Reflecting on inequity in the outdoors this Juneteenth
Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. It’s a day to reflect on the continued injustice Black Americans face to this day. As a nonprofit that works with parks and outdoor spaces, we’ve decided to focus on inequity in nature access and environmental careers today.
The Nature Gap
Nature has been referred to as “the great equalizer”: spending time outdoors is free to do and has been shown to improve happiness, concentration, and health. But even outdoor recreation isn’t free from systemic inequality. An examination of parks and outdoor spaces across America reveals barriers that BIPOC and low-income individuals face toward accessing the outdoors.
This isn’t by choice, either: a report from the Center for American Progress states, “nature deprivation is a consequence of a long history of systemic racism.”
Portland’s has over 65 parks which benefit the city’s residents immensely, especially when many live in multi-family housing without access to private decks or yards. But what about those who live far from parks and public spaces?
Nationwide, people of color disproportionately live in areas where human activity has obliterated natural spaces. Maine isn’t exempt: 79% of Maine’s people of color live in nature deprived areas, while 31% of white Mainers live in nature deprived areas. Many Black Mainers live in housing without private outdoor space, and those without cars cannot travel to parks and trails far outside their neighborhoods. It is truly unfortunate that many Mainers cannot experience the beautiful forests and coastline for which the state is known. (Center for American Progress)
Black Americans breathe in a lot of pollution: toxic air pollutants are more concentrated near where BIPOC live. That’s because zoning laws and housing prices have concentrated Black and other people of color near industrial areas. But who’s responsible for this pollution? A 2019 study found that it’s white Americans’ consumption of goods and services that causes a disproportionate amount of air pollution. (Tessum et al.)
Last May, Christian Cooper was birdwatching in Central Park when he saw a white woman unleash her dog. When he requested she put the leash back on, the woman responded by calling the police, saying a Black man was threatening her life. (Sourced from The New York Times)
Black nature-lovers cannot enjoy outdoor activities without worrying that an encounter with a racist passerby will threaten their safety. Remember the Central Park bird watching incident last May? In response, Black naturalists shared their stories about being harassed and challenged while birding or spending time outdoors during Black Birders Week, a week of online events. It’s clear that even when Black people have the chance to access parks and outdoor spaces, many feel unwelcome and unsafe.
The Green Ceiling
In addition to the nature gap, there is a significant lack of racial diversity among environmental professionals, often called the “green ceiling.” An article by the Student Conservation Association finds that minority employment in environmental organizations has held steady at around 16% for decades, unlike other fields which have diversified. Furthermore, BIPOC make up less than 12% of leadership positions in such organizations, with no people of color in national leadership positions. Conservation impacts everyone – so why do BIPOC applicants encounter a green ceiling when trying to enter the field?
One cause is the nature gap. Kids who grow up without access to nature can’t explore their interest in the environment firsthand and may not even know that there are jobs available in conservation. Observing majority-white workplaces can also fuel worries that BIPOC kids wouldn’t belong or be welcomed in the field.
Another issue pointed out by SCA is that environmental jobs and opportunities are often advertised via word of mouth. This makes it difficult for a person without existing connections in the field to get their foot in the door. Environmental organizations can combat this by reaching out to BIPOC-serving organizations and institutions.
The environmental field suffers from a severe lack of diversity. How can we get more BIPOC individuals hired? (Sourced from Public Health Post.)
What is Portland Parks Conservancy doing to address these issues?
At Portland Parks Conservancy, our mission is to preserve and enhance Portland’s parks and programs. This means ensuring that parks are safe and accessible for all Portlanders and creating opportunities for Black people to become involved in conservation work. Here are some ways that we are working to fulfill that mission:
Last year, we established the Portland Youth Corps, a summer program that provides young teens the chance to learn about conservation and get hands-on experience working in the parks. We fundraised enough money to provide crew members with stipends, eliminating a barrier that would have prevented low-income teens from applying. The stipend also benefits young teens who need to earn money for their families but whose age restricts their job options.
Riverton Trolley Park is currently a beautiful but underutilized space.
Portland Parks Conservancy and the City of Portland recently worked together to submit a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for revitalizing Riverton Trolley Park. This park is right in the center of the Riverton neighborhood, which has a significant Black population. We conducted a public process, including a survey available in seven languages, where Portland and Riverton residents were invited to share their ideas for the space. Goals for Riverton Trolley Park include safer pedestrian access, a better marked entrance, and ample area for visitors to sit and eat. We hope to create a spot where Riverton residents are welcome to relax and connect with nature near their houses.
We are focused on recruiting Black Portlanders, including New Mainers, for our volunteer events and the Portland Youth Corps program. This year, we advertised the inaugural Youth Corps program in Amjambo Africa, a newspaper for and about Maine’s African community. Advertising our organization and programs is a way to increase awareness among Black Portlanders about the benefits of nature, opportunities in conservation work, and the many parks, gardens, and sports fields they can access throughout Portland.
2021 Portland Youth Corps members and their families worked on clearing brush and invasive species from the hill on the Eastern Promenade at a meet-and-greet event this May.
Sources and further reading
Rowland-Shea et al. “The Nature Gap: Confronting Racial and Economic Disparities in the Destruction and Protection of Nature in America” in Center for American Progress. [link]
Green 2.0 Working Group. “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations.” [link]
Harvard Health Publishing. “A prescription for better health: go alfresco.” [link]
K. Apakupakul. “Why Are Environmental Fields Among the Least Diverse?” in One World Science [link]
S. Sloat. “Black Birders Week responds to racism with a celebration of Black naturalists” in Inverse. [link]
Student Conservation Association. “Diversity in Conservation.” [link]
Tessum et al. “Inequity in consumption of goods and services adds to racial–ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure” in PNAS. [link]