As a white man in a managerial role, I recognize that I have a limited scope of experience when it comes to discussing issues of racial justice and how it relates to our work at the Urban Ecology Center. I also recognize that too often white voices have remained silent on these issues when we should have spoken up, and so on the occasion of the official release of our organizations Equity, Dignity, & Justice Anti-Racism Action Statement I’m humbly offering these reflections to add another voice to the chorus of Black and Brown voices that we all should be listening to with greater sincerity.

As Black History Month draws to a close, our Equity, Dignity, and Justice team at the Urban Ecology Center wanted to highlight some of the black folks who have shaped, led, and grown the environmental movement. The faces associated with environmentalism in our societal storytelling are often white ones, but in reality black (and brown) folks have been caring for and protecting our environment throughout human history. Here are some black environmental leaders we love: