Speaking Out Against Racism in the Outdoors and Beyond

A statement from Columbia Land Trust

Columbia Land Trust stands in support of the Black community against racist violence and injustice. We condemn the recent killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade, a Black trans man, as well as the racist threats directed at Christian Cooper, acknowledging that these are only the most recent manifestations of a long, painful history of racism and oppression.

Racism, exclusion, and displacement are woven into the history of the American conservation movement and persist today as people from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities are disproportionately burdened by the adverse impacts of pollution and land-use decisions. To recognize these connections yet remain silent is to perpetuate injustice.

We are committed to speaking up and speaking out against racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia when we see it. We are committed to having conversations internally and externally to listen and understand how we as conservationists can do better; how we can show up better for the communities we work within; how we can listen; how we can take action without doing harm; and how we can better live into our work.

If you are still early on in this work as we are, join us in learning more about anti-racism practices. More importantly, listen to and support local nonprofits and organizers who are leading the push for justice, including the Coalition of Communities of Color.