Lays the Groundwork for Equitable Conservation

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Washington, DC – On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order to advance racial equity and further federal support for underserved communities across the United States. Chesapeake Conservancy commends President Biden on this executive action and for committing all agencies of the federal government to work toward a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all. Chesapeake Conservancy strives toward reaching shared goals in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the conservation movement.

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The following statements are attributable to Chesapeake Conservancy President & CEO Joel Dunn and Manager of Equity and Community Engagement Gabrielle Roffe:

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“We’re proud to work alongside our federal partners in combating systemic racism and dismantling the systems of oppression that have long held down underserved communities. We strive to uplift and amplify voices of people of color to lead the conservation movement and advocate for funding inclusive programs that perform Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) work at the local, state, and federal levels.

“Chesapeake Conservancy is working with state and federal partners such as the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office to expand on existing bilingual Spanish interpretive outreach programs.

“Led by our DEIJ committee comprised of both staff and board members, Chesapeake Conservancy is working to expand the diversity of our staff and board and perform internal work to integrate anti-racism into our workplace culture.

“Reaching a point as a society where underserved communities are no longer bound by systemic racism is a common goal we should all share. Conservation and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed must occur concurrently with advancing racial equity to ensure inclusion of all voices of underserved communities and protection of their civil rights.” – Chesapeake Conservancy President & CEO Joel Dunn

“Lack of representation in the environmental movement cannot be ignored if we want to see progress. It is critical that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice be a lens and framework in which we co-create the future of the environmental movement – led by and for underserved communities.” – Chesapeake Conservancy Manager of Equity and Community Engagement Gabrielle Roffe

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Feature Image by Dorchester County Tourism