Series 1 Intro by Black Nature Narratives

I recently made a trip to the States to connect with colleagues working within the environmental field, it was a really powerful experience, meeting incredible people making a difference to local communities and in conserving natural heritage.

In many ways communities of colour in America are much further ahead than we are in the UK in challenging the existence of racism within the work and in the impact that attitudes, policies and processes have on black communities, and in creating disparities and inequity.

Where the push back to mentioning race here in the UK is typically either to be ignored, or perceived as creating a problem rather than reporting one, Environmental Justice on racial grounds is an established field of study and practice in the States, where the 1964 Civil Rights Act is used to challenge health disparities and Dr Dorceta Taylor's seminal 2014 report 'The State of Diversity in Environmental Organisations', has laid the ground for confronting racism and a lack of inclusion within the environmental sector.

In this series I'll be sharing some of the conversations I had with African American academics, practitioners and activists working within nature education, environmental justice, youth engagement, faith and civil rights organisations.

My guests are speaking on themes of black history, black centred activism, black leadership within predominantly white environmental organisations, civil rights legacies and encouraging greater black participation within the environmental field.