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community engagement

Building Resilient Organizations

“Building Resilient Organizations” examines the crises facing progressive movements and social justice groups, from toxic workplace cultures to deep divisions over values and strategy. Maurice Mitchell argues that these tensions are shaped by outside forces such as market-driven politics that prioritize profit over people, the rise of authoritarian governments that restrict freedoms, and persistent systemic inequities. They are also fueled by internal patterns like insisting on only the most extreme positions and rejecting leadership by treating all leaders as untrustworthy. The article offers a framework for building organizations that work well by focusing on clear roles and decision-making, a shared vision and purpose, practical plans, and a respectful culture. To learn more, click here.

Unfencing the Future: Voices On How Indigenous and Non-Indigenous People and Organizations Can Work Together Toward Environmental and Conservation Goals

This report aims to inform and support non-Indigenous conservation groups and environmental funders in working with Indigenous communities. The guide emphasizes collaborative relationship built on time, listening, understanding, and a willingness to let go of power and control, moving beyond typical transactional “grants”. It delves into the history of colonization, land theft, and the exclusion of Indigenous peoples from conservation efforts, which created a significant disconnect. To foster successful partnerships, the guide highlights key themes for non-Indigenous organizations: prioritizing genuine relationships, ensuring inclusivity from the design stage, supporting Indigenous leadership in decision-making, and providing flexible, long-term funding. It strives toward “gadugi” (helping each other) and shared environmental and conservation goals, recognizing that Indigenous communities can drive meaningful and collaborative change. To learn more, click the button below.

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Because We Need Each Other: Conversations on Cancel Culture

“Cancel culture” is a widely debated and misused term, often weaponized across the political spectrum. This four-part series, created by social justice practitioners, aims to reframe the term — not to dismiss accountability, but to explore how conflict, harm, and healing can be addressed in transformative ways that strengthen movements rather than tear them apart. The effort emerged from a 2023 gathering called Because We Need Each Other (BWNEO), bringing together 25 movement leaders to confront the fear, fragmentation, and call-out culture in leftist spaces, and to explore alternative approaches rooted in accountability and healing. The series offers readers a blend of personal narratives, cultural analysis, and practical tools, with each weaving together insights from the BWNEO gathering and real-world strategies for recognizing harmful dynamics and intervening with care. To learn more, click here.

The Fish Wars

This is a in-depth lesson plan put together about The Fish Wars of the 1960s and 70s between Indigenous nations and the states of Oregon and Washington, in which the state governments violated the treaty rights of native people and unconstitutionally barred their access to fishing. This is a great resources for educators and students to learn about The Fish Wars and the rights of Native American sovereign nations. For more read here.

A Red Deal

This articles introduces the idea of a “Red New Deal” that ties Indigenous liberation into a demand for sweeping environmental changes. The author also reviews how New Deal economic development relied on the displacement of Indigenous communities from their homes and the destruction of their land. They suggest that policymakers must learn from the consequences of past policies and must choose to center indigenous voices in the new environmental movement. For more read here.

Decolonizing Environmental Education

This is a Zine put together that can be used as a tool to begin the work of changing and decolonizing the field of environmental education. The Zine shares personal experiences of POC and Indigenous environmental educators and activists, provides links to numerous articles and resources and offers tools on how to call for systemic environmental justice. For more read here.

The stifling air of rigid radicalism

This article discusses the pitfalls of “rigid radicalism”, which is defined both as a “fixed way of being” and a “way of fixing” that views emerging movements for their flaws. The author provides a reminder that radicalism is not a fixed way of being, rather a constantly evolving creative process. For more read here.

Greening Without Gentrification

This article discusses how the development of parks in low-income neighborhoods can accelerate or begin the process of gentrification and contribute the displacement of low-income residents. The authors discuss the results of a study on “parks-related anti-displacement strategies” and provide examples of how those engaged in park development are trying to prevent displacement of vulnerable groups. For more read here. 

Decolonization and anti-racism: a reading list

This is a reading list put together by Verso Books. In their words, this is a list of “books that challenge the notion of empire and offer a history of anti-colonial, anti-racist struggle.” To explore these book suggestions, read more here. 

What indigenous communities are teaching scientists about nature

This article discusses how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has been historically devalued in favor of Western science. It explores examples of partnerships between indigenous peoples across the world and Western scientists as case studies of how to braid TEK into ecological decisionmaking. For more read here.

Relearning The Star Stories Of Indigenous Peoples: How the lost constellations of indigenous North Americans can connect culture, science, and inspire the next generation of scientists.

This Science Friday article and radio show episode talks about about the historical role of science in indigenous communities and considering a broader definition of science. In the piece, journalist Christie Taylor interviews Wilfred Buck, Cree elder and storyteller who teaches about indigenous astronomy. For more read and listen here.

Why am I always being researched? A guidebook for community organizations, researchers, and funders to help us get from insufficient understanding to more authentic truth

Chicago Beyond created this guidebook to help shift the power dynamic and the way community organizations, researchers, and funders uncover knowledge together. It is an equity-based approach to research that offers one way in which we can restore communities as authors and owners. It is based on the steps and missteps of Chicago Beyond’s own experience funding community organizations and research, and the courageous and patient efforts of our partners, the youth they serve, and others with whom we have learned. Visit the web page here.