Conservation Conversations

Highlighting BIPOC Voices

Hi, my name is Ally Fisher. Like you, I care deeply about protecting our wild landscapes, water, and wildlife. Unfortunately, people of color like me have often been left out of the environmental movement in the United States. In order to create long lasting, impactful transformations to address the massive environmental challenges we face today, combat climate change and the extinction crisis, we’re going to need diverse perspectives. This series highlights leaders who are on the front lines changing how we work on and talk about these issues. My goal is to educate people to become more informed and show that there is a strong community of color in this movement. I hope that this inspires youth (especially of color) to pursue environment-related careers and promotes a culture of inclusivity, diversity and equity.

 

Faith E. Briggs, Filmmaker, Creative Producer, and Podcast Host

Faith E. Briggs is best known for her projects This Land (2019), Brotherhood of Skiing (2018) and We Hike to Heal (2020), and for co-hosting The Trail Ahead podcast. She has also collaborated with clients such as Merrell, Patagonia, The North Face, REI, Subaru, American Rivers and Rumpl. In this interview she discusses the importance of representation and explicit invitation of BIPOC people on public lands and in the environmental realm. She also gives insight on how her work at the intersection of race, history, culture and environment shapes how she communicates about equity, diversity and inclusion.

 

Sristi Kamal, Senior Representative for the Northwest Program for Defenders of Wildlife

In this interview, Sristi and I talk about the issue of climate change and how it intersects with equity, diversity and inclusion. Additionally, she reflects on how her multicultural status impacts her perspectives on conservation. 

 

Quinn (Quynh Dien) Read, Oregon Policy Director for the Center for Biological Diversity

In this conversation Quinn (Quynh Dien) Read discusses the challenges of being multi-racial, and what she has learned from self reflection and reclaiming her identity. She also examines her path towards working in the conservation field.

 

Tabitha Miles-Kingrey, Operations Supervisor of Oxbow Regional Park at Metro

Tabitha started her supervisor position at Oxbow in 2019, adding fresh perspective to the environmental movement and dedication towards creating safe and welcoming recreation experiences for all people. In this conversation, Tabitha discusses how she makes space for BIPOC people, not just physically in the park, but also through day to day actions. She uncovers steps to move forward in the creation of a more inclusive, diverse and equitable environmental movement by drawing on her experience with the public as a Black, queer woman.