Why EDI?
SAHC strives to be an antiracist organization internally and externally. We recognize historic inequities in conservation including unequal access to land and land ownership. Through purposeful action, we pursue a variety of strategies to contribute to addressing these imbalances. We welcome suggestions and the opportunity to partner with other organizations pursuing equity, inclusiveness, and diversity. We believe that the best way to move forward is to do so together. In order to do this, we are putting emphasis on considering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our current and future projects.
SAHC provides environmental education presentations and activities to a variety of after school and summer camp youth programs. Many of these programs focus on providing opportunities for youth in urban areas to learn about and explore wild spaces. Youth visit our SAHC Community Farm to learn about animal husbandry, farming, salamanders, and the fun of exploring a farm.
In collaboration with USA Raft and Pathways to Parks, we have coordinated trips to whitewater raft in Tennessee and to ride horses in Madison County, NC.
SAHC interns and staff provide environmental education activities for summer camps including learning about endangered species conservation, pollinator gardening, herbal teas, and careers in environmental studies.
SAHC is excited to collaborate with a variety of regional organizations to promote EDI.
One of our partners, Pathways to Parks, is an organization designed to expand opportunities for people of color to visit and care for public lands. Co-founded by SAHC Board member Larry Pender (Pender) and his wife Tanya Marie Pender, Pathways to Parks helped to organize a horseback riding trip with students from Youth Transformed for Life (YTL) this summer. SAHC greatly enjoys working with YTL and engaging youth in environmental education trips and learning activities.
We look forward to continuing to develop partnerships with EDI-focused organizations. Please contact us to propose a partnership.
As part of the process of developing our 2020-2025 strategic plan, we studied and discussed anti-racism and placed our anti-racism goals as high strategic priorities.
Our organization’s vision states, “SAHC will be an antiracist organization. SAHC will be a place where no one feels like an outsider and everyone is part of a team of people who value equity, justice, and democracy. Every SAHC volunteer, staff member, and leader will demonstrate a personal commitment and responsibility for breaking down inequities, building up justice, learning from the experiences of others, and creating welcoming spaces for everyone to become involved.”
We also strive to strengthen the diversity of our workforce board and membership and have a variety of plans for our community to continue to learn about and support anti-racism. Learn more about the importance of EDI and building diverse communities from this interview with conservation leader and SAHC Board member Allison Williams.
Whose Story of the Land?
Access to land and control over the narrative of relationships to land are important to consider when we discuss issues of equity, land ownership, and history. We know that erasure of stories of Black and indigenous people lead to a false narrative of who has owned and shaped the landscape around us. Through partnerships with diverse community members, SAHC hopes to help support restoration of a more robust and holistic narrative of people and land.
The Alexander Chapel Baptist Church and Cemetery, located at #39 Short Sluder Branch Road (off of Alexander Rd in Leicester, NC) is a historic site with cultural and personal connections for many in the region. Family members of those who are buried here may remember the homecoming gatherings and happy events once held on the property — or think of visiting the church site and cemetery as “going home.”
Since 2015, Annette Penland Coleman has been coordinating upkeep and inspiring folks to get involved with preservation of the church and cemetery. She and other community members have partnered with SAHC to raise awareness about this culturally important site.
SAHC interns and staff have had the opportunity to meet with and interview a variety of Black farmers and leaders of black farming communities over the last several years. Their experiences, words, and reflections highlight the importance of Black farmers in the Southern Appalachian region as well as the many challenges that farming communities of color have faced.
SAHC recognizes that many of the lands that we are currently protecting were once home to indigenous communities. As we work to share the biodiversity value of these lands, we also strive to share their important histories. For example, we hope to share the history of the Cherokee community in the region on signs being designed for the Chestnut Mountain park and trail area just outside the Town of Canton, NC. In the future, we plan to share additional educational materials with the SAHC community about connections between our protected lands and indigenous peoples, and look for ways to engage in conservation while serving indigenous communities.
The Buncombe County Register of Deeds has created an informative Story Map “As Long As The Grass Shall Grow,” recounting the history of Cherokee land loss and the formation of Buncombe County.
