Resources
We believe that learning is essential to DEIJ work.
So we have pulled together a working archive of some of our favorite readings, activities, media and tips & tools. As we learn about and gather more resources, we will upload them here. You can filter by subject and then resource type below (activities, media, readings, tips & tools).
Chinese in the Woods: Lumbering and Logging in the American West
This book by Sue Fawn Chung explores the relationships between East Asians in the U.S. and their environment from the perspective of Chinese who lumbered and logged the West. Often dominant environmental history doesn’t address the presence or participation of people of color, and it is especially hard to find resources about East Asians. We’d recommend this books for conservation organizations interested in understanding the myriad ways in which Americans of different races connect with nature. Buy the book here.
Lumbersexuality and Its Discontents
“One hundred years ago, a crisis in urban masculinity created the lumberjack aesthetic. Now it’s making a comeback.” In this Atlantic essay, Willa Brown addresses class as it relates to the “lumbersexual” aesthetic that is prevalent in the outdoor industry. This is a great think piece that prompts questions such as: (1) was outdoor recreation always aimed at the middle and upper classes?; (2) does the industry’s “lumberjack” aesthetic constitute cultural appropriation of a particular class of people? Complicated, but a great read if you’re interested in how class has played into the aesthetics of outdoor recreation. Read the article here.
Environmental Education Better Results Toolkit
This toolkit, developed by Learning for Action, is useful for any environmental, outdoor, or place-based education organization seeking to evaluate its programs and build tools to measure impact. Though the toolkit doesn’t have a DEI lens, coupled with DEI practices such as the Avarna Group’s 3R framework for building culturally relevant, responsible, and responsive curriculum, this toolkit can really support showing positive impacts of DEI work in program/curriculum design.
Diné Bikéyah Book
This book, written and published by the Navajo people, provides history and context on the people and lands of the Diné Bikéyah. This is useful for any organization interested in more meaningfully engaging indigenous peoples of the 4 Corners (e.g., in connection with the Bears Ears National Monument).
DownloadCommunity Based Participatory Action Research Toolkits
This website has multiple toolkits, codeveloped by the Advancement Project and Healthy City, on topics such as Community Research, Participatory Asset Mapping, and a Short Guide to CBPAR.
Cultural Mapping Toolkit
Cultural mapping is a valuable tool for identifying a community’s strengths and its resources. This toolkit was developed by the Province of British Columbia in 2010.
DownloadGENIAL: Generating Engagement and New Initiatives for All Latinos
This paper, coauthored by Avarna Group facilitator and founder of Latino Outdoors José Gonzålez, works to complicate the stereotypes organizations have in working with the Latinx community and provides useful guidelines for doing equitable community engagement work. This will be useful for any organization engaging in stakeholder and community engagement, generally, and in particular for organizations working to better engage the “Latinx” or “Hispanic” communities.
DownloadPrinciples of Environmental Justice
Drafted in 1991, the Principles of Environmental Justice establish guidance for all what environmental justice truly means. Read the preamble and principles here.
Jemez Principles
Drafted in 1996 during a meeting hosted by Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (SNEEJ), Jemez, New Mexico, Dec. 1996, the Jemez Principles provide 6 guiding principles for democratic organizing. Read more here.