Welcome to the Center for Diversity & the Environment
We harness the power of racial & ethnic diversity to transform the U.S. environmental movement by developing leaders, catalyzing change within institutions, and building alliances.
Upcoming Courses
We believe that in order to transform the environmental movement on a deep, systemic level, we must address racialized trauma.
CDE’s inaugural Inner Work cohorts were deeply impactful, creating a supportive community and healing space for Indigenous people, Black people, and People of Color working in the environmental movement. We are committed to continuing the Inner Work course and are currently in the planning phase for additional cohorts in 2023-2024.
If you are interested in participating in these upcoming courses, we invite you to complete this short survey and application: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/InnerWork_Interest_2022.
Decoding Whiteness: Racial Justice for a Re-imagined World
This course is an opportunity to deepen your learning and step up your action plan during a time when the vocal accountability and action of white people is critical. Decoding Whiteness: Racial Justice for a Re-imagined World provides a critical opportunity for white people to deepen their understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and learn how to embody that work in everyday life in multiple contexts.
We start by creating a forum for deep learning, honest exploration and open dialogue. From there, we begin to recalibrate our understanding of race, equity, diversity and inclusion in our lives, our relationships and our work as we develop a stronger racial equity analysis and everyday practice on the personal, interpersonal, organizational and movement levels.
For more information please visit the course registration page.
We want this to be the year in which all of our collective work tips the scales on diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives in the environmental movement.
Be part of the change.
Our Theory of Change
The Center for Diversity & the Environment grew out of the belief that everyone has a place in the environmental movement. Everything we do at CDE supports this vision of inclusivity. We build bridges between communities of color and the environmental community, fostering a fundamental revolution of the environmental movement–into an equitable, inclusive, and diverse coalition of people at work on a wide array of environmental issues. We believe that diversity strengthens and enriches our work and makes the environmental movement more relevant than ever. Alumni of our programs carry this work forward and out into their communities: they are the change agents and ambassadors of the changing face of environmentalism.
Our Vision
We envision a healthy, flourishing planet and society that sustainably and equitably meets the needs of all through an environmental movement that is diverse, inclusive, successful, vibrant, and relevant, taking into account the needs, perspectives, and voices of all. The Center for Diversity and the Environment harnesses the power of racial and ethnic diversity to transform the US environmental movement by developing leaders, catalyzing change within institutions, and building alliances.