equity and inclusion
Equity and Inclusion Value Statement
We believe that the outdoors should be inclusive and accessible to everyone. We believe in making outdoor spaces not only accessible but safe for everyone.
We recognize that people often don’t participate in outdoor programs because they are perceived as or are unsafe for persons of color and other marginalized groups who have been excluded or ignored. We commit to ensuring our programs are places these community members feel welcomed and safe when participating. This issue is deeper and broader than the politics of Left vs Right, although it is often branded as such. Access to outdoor recreation is a human rights and cultural history issue as much as it is a natural history issue. The two cannot be separated given the history of systemic racism in the United States.
We work to change the culture of outdoor recreation in Arizona to one that can be enjoyed by ALL regardless of race, ethnicity, economic status, gender, gender identity or physical capabilities.
We pledge to make our programs affordable; we will go further to change our culture within, recognizing programs such as ours have to date consisted of a membership of homogenous demographics, primarily white, middle and upper class, retired people.
We will only work with and support organizations that do not practice discrimination on any level, and that actively strive to make all programs places where everyone can feel safe.
All of us at Arizona Master Naturalists, especially those who have benefited from privilege, will speak up when we see injustice, take the lead by getting out of the way, join with those impacted, and ensure that every hike we take, every program we share, and every bird walk we enjoy is done with empathy, compassion, and consideration for others who may not have the luxury of enjoying the outdoors safely.
Action Items
Through curriculum design and learning we:
- are changing the language we use from western contexts (e.g. natural resources to natural history) to demonstrate that we believe humans to be part of the ecosystem, related to it, and not in control of it.
- are including content from other ways of knowing about nature - traditional ecological knowledge and amplifying voices of Black Indigenous Persons Of Color (BIPOC) writers and naturalists.
- ask our members to reflect on their own experiences with nature and identify what is missing and how much they do not know about other cultures in nature.
- have included training materials designed to identify cultural and personal bias and ask that members speak up for change.
- are working to ensure that the places we go and the classroom space we hold is welcoming and accessible to EVERYONE regardless of race, ethnicity, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
We listen and collaborate. We recognize and credit members of BIPOC organizations for the work they do for natural and cultural history. We donate to, and support, outdoor affinity groups for BIPOC and recommend our members do the same.
We will continue to grow and learn, and regularly check our work and ourselves to ensure that we are welcoming people from all communities, and making space for BIPOCs to lead.
AZMNA Equal Opportunity Statement
All AZMNA activities are conducted in a manner that assures equal opportunity for all, based solely on individual merit and fitness of applicants and employees, related to specific jobs and without regard race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, or pregnancy or other basis protected by law.
Land Acknowledgement
A Land Acknowledgment, presented on a website, at the beginning of a class, public event, or gathering. It is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and ONE step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth.
We acknowledge and honor the original homelands of all Indigenous people upon which our many communities in Arizona have been established. We recognize they have stewarded this land in since time immemorial. We remember their connection to this region and give thanks for the opportunity to live, work, learn and gather on their traditional homeland. We actively seek to build relationships with Indigenous communities to learn more about this place. To find out which native or Indigenous land you are on, please visit this website to learn more: https://native-land.ca/. Remember, acknowledging Indigenous communities is only the first step in building meaningful relationships. We must work to recognize the damage done by colonialism and ensure we do not uphold harmful practice.
Donate
Your deductible donation will support our programs and provide scholarships to members interested in learning more about our natural and cultural history.