learned about additional barriers faced in forwarding their climate action work including, but not limited to: • High barriers to entry into the sector (including costs for higher education, internships, restrictive hiring practices, and years of work experience which often require privilege, parental and fi nancial support, and an expectation of Western cultural and work experiences). • Accessing inclusive networking spaces (with diverse participants, without pressure to code-switch or perform in ways that conform to accepted Western cultural norms). • Lacking opportunities for advancement/career growth, leadership, and professional development within their organizations, or being pigeonholed/tokenized into DEI roles rather than being permitted to grow into roles they seek. • Experiencing discrimination, microaggressions, and racism in the workplace (and outside of the workplace) while trying to focus on championing climate action. An organization called Diversity in Sustainability (also featured in this issue) published fi ndings from their survey, “The State of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Sustainability” in 2021. They found that due to many of these barriers, “of all groups [working in the sustainability sector], White or Caucasian practitioners have the longest tenure in sustainability as a profession. Worldviews of dominant groups tend to persist over time.” Meaning, for these folks who do remain in the sector, mainly White and Caucasian practitioners, their worldviews, leadership expertise, and infl uence also tend to dominate climate change narratives and solution pathways within the sector. In order to eff ectively tackle the great challenges of the climate crisis, we must tackle solutions using diff erent approaches, lived experiences, worldviews, and areas of expertise. If our sustainability sector is being limited by a lack of diversity and, therefore, is also lacking diversity in perspectives on climate solutions, we will additionally face the challenge of limited solutions for the future. In this way, diversifying the sustainability sector is critical to solving the climate crisis. In order to effectively tackle the great challenges of the climate crisis, we must tackle solutions using different approaches, lived experiences, worldviews, and areas of expertise. JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 37TAKING OWNERSHIP PDX Building up Portland’s community of Black homeowners and small business owners 38 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEA volunteer clean-up project at the Food Cart Pods on N Vancouver and N Fremont Street in spring . hite supremacy in the United States has led to a deep-rooted history of discriminatory eco- nomic practices, from redlining to forced displacement due to gentrifi cation, negatively impacting the Black community to this day. In order to right historical wrongs and create an inclusive, equitable future for Black homeowners and small business owners, reparations are needed. We spoke with Randal Wyatt, Founder & Executive Director of Taking Ownership PDX, about how this Portland-based organization is building a diverse and compassionate community dedicated to providing reparations, renovations, and advocacy to Black homeowners and small business owners. Tell us about Taking Ownership PDX’s mission. Taking Ownership PDX’s mission is to provide repara- tions to the Black community in the form of free repairs, renovations, fi nancial assistance, and advocacy to Black homeowners and small business owners in an eff ort to fi ght back against gentrifi cation and displacement, to bridge the wealth gap that’s been created from historical oppression and exclusion, and to fi ght back against some of the city’s inequitable practices that have dispro- portionately impacted Black homeowners and small business owners. What inspired you to start Taking Ownership PDX? During the Black Lives Matter movement protests, after George Floyd was murdered, a lot of people asked me how they could be stronger allies to the Black communi- ty because of all the work I’ve done in the community in the past. I told them because people who are considered white or fi t into the social construct of white have a hell of a head start in this country as far as being able to get resources and fi nancial stability and build generational wealth, they need to share their resources with the Black community by supporting businesses or donating or volunteering. I thought of the idea of creating a platform where they can donate and volunteer, and it would provide reparations to the Black community. Why I chose homeowners and small business owners is because of my studies at Portland State. I fi nished my Bachelor of Social Science with a double minor in sociology and Black studies, so I studied white suprem- acy in society and kind of put it all together that white supremacy is predicated on land ownership — fi nding ways to take land and take whatever land they want, especially from vulnerable populations — because that’s the fastest way to build generational wealth. So, I thought supporting Black homeowners and small business owners would be a good way to give allies a clear path of reconciliation and justice, allowing them to share their resources and get quick, tangible results; give them a chance to volunteer and meet and humanize the Black community of Portland; and get their hands dirty so that they don’t feel like they just need to write a cheque. What were some of the challenges you encountered? Constantly raising money and having enough money to fi nish up the projects. We’ve had an infl ux of people reach out wanting support and services, and we just don’t have the infrastructure to get through the amount of need there is as quick as I would like. We’ve made a great impact, but there’s just so much more need out there than my small organization is able to take on. Finding all the resources to take on such a big task has been a challenge; the costs of materials going up so much has been a challenge; starting this during COVID-19, during a time when we aren’t supposed to be in close proximity had made it a challenge when we’re doing volunteer eff orts; and being the one person that everything’s going through is a lot of work when something like this took off so fast. Everybody wanted an interview. It’s a lot of pressure, and I’ve never done this before, so I was learning as I was going, building the plane while fl ying type of thing, and just doing it all in front of people with a lot of eyes on me. So, there’s a lot of pressure — it could get stressful at times. And just learning how to set boundaries and fi nd a work-life balance. Th ose have been some of the biggest challenges. JULY 2023 • ISSUE 05 39Next >