Nearby Nature update:
The Nearby Nature project has been evolving since its inception in 2017 as a project of the Great Waters Group.  It has now transitioned under the fiscal sponsorship of the Milwaukee Environmental Consortium but still has the full support of the local Sierra Club. Since its start, we have funded about 75 hours of youth environmental programming at three Youth Serving agencies in neighborhoods along the Lincoln Creek Greenway. While the original seed- grant funds will expire in 2019, we are busily approaching foundations for 2020 funding. While we are looking for funding, we are using our remaining funds to hire a community resident to conduct outreach.

Training for Change

David Thomas, Nearby Nature coordinator and GWG Executive Committee member was invited to Oakland in July for a three-day weekend of Training for Trainers.  David was selected for the session because of his work on environmental justice and anti-bias training.  The Sierra Club training team is solidly footed in training for inclusivity and application of principles of environmental justice.  The focus was “experiential learning” where “trainers” are really facilitating reflection, discussion and guiding individuals to action. David worked one-on-one with a member of the training team to formulate a strategy for his work in Milwaukee.  They suggested he initially focus on one-on-one discussions toward building a team approach to Milwaukee’s unique issues.  Anyone interested in participating in this dialog can contact David by email at david@thomerwald.net.

GWG co-hosting “On The Table” session

“Green Cities and Environmental Justice and Equity“ is the title of an On The Table forum co-hosted by Nearby Nature Milwaukee, Washington Park Urban Ecology Center and the Sierra Club Great Waters Group. On The Table is a city-wide effort by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, to foster discussions on topics that matter. This discussion occurs amid a warming planet and national political gridlock,  where environmental activists are advocating for local environmental policies that will improve our urban quality of life. But we cannot ignore key questions. How does institutional racism affect environmental issues in communities of color? How can we set policy and act in our communities to overcome invisible biases?  How can we build an environmental movement that is inclusive, welcoming to all, and embraces diverse voices in leadership?

To register for the table, RSVP at www.onthetablemke.org