Newsletter- Summer 2020 update from Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
July 13, 2020
Get up-to-date with your local Sierra Club news, and rise up against racism in our communities.
As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet.
Friends- in these tumultuous times, our thoughts are with you and your families, and we hope you are staying well. The health crises of COVID-19 and systemic racism in the USA are at the forefront of our minds. As environmentalists and activists, we know public health, environmental racism, and the systems which perpetuate inequity, are very much connected. In this newsletter, we look at those connections, provide resources, and uplift those doing vital work in our communities. We will also give updates from the chapter, including news of our virtual art show. We are currently working from home due to our office being closed with the ongoing pandemic. We are able to communicate with our members and supporters via email, our website, and social media. For this, we are very grateful.
You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We hope you enjoy this newsletter, and the updates from our chapter. We are truly grateful for your support.
A core belief of Sierra Club is that the outdoors is for all, and access to nature is a human right.
**UPDATE- As we were preparing to send this newsletter to you, we heard about the racist attack on Vauhxx Rush Booker at Lake Monroe near Bloomington on July 4. Along with our friends at Hoosier Environmental Council and Friends of Lake Monroe, we have issued a statement condemning the attack and calling for appropriate action from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. You can read the press release here. We are greatly saddened by this incident, which highlights why urgent steps are needed to make sure the outdoors can safely be enjoyed by all. This is a fast moving case and we will try to keep our website and social media updated with information as it develops.**
Today, we'd like to highlight the recent All IN radio program Hiking While Black, which states: Every Hoosier is free to enjoy the great outdoors, but some of us have to make extra considerations. On this show, guests Yanira Castro (Outdoor Afro), Megan Gunn (Purdue University), and George Lyle (a Lafayette-based Attorney) talk about what the outdoor experience is like for Black and Brown people in Indiana. You can also learn about efforts to increase representation for Black and Brown people in hiking, camping, paddling, and other outdoor activities. Listen here.
We believe that every environmentalist should be anti-racist.
Recently, there has been some truly insightful writing on this subject. We would like to share some of the things we've been reading with you:
Racism is Killing the Planet. Hop Hopkins is the director of strategic partnerships for the Sierra Club. In this compelling article, he writes: You can’t have climate change without sacrifice zones, and you can’t have sacrifice zones without disposable people, and you can't have disposable people without racism.Read more.
We are proud that our Executive Committee member Shannon Anderson has been recognized for her work as assistant director with Earth Charter Indiana by Indiana University's Environmental Resilience Institute. Full story and details of the other inspiring recipients here.
This year, the Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club celebrates its 45th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, we are having an online exhibition entitled Sierra Club in Indiana: Our Past, Present, and Future. View our call to artists here.
We are also creating a visual timeline of our work from 1975-2020, and we need you! We are looking for:
- photos from hikes, events, campaigns, rallies etc that you’ve attended with the Hoosier Chapter or our local groups - your memories and stories of the Hoosier Chapter or our local groups - articles and newspaper clippings related to Hoosier Chapter or our local groups.
The COVID-19 crisis has not passed and continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and other communities of color. The pandemic has revealed how the communities hardest hit are often the same communities that suffer from high levels of pollution and poor access to healthcare. The fight for environmental justice cannot be separated from the fight for racial justice.
