DescriptionThis webinar is part of the Virginia Master Naturalist Diversity & Inclusion Webinar Series in Fall 2021. It has two parts, followed by a joint question-and-answer session. Funding for this webinar series was provided through a grant from the
Virginia Environmental Endowment.
Part 1: Black by Nature founder, Diamon Clark, shares her lessons learned as a diversity advocate in the outdoor community, her journey as an environmental educator, and her success facilitating the first all-Black cohort of Maryland Master Naturalists this year.
Part 2: Hear from Atiya Wells, founder of Backyard Basecamp in Baltimore City, as she discusses the importance of equity in greenspace design, creation, and community cultivation. With their BLISS Meadows project, Backyard Basecamp has reclaimed 10-acres of vacant land in their neighborhood to be used as a place for environmental education and community greenspace. Presenters
Diamon Clark is a Baltimore city native, Maryland Master Naturalist, and has a B.S. in Environmental Science. She is also the founder of Black by Nature, a non-profit organization whose mission is to elevate Black joy and environmental literacy through naturalist training, outdoor programs, and science storytelling. Diamon has worked as an independent researcher, environmental educator, freelance writer, facilitator, and is an avid explorer. Most importantly, she is an advocate for diversity in outdoor recreation and environmental leadership.
Atiya Wells is a registered nurse, outdoor educator, and the Founder/Executive Director of Backyard Basecamp,Inc. - a nonprofit with a mission to (re)connect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to land and nature. While learning more about our natural world, she often noticed that she was one of the few, if not the only, Person of Color in the room. By diving into research and history, she learned that ancestral wounding and historical trauma are key players to the lack of diversity in nature-based programming. She has since dedicated her time to slowly (re)introducing her community to nature by starting in their own backyards and eventually embarking on a journey into the many wild spaces across Baltimore.
Host and Moderator: Michelle Prysby, Virginia Master Naturalist Program Director
Zoom Recording ID: 86947633103
UUID: 1LfKOovnRYiU2BHSQBbRdQ==
Meeting Time: 2021-11-01 10:37:23pm
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