Newsletter- Summer 2020 update from Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter

 

Get up-to-date with your local Sierra Club news, and rise up against racism in our communities.
 
Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
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 Blackwhich 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.

Connect with Outdoor Afro in Indianapolis.

Further reading: award-winning writer Tanisha C. Ford's 2019 article for Indiana Humanities’ INseparable project & Belt magazine, Traveling While BlackLearning the racial geography of Indiana as a young Black girl in the 1980s.
 
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.

Why Every Environmentalist Should Be Anti-Racist. In this article for Vogue, Leah Thomas asks, Why is fighting for my humanity considered an optional or special add-on to climate justice? Read more.

Further reading: Links Between Racism and the Environment (New York Times) and A Movement Moment (Sierra Club)
 
We rise in solidarity with those doing vital anti-racist, community, and equity work right here in Indiana.  

We encourage support for groups and organizations supporting communities, and fighting for equity and justice, including:

Indy 10 Black Lives Matter
Indy SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice)
The Bail Project Indianapolis
No Questions Asked Food Pantry Indianapolis
Kheprw Community Now Fund
Groundwork Indy
NAACP Columbus/Bartholomew County
The African American Pastors Alliance- Columbus
Justice Resource Center of Columbus IN
Black Lives Matter South Bend
Faith in Indiana
Black Lives Matter Bloomington

 

And finally...

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.

If you have something you would like to share, please do so via this submission form and we’ll be in touch!

Looking for ways to connect to the outdoors and nature at home? Try these:
Virtual tours of national parks
Slow moments from Indiana Humanities
Free national parks coloring pages from Sierra Club
Climate Parents Science, Nature & Climate Resources for Kids Resource During the Coronavirus, and more ideas for kids from Sierra Club here
10 Backyard Camping Tips from Outdoor Afro

Earlier this year for World Wildlife Day, we asked Hoosier kids what they love about nature and wildlife. Here's what they said.

If you would like to spread their words of wisdom, you can share this video on facebook. 
 
Stills from video of children with their names and ages
Once more, thank you so much for your continued support. We appreciate you and all that you do. 

In solidarity and with warm wishes,

Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter

PS All Sierra Club in-person events are currently cancelled or postponed. You can keep up with local group and network activities by following their social media pages
 
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.
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