Breaking Green Ceilings

Nadia Ahmad is an author, attorney, law professor, and environmental justice advocate. She has spent her academic career focusing on frontline communities who are the most vulnerable to energy production. She is a Visiting Associate Professor at Yale Law School and an Associate Professor at Barry University School of Law. She teaches environmental law, property, and business organizations. She has presented her research on the law and policy of advanced biofuels in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Cambridge, Doha, Denver, New York, and San Francisco. Her over 45 scholarly publications focus on the intersections of energy siting, the environment, and sustainable development and draw on international investment law and corporate social responsibility.

Nadia Ahmad is an author, attorney, law professor, and environmental justice advocate. She has spent her academic career focusing on frontline communities who are the most vulnerable to energy production. She is a Visiting Associate Professor at Yale Law School and an Associate Professor at Barry University School of Law. She teaches environmental law, property, and business organizations. She has presented her research on the law and policy of advanced biofuels in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Cambridge, Doha, Denver, New York, and San Francisco. Her over 45 scholarly publications focus on the intersections of energy siting, the environment, and sustainable development and draw on international investment law and corporate social responsibility.

Earl B. Hunter, Jr is an unapologetic business owner of an outdoor recreational and marketing company that is committed to get more black folks out in nature, and encourage our white allies to invite non white folks on their outdoor excursions. Earl worked in the recreational vehicle or RV industry as an executive for many years until he realized how people of color and particularly black folks are rarely to be seen purchasing recreational equipment or even enjoying outdoor spaces like parks. So he took matters into his own hands. And he created Black Folks Camp Too, which is based on one simple slogan, treat everyone everywhere equally. This is depicted in the Black Folks Camp Too Unity Blaze. Follow Earl IG:@blackfolkscamptoo Facebook: @blackfolkscamptoo YouTube: @Black Folks Camp Too Website: blackfolkscamptoo.com Follow Breaking Green Ceilings IG - @breaking_green_ceilings

Ecologist Dr. Rodrigo Medellín is one of the most vocal and well-known advocates for the protection of bats and bat habitats. Rodrigo fell in love with bats when he held one for the first time at the age of 13 and today he is known as the “Bat Man of Mexico”. He is especially known for making significant contributions to taking the lesser long-nosed bat off the endangered list in Mexico and the U.S. The lesser long-nosed bat, found in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, is one of just three bat species in North America that are responsible for pollinating cacti and agave plants across the continent.

Rocio Villalobos is from Austin, Texas. She's an avid trail runner who promotes mental health, having experienced her own challenges and finding a place to belong in nature. She runs to promote Indigenous values around running to heal the soul and healing one's relationship to the land and to raise awareness on the importance of increasing racial representation in the outdoors. She is also a mentor who helps connect young people to nature and themselves. In addition, she is also an environmental and social justice activist who is fighting to promote a healthy community in her East Austin neighborhood which is predominantly Latinx and a Black community and has experienced environmental injustices. Last but not least, she is currently working with the City of Austin's equity office as an immigrant affairs coordinator. Connect with Rocio IG: @thexicanaexplorer Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rociodelrosario Follow Breaking Green Ceilings IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @breaking_green_ceilings

One would think that food insecurity doesn't exist in one of the richest countries in the world - United Kingdom. Deidre (Dee) Woods who currently lives in London sheds light on the stark disparities that exist in the community she serves. As a food and farming action-ist Dee advocates for good food for all and a just, equitable food system, challenging the systemic barriers that impact marginalized communities and food producers. Having experienced food insecurity herself, Dee found a way to organize community to increase food access and eventually co-founded a food bank in London. Through policy action and decolonizing research and farming methods, Dee is committed to helping families struggling economically, often people of color, including immigrants and refugees. Of Trinidadian heritage, Dee talks about how her experiences of growing up on her father's farm in Trinidad made her passionate about food, farming and connecting to the land. In addition to being a food and farming action-ist, Dee is also an award winning cook!Follow Dee Woods:Twitter: @DidaraInstagram: @osunschild Facebook: Deirdre WoodsFollow Breaking Green Ceilings:IG - @breaking_green_ceilingsWebsite: breakinggreenceilings.com

In this episode we talk about the implications of free trade on African women especially from a food sovereignty perspective. Often free trade agreements are advertised to boost trade between countries, and ultimately encourage and strengthen economic growth in a geographic region. However, this is not the case, especially with African women farmers and small holder farmers who are the back bone of the agriculture sector on the continent. Susan Nacakwa and Leonida Odongo share their experiences of their work in Uganda and Kenya as it relates to helping empower small holder and women farmers to protect and preserve indigenous farming practices that are less harmful to the environment and ensure sustainable yields over the long term. Ultimately, Susan and Leonida want to help their farmers reclaim land to produce local and organic foods that achieve food and seed sovereignty not only in their home countries but also throughout other African countries struggling with similar threats from unfair government policies and corporate interests. Follow Susan:Email - susan@grain.org Website - https://grain.org/ Follow Leonida:Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/public/Nana-OdongoTwitter: https://twitter.com/nanodo2001Blog: https://leoconversations715036889.wordpress.com/Email: leonida@hakinawiriafrika.org Leonida's Organisation - Haki Nawiri Afrika Website :https://hakinawiriafrika.org/Blog: https://hakinawiriafrica.wordpress.com/blog-2/You Tube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc1ez4ndJ0IDhqU6gQgBEyQ/aboutEmail: info@hakinawiriafrika.org

This is the second episode of a two part series with three wonderful changemakers - Laura Diaz, Samrat Pathania from Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice or EC-EJ and Isabel Lopez and Raizes Collective. This is  yet another wonderfully informative and descriptive conversation with phenomenal environmental justice activists on what inspired them to create their own movements and how they are collaborating to help strengthen and empower their communities. Topics Discussed: The power of storytelling Decolonizing educational curricula as a critical means to teaching environmental justice The role of humility in environmental justice work The appropriation of environmental justice in academia Follow Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice (EC-EJ) Website: https://www.ec-ej.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edcollectiveforEJ/ Follow Raizes Collective: Website: https://www.raizescollective.org/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/raizescollective/posts Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: IG - @breaking_green_ceilings YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

This is the first episode of a two part series with three wonderful changemakers - Laura Diaz, Samrat Pathania from Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice or EC-EJ and Isabel Lopez and Raizes Collective. This is  yet another wonderfully informative and descriptive conversation with phenomenal environmental justice activists on what inspired them to create their own movements and how they are collaborating to help strengthen and empower their communities. Topics Discussed: How to teach Environmental Justice in the classroom How to build stronger communities through artivism Using data to demonstrate environmental racism Follow Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice (EC-EJ) Website: https://www.ec-ej.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edcollectiveforEJ/ Follow Raizes Collective: Website: https://www.raizescollective.org/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/raizescollective/posts Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: IG - @breaking_green_ceilings YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

This is the first episode of a two part series with three wonderful changemakers - Laura Diaz, Samrat Pathania from Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice or EC-EJ and Isabel Lopez and Raizes Collective. This is  yet another wonderfully informative and descriptive conversation with phenomenal environmental justice activists on what inspired them to create their own movements and how they are collaborating to help strengthen and empower their communities. Topics Discussed: How to teach Environmental Justice in the classroom How to build stronger communities through artivism Using data to demonstrate environmental racism Follow Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice (EC-EJ) Website: https://www.ec-ej.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edcollectiveforEJ/ Follow Raizes Collective: Website: https://www.raizescollective.org/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/raizescollective/posts Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: IG - @breaking_green_ceilings YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

A queer farmer of color, Edgar Xochitl is the Farm Manager at Hummingbird Farm a collective farm in the Excelsior, San Francisco. Edgar focuses on cross-polinating traditional ecological knowledge. In this episode we talk about:   What is Queer Ecology? What does it mean to decolonize the flower? How to apply principles of queer ecology How to challenges the gender binary mindset? Follow Edgar: IG - @ecoxicano Twitter: @ecoxicano Watch/Learn More: YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Why is modern conservation failing? And what can we do to improve its effectiveness? As a social research consultant,  Leander Lacy notes that traditional approaches are fragmented, not adequately considering the social dimensions of environmental issues. His transformative solutions— rooted in empiricism and critical Human-Nature connectedness, help conservation groups and eco-minded businesses achieve optimal outcomes from conservation action: business growth, stronger community relationships, stakeholder engagement, and increased JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion). In this episode we talk about: On the “selfless” nature of Environmental Preservation On applying Social Science perspectives to address topics in Conservation On integrating Human Dimensions to promote sustainability in conservation Follow Leander: IG - @greenmindpodcast Website: https://www.thegreenmindpodcast.com/ Watch/Learn More: YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Billy Almon is an Astrobiofuturist. Billy helps people explore solutions to improve human experiences on earth and in space. He is an inventor and immersive storyteller who aims to reach the next generation of inventors, designers, scientists and engineers – showing them how to design the future they wish to see. Billy is also the co-host of Little Giants, a new TV series on Animal Planet that features some of his global explorations of the nature-inspired design process called Biomimicry. In this episode we talk about: What is biomimicry How can biomimcry be used to reduce human impact on the environment What social justice has to do with the space discovery Follow Billy: IG - @billy_almon Website: billyalmon.com Watch/Learn More: YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Benjamin Von Wong is an award-winning Canadian who's work lies at the intersection of fantasy and photography and combines everyday objects with shocking statistics. It has attracted the attention of corporations, like Starbucks, Dell, and Nike and has generated over 100 million views for causes like ocean plastics, electronic waste, and fashion pollution. Most recently, he was named one of Adweek's 11 content branded masterminds. In this episode Ben talks about some of his conceptual photography projects where he tried to communicate the shocking impacts of pollution such as Strawpocalypse: a 10-ft sculpture made from 168,000 reclaimed straws to spotlight plastic pollution and the world's tallest closet to encourage consumers to shop consciously. He also talks about his podcast Impact Everywhere Podcast and how it's a means to continue amplifying the positive impact of other creatives, entrepreneurs, innovators, changemakers around the world. Watch/Learn More: YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

We're back! Here are some highlights: Video for season 2 and season 3 episodes are on our youtube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdv_elfXXh0fbb_s6QYLZHg Still sticking to an every other week schedule First episode comes out on July 6th so lookout! Let's connect!: IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Stacey Isaac Berahzer, founder of IB Environmental, has spent more than 16 years in the environmental field, most of it immersed in water resource management as a senior project director with the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. As a passionate proponent of clean, affordable water who is deeply connected to work in the water industry, she’s helps her clients overcome the constant challenges related to funding and managing these projects. Stacey’s passion for environmental work led her to earn a degree in Environmental Science from North Carolina Central University and a Master of Public Administration from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is past chair of the board of directors for the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership and teaches in the Georgia Association of Water Professionals Leadership Academy. Follow Stacey: Website - https://www.ibenvironmental.com/ Twitter - @IBenvironmental Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Stephen Awoyemi is a PhD student at the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy. For his PhD research, he looks at how sociological theories can help explain and solve the conservation problem of trade in vulture parts for traditional medicine in Nigeria. He holds an MPhil degree in Conservation Leadership (2014) from the University of Cambridge, UK and Bachelors degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Before starting this PhD program, Stephen worked with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, the foremost conservation organization in Nigeria as Conservation Policy and Campaign Officer/Head of Abuja Office and has been a longtime volunteer with the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB). Follow Stephen Awoyemi: Publications - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen-Awoyemi-2 Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Raya Salter is an attorney, educator and clean energy law/policy expert, focusing on climate justice. She is a member of the New York State Climate Action Council, which is developing NY’s plan to reach the nation’s leading climate action goals, and a policy organizer with the NY Renews environmental and climate justice coalition. Raya is an experienced advocate, having practiced energy law and regulation in multiple jurisdictions, including New York and Hawaii. In prior roles she was a Senior Attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council and a Regulatory Attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund. She has written widely on energy policy and her book, "Energy Justice, Domestic and International Perspectives" was released in 2018. Follow Raya Salter Instagram - @climateauntie LinkedIn - @RayaSalter Website - rayasalter.com Twitter - @EarthtoRaya Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Deondre Smiles is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Geography and is a citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. His research interests include Indigenous geographies, science and technology studies, and tribal cultural resource protection/preservation. His current dissertation research focuses on historical and contemporary disrespect and disturbances of deceased Indigenous bodies and Indigenous burial grounds in his home state of Minnesota.   Deondre is also teaching a course this spring on indigenous environmental activism at The Ohio State University, which we talk about in-depth in this 44th episode of the Breaking Green Ceilings podcast. Follow Deondre: Twitter - @DeondreSmiles Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Weldon Wade was born and raised in Bermuda and has been active in the Bermuda diving community for over 10 years. The first and only Bermudian certified as freediver/scuba diver/closed-circuit rebreather diver, Weldon is also the founder of an ocean conservation organization called Guardians of the Reef. With important missions that include inviting new divers to explore and protect the ocean, encouraging divers to continue diving, they empower more young Bermudians to see for themselves what lies beneath the waves. Ocean protection is at the core of Guardians, with hunting invasives and removing plastic pollution from the land and sea floor as two of the organization’s main goals. Follow Weldon Wade: Website: https://www.weldonwade.com/ Instagram: @Weldonwade Facebook: @Weldonwade Twitter - @Weldonwade Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Weldon Wade was born and raised in Bermuda and has been active in the Bermuda diving community for over 10 years. The first and only Bermudian certified as freediver/scuba diver/closed-circuit rebreather diver, Weldon is also the founder of an ocean conservation organization called Guardians of the Reef. With important missions that include inviting new divers to explore and protect the ocean, encouraging divers to continue diving, they empower more young Bermudians to see for themselves what lies beneath the waves. Ocean protection is at the core of Guardians, with hunting invasives and removing plastic pollution from the land and sea floor as two of the organization’s main goals. Follow Weldon Wade: Website: https://www.weldonwade.com/ Instagram: @Weldonwade Facebook: @Weldonwade Twitter - @Weldonwade Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

This is a re-release of an episode from Feb 2020 season 1 of the podcast. This episode is with the only African American River Keeper in the world, Fred Tutman. Fred is the river for the Patuxent River in Maryland, a north eastern state in the US. This episode is especially meaningful for me because it was the first time I gained the perspective of an elder in the environmental justice movement. Fred’s words still echo in my thoughts because I learned about how segregated the environmental movement is and the challenges that Black and Brown communities face especially when competing with mainstream environmental movements for attention and resources for environmental justice causes. So, I am rereleasing old episodes every other week because I’d like for us to revisit some of the conversations that set the foundation for this podcast. I also want to continue honoring the guests. And another reason for rereleasing episodes is so that our new listeners can catch-up and older followers can reflect on these conversations. A new episode will be released next week. Until then please enjoy my conversation with the Patuxent Riverkeeper, Fred Tutman. Follow Fred: https://paxriverkeeper.org/ https://fredtutman.com/ Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: YouTube- Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Instagram - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings

This is a re-release of an episode from Feb 2020 season 1 of the podcast. This episode is with the only African American River Keeper in the world, Fred Tutman. Fred is the river for the Patuxent River in Maryland, a north eastern state in the US. This episode is especially meaningful for me because it was the first time I gained the perspective of an elder in the environmental justice movement. Fred’s words still echo in my thoughts because I learned about how segregated the environmental movement is and the challenges that Black and Brown communities face especially when competing with mainstream environmental movements for attention and resources for environmental justice causes. So, I am rereleasing old episodes every other week because I’d like for us to revisit some of the conversations that set the foundation for this podcast. I also want to continue honoring the guests. And another reason for rereleasing episodes is so that our new listeners can catch-up and older followers can reflect on these conversations. A new episode will be released next week. Until then please enjoy my conversation with the Patuxent Riverkeeper, Fred Tutman. Follow Fred: https://paxriverkeeper.org/ https://fredtutman.com/ Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: YouTube- Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Instagram - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings

This is a re-release of an episode from Feb 2020 season 1 of the podcast. This episode is with the only African American River Keeper in the world, Fred Tutman. Fred is the river for the Patuxent River in Maryland, a north eastern state in the US. This episode is especially meaningful for me because it was the first time I gained the perspective of an elder in the environmental justice movement. Fred’s words still echo in my thoughts because I learned about how segregated the environmental movement is and the challenges that Black and Brown communities face especially when competing with mainstream environmental movements for attention and resources for environmental justice causes. So, I am rereleasing old episodes every other week because I’d like for us to revisit some of the conversations that set the foundation for this podcast. I also want to continue honoring the guests. And another reason for rereleasing episodes is so that our new listeners can catch-up and older followers can reflect on these conversations. A new episode will be released next week. Until then please enjoy my conversation with the Patuxent Riverkeeper, Fred Tutman. Follow Fred: https://paxriverkeeper.org/ https://fredtutman.com/ Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: YouTube- Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Instagram - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings

Nicole Jackson, Ivory Levert and Angela Mitchell are co-creators of Black Women in Nature (BWN), an initiative to connect Black women with nature through meditation, nature, hiking, and reflection in Columbus, Ohio. Nicole is an environmental educator and co-organizer for Black in National Parks Week and Black Birder’s Week. Ivory Levert is a certified yoga guide and leads the meditation and mindfulness segments of the BWN sessions. Angela Mitchell is a professional athlete and health and wellness enthusiast who guides the discussions on the importance of holistic living in the BWN sessions. Together these women are helping Black women find and celebrate Black joy, and to connect with their natural environment through mind, body and soul. Follow Black Women in Nature: Instagram: @blkwomeninnature Nicole Jackson - @blackinnpsweek and @nicky.j10 IvoryLevert - @mindfulgreenqueen and @plantthepower614 Angela Mitchell - @theveganfitsta Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Twitter - @sapnamulki

Nicole Jackson, Ivory Levert and Angela Mitchell are co-creators of Black Women in Nature (BWN), an initiative to connect Black women with nature through meditation, nature, hiking, and reflection in Columbus, Ohio. Nicole is an environmental educator and co-organizer for Black in National Parks Week and Black Birder’s Week. Ivory Levert is a certified yoga guide and leads the meditation and mindfulness segments of the BWN sessions. Angela Mitchell is a professional athlete and health and wellness enthusiast who guides the discussions on the importance of holistic living in the BWN sessions. Together these women are helping Black women find and celebrate Black joy, and to connect with their natural environment through mind, body and soul. Follow Black Women in Nature: Instagram: @blkwomeninnature Nicole Jackson - @blackinnpsweek and @nicky.j10 IvoryLevert - @mindfulgreenqueen and @plantthepower614 Angela Mitchell - @theveganfitsta Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Twitter - @sapnamulki

Nicole Jackson, Ivory Levert and Angela Mitchell are co-creators of Black Women in Nature (BWN), an initiative to connect Black women with nature through meditation, nature, hiking, and reflection in Columbus, Ohio. Nicole is an environmental educator and co-organizer for Black in National Parks Week and Black Birder’s Week. Ivory Levert is a certified yoga guide and leads the meditation and mindfulness segments of the BWN sessions. Angela Mitchell is a professional athlete and health and wellness enthusiast who guides the discussions on the importance of holistic living in the BWN sessions. Together these women are helping Black women find and celebrate Black joy, and to connect with their natural environment through mind, body and soul. Follow Black Women in Nature: Instagram: @blkwomeninnature Nicole Jackson - @blackinnpsweek and @nicky.j10 IvoryLevert - @mindfulgreenqueen and @plantthepower614 Angela Mitchell - @theveganfitsta Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Twitter - @sapnamulki

Hey All! Season 2 is here! I can’t believe that we made it this far. Season 1 was exhilarating and hectic at the same time. We had 40 episodes in 9 months. At that time I didn't think to take a break for various reasons, I was exhilarated by all the amazing guests I found and their stories. I also wanted to get the hang of podcasting and it was new, fun and exciting to me so I just kept going. That said, we are not going to do a repeat of that. This year, I am breaking down the seasons into three months each with a break of one month in-between. I will also be releasing a new episode every other week and in between I will re-release an episode from season 1 with a look back discussion. I’m experimenting with this structure because when I spoke to a few of our listeners one of the pieces of feedback included  that there were alot of episodes in season 1 and it was hard to keep up with so that’s why the schedule of every other week. And because I still want to honor the amazingness of our season 1 guests who you've probably not had a chance to hear from I am re-releasing them. I’m curious to see how that goes. If you have any thoughts please email me at info@watersavvysolutions.com or you can DM on Insta, Twitter, FB, LinkedIn. Links will be in the show notes. Another thing new that we’re doing is we’ve uploaded all 40 episodes on YouTube! It took a loonngg time but we thought it would be useful especially for those of us who need captions. Also, I will be recording videos of some interviews and I’ll let you know in the intros if it is available. So, still focusing on what’s to come in the next season, I’m also going to be experimenting with some formats. I am trying to do a series that focuses on a particular issue so that we can fully get a well-rounded understanding on issues by featuring various perspectives. I am also trying to have more than one guest per show just to show the nuance of environmental issues and themes. In season 1 we covered many themes and you probably noticed recurring themes around environmental justice, structural racism, colonialism this is expected since this podcast focuses on amplifying the voices of environmentalists from marginalized communities and their white allies and this is their experiences. That said, in a listener survey we conducted two months back one of the pieces of  feedback we received is a desire to hear from environmentalists outside of the US. As a Kenyan Indian I love that idea and also released a series on Kenyan environmentalists in season 1. Those are episodes 14 through 17 if you’re interested. But, yes, we will be hearing from more international environmentalists! Other topics we will be covering include: Indigenous led ecological restoration Queer nature Climate change and especially how to communicate on this topic Climate anxiety Wildlife conservation and protection Food sovereignty Religion and the environment I’m getting excited sharing what’s to come this year. Finally, I am so grateful to you dear listener, you have given me hope that we can make a difference together. As an environmentalist I’ve often struggled with my theory of change because I wasn’t seeing favorable outcomes within the timeframe I wanted and I was always limited by somebody else’s agenda. Well, with the podcast I get to show what I think matters, which is a diversity of voices and how everything is connected. Our environmental solutions can’t be just from a single lens. We need multiple perspectives that include consideration of socioeconomic, political, and cultural influences. So, I hope dear listeners that you come to appreciate this approach and also implement it in whatever way you can in your work or daily life choices. Thank you for listening and I look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to share this podcast with you friends, family and foe. Please leave a review on Apple iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts and finally feel free to reach out to me: Website: https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast info@watersavvysolutions.com DM on Insta - @breaking_green_ceilings/ Twitter - @sapnamulki FB Group- @Breaking Green Ceilings LinkedIn - @Sapna Mulki

Hey All! Season 2 is here! I can’t believe that we made it this far. Season 1 was exhilarating and hectic at the same time. We had 40 episodes in 9 months. At that time I didn't think to take a break for various reasons, I was exhilarated by all the amazing guests I found and their stories. I also wanted to get the hang of podcasting and it was new, fun and exciting to me so I just kept going. That said, we are not going to do a repeat of that. This year, I am breaking down the seasons into three months each with a break of one month in-between. I will also be releasing a new episode every other week and in between I will re-release an episode from season 1 with a look back discussion. I’m experimenting with this structure because when I spoke to a few of our listeners one of the pieces of feedback included  that there were alot of episodes in season 1 and it was hard to keep up with so that’s why the schedule of every other week. And because I still want to honor the amazingness of our season 1 guests who you've probably not had a chance to hear from I am re-releasing them. I’m curious to see how that goes. If you have any thoughts please email me at info@watersavvysolutions.com or you can DM on Insta, Twitter, FB, LinkedIn. Links will be in the show notes. Another thing new that we’re doing is we’ve uploaded all 40 episodes on YouTube! It took a loonngg time but we thought it would be useful especially for those of us who need captions. Also, I will be recording videos of some interviews and I’ll let you know in the intros if it is available. So, still focusing on what’s to come in the next season, I’m also going to be experimenting with some formats. I am trying to do a series that focuses on a particular issue so that we can fully get a well-rounded understanding on issues by featuring various perspectives. I am also trying to have more than one guest per show just to show the nuance of environmental issues and themes. In season 1 we covered many themes and you probably noticed recurring themes around environmental justice, structural racism, colonialism this is expected since this podcast focuses on amplifying the voices of environmentalists from marginalized communities and their white allies and this is their experiences. That said, in a listener survey we conducted two months back one of the pieces of  feedback we received is a desire to hear from environmentalists outside of the US. As a Kenyan Indian I love that idea and also released a series on Kenyan environmentalists in season 1. Those are episodes 14 through 17 if you’re interested. But, yes, we will be hearing from more international environmentalists! Other topics we will be covering include: Indigenous led ecological restoration Queer nature Climate change and especially how to communicate on this topic Climate anxiety Wildlife conservation and protection Food sovereignty Religion and the environment I’m getting excited sharing what’s to come this year. Finally, I am so grateful to you dear listener, you have given me hope that we can make a difference together. As an environmentalist I’ve often struggled with my theory of change because I wasn’t seeing favorable outcomes within the timeframe I wanted and I was always limited by somebody else’s agenda. Well, with the podcast I get to show what I think matters, which is a diversity of voices and how everything is connected. Our environmental solutions can’t be just from a single lens. We need multiple perspectives that include consideration of socioeconomic, political, and cultural influences. So, I hope dear listeners that you come to appreciate this approach and also implement it in whatever way you can in your work or daily life choices. Thank you for listening and I look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to share this podcast with you friends, family and foe. Please leave a review on Apple iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts and finally feel free to reach out to me: Website: https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast info@watersavvysolutions.com DM on Insta - @breaking_green_ceilings/ Twitter - @sapnamulki FB Group- @Breaking Green Ceilings LinkedIn - @Sapna Mulki  

Jason Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Land Resource Sciences from Montana State University. Jason's interests have led to work and travel with Indigenous peoples in East Africa, New Zealand, Mexico, Russia, and Denmark. Much of his work has been surrounding the restoration of bison to the Wind River Indian Reservation. Jason currently serves as the Eastern Shoshone Tribal Buffalo Representative, and Tribal Buffalo Coordinator for the Tribal Partnerships Program of the National Wildlife Federation. Jason provides workshops and learning opportunities about Tribal history, water, bison conservation, wildlife/fisheries, and cultural connections with animals through song, story, and language. His efforts help people understand the complexities of contemporary issues through an Indigenous lense, bridging cross-cultural gaps and creating positive relationships with those who wish to understand more about Native American people. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/buffalo Topics Discussed: History of Buffalo in the U.S. Cultural, Ecological and Economic Importance of Buffalo in Praireland Rewilding Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Jason: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-baldes-80638420/

Ambika Rajyagor is a 24 year old Indian-American Outdoor/Adventure Blogger, Special Needs Advocate, and Activist. She is also the cofounder of DisablednOutdoors an online BIPOC-run community focused on representation and accessibility in the outdoors, wants to ensure that these efforts are intersectional, too—especially after nearly four years of policies that worked against Americans with disabilities. As someone who goes outdoors to look within, she can’t stand silent knowing that there is no real “outdoors for all” experience when racism and ableism exists. Most of Ambika's work in both her personal and professional life has been motivated by her biggest inspiration— her little sister Devika. At a year old, Devika survived AML Leukemia, and because of the extent of her treatment, she has lived with the side-effects of the chemo her whole life. She's severely physically and cognitively disabled, and while she experiences pain and limitations everyday— she is Ambika's “little lotus”. Ambika believes representation matters-- especially in the Outdoors Industry, where so many different minorities are underrepresented, from racial differences, to wealth, and ability differences. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/lending-a-voice Topics Discussed: How to be an advocate for disability rights Ableism in the outdoor community How to travel to national parks on a budget Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Ambika Rajyagor: Instagram- @gangesgal and @disablednoutdoors Twitter - @ganges_gal

Francisco, recently retired from his position as the director of recreation tourism, heritage and wilderness resources for more than 22 million acres of national forests and grasslands and national monuments in the Forest Service’s Southwestern Region. He served at the U.S. Forest service for more than 35 years. Valenzuela helped guide the development of over $500 million in infrastructure at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. It is the largest comprehensively planned investment in recreation infrastructure and services in Forest Service history. Francisco has contributed creating a sustainable relationship between human communities and the rest of the living world around the globe. He is now the Board Chair of PUP Global Heritage Consortium, which works to unite people and organizations dedicated to emerging paradigms in heritage management for a more holistic sustainable and vital future. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/recreating-in-color Topics Discussed: Recreation Equity Ecology is White Man's Problem Recognizing our Racist Environmental History Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Francisco Valenzuela: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/francisco-valenzuela-01770710 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/francisco.valenzuela.942 Instagram- @franciscovalenzuela2027 Twitter - @franciscov1960

Aalayna Green (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Michigan State University majoring in Zoology.  Her research focuses on the nexus between conservation criminology and women's studies.  She's specifically studying the gendered implications of urban wildmeat trafficking in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A self-proclaimed intersectional conservationist, Aalayna has plans to attend graduate school and focus on wildlife conservation, community sustainability, and women's empowerment. See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/trafficking Topics Discussed: Navigating Through Academia as an Undergraduate Women in wildlife trafficking in Africa Conservation Criminology And more! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Aalayana Green Twitter - @aalayna23 Instagram - @aalayna.green

Dr. Lee Ann Woolery, is an educator, researcher, scholar, and practicing artist of over 30 years. She pioneered Art-Based Perceptual Ecology, an art-based field research method to study ecological change. Dr. Woolery has accomplished a diverse array of actions varying from designing and facilitating arts programming for communities, schools, etc., to working with multicultural and intergenerational constituencies in several states, to developing a multi-disciplined community-based creative arts and mentorship program for inner-city youth of color in Chicago. She is currently the CEO and Research Director for EcoArt Expeditions and Citizen Artist, where she leads field research employing art-based research methods in concert with traditional scientific methods to study ecological systems. You can find more information about her current research and educational programming at http://www.ecoartexpeditions.com See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/ecoart Topics Discussed: The value art therapy Techniques in art-based perceptual theory Citizen Artistry And more! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Dr. Lee Ann Woolery Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Eco-Art-Expeditions-346059209505896/ LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-ann-woolery-60b9006/

Vasu Sojitra is a professional adaptive athlete. His main passion is for skiing as well as for mountain sports ranging from trail running, rock climbing to packrafting and everything in between. Vasu has climbed peaks like the Grand Teton and climbed and skied peaks in Montana’s Beartooth and Bridger mountain ranges. When Vasu was only nine months old, he was diagnosed with septicemia, resulting in the amputation of one of his legs. Since then, Vasu has not looked back; with the help of his parents, brother, and friends, Vasu has built up the confidence needed to face new challenges with grace, courage, strength, humor, and unwavering determination. With the motto of “ninjasticking through the wood to bring intersectionality to the outdoors” Vasu leads outdoor activities for people of marginalized backgrounds and challenges the biases that go with being a person of color with a disability through his work with the In Solidarity Network and first adaptive athlete for The North Face as well as his previous work as the Adaptive Sports Program Director for Eagle Mount Bozeman and Co-Founder/Program Coordinators for Earthtone Outsideᴹᵀ. See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/ninjasticking Topics Discussed: Disability Justice Creating Access for Disabled and the Outdoors Adaptive Athletisism And more! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Vasu Sojitra Instagram - @Vasu_Sojitra Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vasu.sojitra.athlete Twitter - https://twitter.com/vasu_sojitra LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasusojitra19/

Dr. Dominique Lazarre has been an Associate Research Scientist at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in Saint Petersburg, Florida, since 2017. At FWRI, she leads a data management team that provides fisheries data to state and regional partners for stock assessments. Dominique also has experience working in academia: she is currently an adjunct professor for the Department of Biological Sciences at University of South Florida Saint Petersburg and was previously a visiting professor in Environmental Studies at Eckerd College. She completed her doctorate in Marine Biology and Fisheries at the University of Miami, where her dissertation focused on the dynamics of invasive lionfish and the factors that helped lionfish become established in the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Her current position allows her to work at the intersection of stakeholder engagement and fisheries management, providing data that support sustainable fisheries in Florida. See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/marine-sciences Topics Discussed: Black American Contributions to Marine Science Impacts of Lionfish Sustainable Fishing Practices And More! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki

Ari Copeland works at Black & Veatch Corporation as an Operations Specialist. Ari has a BS in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Masters in Environmental Engineering from University of Cincinnati.  Ari has been a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and has been in the water and wastewater industry for 16 years. Ari is a queer, transgender man who transitioned on the job in 2011.  Ari is passionate about inclusion efforts within the water industry and all aspects of life. Ari is a member of the AWWA Diversity and Membership Inclusion Committee and the current Chair of Black & Veatch’s Pride Employee Resource group – working towards fostering a safe and inclusive work environment for LGBTQIA+ professionals and Allies. Ari is a New Englander at heart (originally from Waterbury, Connecticut) but enjoys traveling within the USA and all over the world. See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/inclusive-spaces Topics Discussed: Creating Safe Spaces for Queer and Trans Folx Transgender Rights Activism How to Transition in the Workplace And More! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki      

Rabiah Nur is an Indigenous healer, activist, storyteller, speaker, ceremonialist and daughter of the Great Mother. Her work in the world is to heal and empower women through connection to nature, to spirit, and to their innate wisdom. She works to facilitate a rebirth of a new and healthy society where women are valued, empowered, whole and are held as the sacred beings that they are. If women are unhealthy, the whole society is unhealthy.Currently, Rabiah consults with and teaches at conferences, gatherings, schools, religious organizations, and retreat centers to offer Earth-based spiritual teachings, grounding energetic work, collective healing for teams and work groups, and education about appropriate use of Indigenous practices and traditions. Rabiah recently co-designed an initiative in partnership with the Patuxent Riverkeeper called Honoring Our Sacred Waters, which exists to increase awareness of the spiritual connection between people and water through honoring, ceremony, and education. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/spiritual Topics Discussed: Connecting with Nature Appropriation of Indigenous Culture Science of Vibrations Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki

Dr. Diego Román is an Assistant Professor in Bilingual/Bicultural Education at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Fall 2019). Prior to this appointment, he was an Assistant Professor in Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Román holds a B.S. degree in Agronomy from Zamorano University in Honduras and a M.S. degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He earned a M.S. degree in Biology, a M.A. in Linguistics, and a Ph.D. degree in Educational Linguistics, all from Stanford University. Dr. Román's research interests are located at the intersection of linguistics, science education, and environmental studies. Specifically, he investigates the implicit and explicit ideologies reflected in the design and implementation of bilingual programs and in studying the best practices of teaching science and environmental topics, particularly to bilingual students. Dr. Román has researched the language used to teach climate change at the middle school level and is currently leading an initiative that seeks to improve the quality of science, environmental, and bilingual instruction (Kichwa/Spanish and Spanish/English) in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/on-the-miseducation-of-our-youth Topics Discussed: How Environmental Topics and Climate Change is Taught to Bilingual Students. How to be a Multiculturally Competent Education. The Role of Linguistics in Education. Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki

Sarika is a first generation Indian-American, who grew up in the suburbs of Rochester NY. Her family comes from the foothills of Himachal Pradesh. Sarika was deeply influenced and inspired by the East Bay Area’s rich activist traditions while studying at the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned dual degrees in Peace and Conflict Studies and Conservation and Resource Studies. Before returning to graduate school, she worked for several years with her partner to build Restorative Formulations, a socially and environmentally responsible natural medicine company. She was able to pursue her twin interests in social and environmental justice while earning a Master's degree in Advocacy for Social Justice and Sustainability from Antioch University New England’s Department of Environmental Studies. Sarika lives with her family in Vermont. Currently, Sarika is an equity strategist and racial justice advocate.  She consults, teaches, writes, researches, and collaborates at the intersection of race, equity, and environmental issues. Sarika is deeply committed to working within the environmental movement to address issues of racial and environmental injustice and to support the inherent power, brilliance, and well-being of communities of color. She is also interested in supporting racial equity in nonprofit, education, criminal justice reform, and cultural spheres. Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/racial-equity Topics Discussed: Race Relations in the Environmental Movement Environmental Justice How to Diversifying Environmental Organizations Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki

Andrew Kricun is a Senior Director with Moonshot Missions, a non-profit focused on providing technical assistance to water utilities in underserved communities.  He is also a Senior Fellow with the US Water Alliance working on their national water equity initiative.  He is also working as a Senior Advisor at the Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania on various projects related to the Delaware River watershed.    Prior to that, he served as  Executive Director and Chief Engineer of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, operators of an 80 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant in Camden, NJ. He has 35 years of wastewater and biosolids management experience.  He graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in chemical engineering. Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/being-an-ally/ Topics Discussed: Water Equity in the United States Environmental Justice in Camden, NJ Green Infrastructure How To Be An Ally Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilngs Twitter- @sapnamulki

Whitney Tome is the former Executive Director of Green 2.0. Prior to joining The Raben Group as a principal, Whitney served as the director of diversity and inclusion at the National Parks Conservation Association where she led, defined, and crafted metrics and measures for the organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Whitney has advised complex ocean stakeholder processes as a Program Manager and Mediator at the Meridian Institute including facilitating public meetings for regional ocean planning bodies that included state, federal and tribal partners. At Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Whitney served as a strategist, cat herder and trusted advisor in dozens of state and federal political campaigns. She also developed, launched and grew the Fisheries Leadership and Sustainability Forum – a partnership between EDF, Duke, and Stanford.  Whitney earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Middlebury College and a J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law. She also won the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) International Mediation Competition in Paris, France. Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/how-to-diversify/ Topics Discussed: Lack of Diversity in Environmental Organizations. Green 2.0. White Feminism. Ballet and Environmentalism.       Follow: Instagram - @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @Breaking Green Ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Alyssa Perez is many things but among the most important are a mother, an environmentalist, and the founder of Stay Blooming. She's a Puerto Rican and has lived in the Bronx, New York her entire life. She has had a passion for our natural world since young and found herself wanting to protect these spaces over the years. Environmental awareness, education, and stewardship encompass much of her professional and personal lives. Stay Blooming reflects these values. She has also worked with Queens Botanical Garden as a Farm & Compost Intern and with GrowNYC as a Compost Coordinator. Alyssa recently graduated with her  BA in Environmental Studies at CUNY Queens College. Her goal is to make environmental education common knowledge, accessible, and digestible for anyone and everyone but especially her community. Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/cleaningup-newyork/ Topics Discussed: Building effective grassroots effort for volunteer cleanups. Being a woman of color in the environmental field. Effectiveness of plastic bag bans Follow Us: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilngs Twitter- @sapnamulki

Jeremy Lin is an interpretive naturalist for California State Parks. Based at Donner Memorial SP, Jeremy is the lead interpreter for several parks in Sierra District. As lead interpreter Jeremy manages several park programs including nature education, docent volunteers, and infrastructural and long-range planning. Jeremy has been involved in creating a number of park programs to increase public engagement – California State Parks Backpacking Adventures (CASPBA) program, Wilderness Patrol volunteer program. Jeremy has also managed all interpretive programs Rancho del Oso – Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Programs include recruiting/facilitating low income communities/schools for field trips. Previously, Jeremy worked as a program director for an outdoor science school. He graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies and is on track to graduate from Prescott College, Arizona with a M.A. Environmental Studies in Spring 2020. His main area of study for grad school is Evaluating the Impact of Volunteers Serving Public Lands. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast/naturalist Topics Discussed: What it means to be an Interpretive Naturalist. How California State Parks is create inclusive outdoor programs. The importance of volunteers to the State and National Parks. Follow Us: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilngs Twitter- @sapnamulki

Dr. Mariaelena Huambachano, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Society and Community Studies and Director of Biodiversity Protection and Indigeneity at UW, Madison. Dr. Huambachano’s work explores public policies for food sovereignty, social movements, sustainable development, and the role of Indigenous knowledge to improve food security and environmental policies. Dr. Huambachano utilises a novel theoretical approach by using the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) theory and rights-based approaches to food security complemented with community-based participatory research. To give voice to and recognize unique knowledge systems, she developed the ‘Khipu Model,’ an Indigenous research-based framework, which she uses in her work with Indigenous communities. She is also an active member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and a Lead Author in the global report on the ‘values’ assessment of nature of the Intergovernmental Panel of Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES). Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast/indigenous-rights Topics Discussed: Basic Principles of Indigenous Food Sovereignty Impact of Colonization and Capitalism Being an Indigenous Scholar in Western Academia Follow Us: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilngs Twitter- @sapnamulki

Bill Tripp is a Karuk Tribal Member and Interim Director of the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources. He began learning how to work with fire from the age of four from his Grandmother.  His work to restore fire into the hands of Karuk People through an integrated Traditional Ecological Knowledge and western science framework has been instrumental in shaping state and federal policy changes in regards to prescribed fire. Show Notes Topics Discussed: Ecological Importance of Cultural Burns History of Cultural Burns in the U.S. and Globally Importance of Fire to the Karuk Tribe Follow Bill Tripp: Twitter - @CulturalFire #endowactionnow Follow Us: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook - @breaking green ceilings Twitter - @ sapnamulki

Syren Nagakyrie (they/she) is a long-time disabled activist and community builder who is passionate about liberation through connection. Syren grew up with multiple invisible disabilities; they found connection with nature to be a source of comfort in times of social isolation. Syren is the founder of Disabled Hikers, (www.disabledhikers.com), an organization providing resources, events, and advocacy. Syren is a freelance writer, consultant, and presenter. They are the author of The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon: outdoor adventures accessible by car, wheelchair, and foot, to be published by FalconGuides. Syren currently resides on traditional lands of the Quileute, in Forks, Washington. Syren identifies as a white, queer, and poor person from a disabled and working-class background. - Show Notes - Topics Discussed: Disabled Hikers Initiative How to be Inclusive to People with Disabilities Inspiration Porn Spoon Theory - Follow Breaking Green Ceilings on: Instagram Facebook Twitter

Dr. Jonathan Hall is a wildlife ecologist by training with a broad interest in wildlife conservation, human/wildlife interaction, environmental justice, and species movement ecology. Much of his research experience is in the semi-arid environment of Western Rajasthan, India, focusing on the ecological and cultural relationships that exist between human populations and vultures. In addition to research in India he is also interested in understanding landscape and other environmental dynamics involving the recovery and range expansion of California Condors. The primary goal of his research is to develop comprehensive conservation strategies for non-human species that accounts for and incorporates human livelihood practices. Jonathan founded the Wilderness Geography Lab (previously the Conservation Geography Lab) in 2014 in the Department of Geology and Geography at West Virginia University. The lab currently conducts research in West Virginia, California, Yellowstone National Park, and Rajasthan India. Dr. Hall holds a Ph.D. in Ecology from the Ohio State University and a B.S. in Biology from Morehouse College.   Topics Discussed: California Condors Rehabilitation How to be a White Accomplice Structural Racism in Conservation/Ecology Hunting While Black    

Belinda’s environmental journey began when she was growing up in New York. As the first-born child of immigrant parents from south east China, Belinda found herself caught between two worlds. As a young child, she faced discrimination from white peers who saw her as “other” and faced the pressure of her parents’ desire to pursue a “respectable” and economically beneficial career path. To find solace from the pressure and the discrimination, Belinda would seek out the peacefulness of the wooded parks in her neighborhood to “cut down on the voices” in her head so she could hear her own thoughts. She became familiar with the trees and understory plants and “their beauty just helped to quiet the noise”. Those woodlands became sacred and safe spaces for her. From then on, she made a promise to the woodlands to use her life to pay it forward and improve the relationship between humans and nature. Building Environmental Education Programs As an adult, Belinda decided to pursue a career in environmental education. Currently, she is the coordinator for the Urban Food Systems (UFS) Program at Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR). She oversees 23+ acres of SPR public space dedicated to growing food. Race & social justice are at the center of her work as she has dedicated herself to equitable access for learning in outdoor spaces in service to a vast diversity of people in a variety of urban settings. Through her work experiences she has witnessed a lack of representation of Black, Indigenous, and people of color in her environmental education programs and in the organizations she's worked in. She writes, “The disproportionality is disturbing in light of the diversity of peoples borne from the wilds of this earth. The trees call to me to act.” As a result, Belinda uses her position to cultivate diversity by using intergenerational logic models and racial justice tools, and by serving on the The Race & Social Justice Change Team with the city of Seattle. This helps but she stresses that “we have a long way to go! Empowering Environmentalists of Color Often being the only person of color in her workplace, Belinda felt isolated and yearned for a community that could see and accept her for who she is. Her white workplace peers often tokenized and dismissed discriminatory acts towards her. Wanting to understand the prejudice of dominantly white environmental organizational culture, she started to educate herself on issues of environmental history and environmental justice and attend workshops on the same. Belinda attended a Center for Diversity and Environment (CDE) workshop facilitated by Marcelo Bonta and Queta Gonzales where she had an opportunity to connect with other like-minded people and from different cultural backgrounds. She was also uplifted when she saw leaders of color facilitating the workshop. It was only until she attended that CDE workshop that she felt like she found a place she belonged - “I was in community with people who could see me! See me as a professional!” It was a watershed moment that inspired Belinda and a few colleagues to co-found the Seattle chapter for the Environmental Professionals of Color - affiliated with the CDE. The Seattle Chapter has been successful and growing; Starting with three co-organizers in 2012 to nine co-organizers and over 400 members in 2020! Other Themes Explored Belinda is inspiring and a true pleasure to listen to as she explains the intricacies of her work, the realities of institutional racism, tokenism, and so much more, on this week's episode of Breaking Green Ceilings. Follow Belinda Chin: Urban Food Systems E-Newsletter Signup Related Resources: Climate Action Panel 2017 moderated by former Vice President Al Gore Climate Reality Fruit Matters "How Do You Leave a Legacy for Trails?" Green Teacher Interview Our Story: Climate Justice & Environmental Justice Connecting People to Local Environments Belinda Chin – Green 2.0 Center for Diversity and the Environment Racial Justice Tool Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown Finding your Roots by Henry Louis Gates Jr.  

Traveling from New Jersey to North Carolina, Frances was able to experience urban city living as well as life in a rural area surrounded by hog farms. Through that, she and her family remained tight knit as her mother inspired her from all angles. With the house matriarch as a teacher and enthusiastic environmentalist, Frances was able to get the support she needed to obtain a BA in Sociology & Anthropology, Environmental Studies & Science Minor, from Spelman College, and currently working on a PhD in Society & Environment at UC Berkeley. With her degree, she has charged into the realm of scientific research in a noble effort to make positive material changes in peoples’ lives, particularly indigenous and communities of color who have been marginalized and silenced for centuries. Frances’ current PhD dissertation focuses on Gulf Coast women of color’s climate justice activism and strategies to resist environmental racism while navigating contradictory relationships with energy and petrochemical industries. It is titled, “Post-Apocalyptic Environmental Politics: Women of Color, Climate Justice and State-Corporate Crime in Louisiana.” Ethnography and Climate Change Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. In contrast with ethnology, ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study. Described as community based research, or participatory action research, this is a feminist research method that focuses on non-invasive and minimal-extractive methods, empowering the community to be hands on and involved in every step of the process. Frances’ life work is shaped by environmental justice geographies including Carolina hog and chicken farms, Jersey urban landscapes, and Louisiana petrochemical-plantation corridors. She currently lives and teaches on Indigenous land known as Bulbancha (i.e. New Orleans, Louisiana) that is historically home to the Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma, Atakapa-Ishak and various other African and Creole Indigenous peoples, which is at high risk to experience adverse climate change effects. Other Topics Frances is incredibly inspirational and knowledgeable. From sharing the importance of mentorship and navigating imposter syndrome, to empowering everyday people to claim the title “activist”, to describing the different impacts of climate change for different people in varying locations, this week’s episode of Breaking Green Ceilings is going to leave you motivated and inspired to do your part. Follow Frances Roberts-Gregory Website LinkedIn Instagram Related Resources On Being the (Only) Black Feminist Environmental Ethnographer in Gulf Coast Louisiana I do not drive in the South…And here’s why Diversity and Environmental Grantmakers: A Summer Love Story

Growing up in Ohio, Katie spent a lot of her childhood outside during the summer months. She spent a year at her grandmother’s house where she immersed herself in nature. Katie was able to take her love and interest for animals and nature into a career. While in attendance at Ohio University, she created her own bachelor’s special studies degree which she used to conduct research around snakes and then salamanders in Kentucky. After graduating, she worked at the OSU Stone Lab as a maintenance crew worker and has also gained experience in working for the National Parks Services and for the Cleveland Metro Parks at the Zoo and Wildlife Rehab Center. Currently, Katie has created a company called Legacy 3D which uses 3D scanning as a conservation tool. The company strives to make 3D scanning available and affordable to everyone. Salamanders In this episode, we learn a little bit about Salamanders. Ambystoma Salamanders are dual-gendered salamanders which reproduce by cloning themselves. They are often found in the between Southeast Ohio to Quebec. We also learned that Salamanders often live in dead wood which up until around 200 years ago caused them to be associated with fire because people would see them running out of the fire (because they were in the dead wood) and thought of as magical/evil creatures. Working in the National Parks Service Working in the Environmental Education Center and on the tourist train at the Cuyahoga National Park, Katie shared her experience working for the National Parks Services. The National Parks Service was less bureaucratic than the Cleveland Metro Parks which she mentioned as having frequent red tape and limited funding. Seasonal jobs are highly common in NPS, which lead to the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act. Each national park is managed by a different president, so there is often a different tone and management of conflict park by park. Some parks are culturally more conservative and seem like more of a “boys club” than others, normally the more remote the park is, the more conservative it is - either by the visitors or by the employees. One specific example is the Grand Canyon, generally, the “harder work” was done by men at the bottom of the Canyon and often when a woman tried to work down there they were hazed by the male workers. Once a new manager was hired, the harassment ceased. Other Topics We talked briefly about Katie’s research with Snakes and Salamanders. Katie also explained how she started her business about Legacy 3D and why conservation is so important. Towards the end of the podcast, Katie shared a shocking story about some of the inequities she experienced as an LGBTQ+ woman in her work field. Follow Katie Burns Website Related Resources Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act History of The National Park Service History of Salamanders