Resources

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Environmental Justice and Environmentalism: The Social Justice Challenge to the Environmental Movement

This collection of essays explores the complex relationship between environmentalism and environmental justice. The contributors approach how the goals of both environmentalism and environmental justice can be achieved. Among the fields represented are anthropology, environmental studies, natural resource sciences, philosophy, public policy, rhetoric, and sociology. Read here.

Diversity and the Future of the U.S. Environmental Movement

This is collection of perspectives on diversity and the environmental movement by various leaders in the movement (edited by Emily Enderle). The entire book is available free online here and is attached.

Why Lead with Race? Challenging Institutional Racism to Create an Equitable Society for All

This FAQ posted by the City of Seattle and the Seattle Office for Civil Rights clearly articulates some reasons why organizations and agencies like theirs prioritize dismantling racism (over other forms of oppression). If your organization is struggling to articulate why you should or do lead with race, use this for your messaging.

Why Discussing Cultural Appropriation Isn’t Just Being Told What You ‘Can’t’ Do

This Everyday Feminism post gets to the heart of one of the things we find most challenging about cultural appropriation: engaging in productive dialogue to give people feedback without them shutting down or getting over defensive. If you’re having a hard time talking to someone about this topic, or if you yourself are wondering why cultural appropriation is a big deal, please read the post here.

Blindspot: The Hidden Bias of Good People

In this seminal work, the authors of the Implicit Association Test discuss the impetus for their research on implicit biases. The book is peppered with fascinating activities and stories. Because implicit bias is what fundamentally gets in the way of our doing good diversity, equity, and inclusion work, we recommend everybody read this book. For those who are more audiovisual, listen to the podcast we’ve posted with Mazarin Banaji. If you have some time to read, order the book online here.

Crimes against Nature: Squatters, Poachers, Thieves, and the Hidden History of American Conservation

Crimes against Nature reveals the hidden history behind three of the nation’s first parklands: the Adirondacks, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. Focusing on conservation’s impact on local inhabitants, Karl Jacoby traces the effect of criminalizing such traditional practices as hunting, fishing, foraging, and timber cutting in the newly created parks. Jacoby reassesses the nature of these “crimes” and provides a rich portrait of rural people and their relationship with the natural world in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The book is available for purchase online here.

The Rise of the American Conservation Movement: Power, Privilege, and Environmental Protection

This book by Dorceta Taylor reveals the untold stories of the American conservation movement as they relate to race, indigeneity, gender, and other historically marginalized ideas and perspectives. Highly recommended for outdoor education and recreation folks. A must-read for anyone in the conservation or environmental sector (including advocacy, conservation, preservation, land, water, and wildlife management, and environmental education). The book is available for purchase online here.

Black Faces, White Spaces

This book explores the complex history and relationship of African Americans with the outdoors. A must read for folks in the camp, outdoor education, and outdoor recreation space. The book is available to order online here.

A Manufactured Wilderness: Summer Camps and the Shaping of American Youth, 1890–1960

This book by Abigail A. Van Slyck examines the unique history and legacy of summer camps in the U.S. For those who don’t want to read the entire book, in our work with camps and outdoor recreation, we found following chapters particularly enlightening:

• the Introduction
• Chapter 3 (titled “Housing the Healthy Camper: Tents, Cabins, and Attitudes towards Health.”
• Chapter 5 (titled “Good and Dirty? Girls, Boys, and Camp Cleanliness”)
• Chapter 6 (titled “Living Like Savages. Tipis, Council Rings, and Playing Indian”)

The book is available on Amazon here.