Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

At Citizens’ Climate Education (CCE), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are top organizational priorities, deeply integrated into our mission, strategic plan, and day-to-day activities. Living out our commitment to DEI broadens representation within our climate coalition and expands our perspective to help develop (and pass) the best solutions to climate change.

Enacting these values is an ongoing process. Madeleine Para, our Executive Director, champions our DEI efforts alongside our Diversity and Inclusion Director, who leads an intersectional team of staff to develop, implement, and monitor progress towards our DEI strategies and goals. CCE is currently working on the following:

Education and Training: We are strengthening cultural competency and inclusive spaces throughout the organization, making Citizens’ Climate Education a place where people from diverse backgrounds are respected, valued, and fully integrated into our work at every level. This includes: providing ongoing DEI training and leadership development opportunities for staff, senior management, volunteers, and volunteer leadership, as well as the integration of DEI principles within all aspects of our program activities.

Diversifying Volunteers, Staff, and Leadership: Through intentional recruitment, Citizens’ Climate Education is strengthening diversity and representation among our volunteers, volunteer leadership, staff, senior management, and governing boards.

Partnerships and Alliances: To cultivate diverse support for equitable climate solutions, we are building strong working relationships with other groups and individuals: both within the climate space and outside, nationally and locally, and across sectors.

Demographic Information

Citizens’ Climate Education collects demographic information from volunteers, volunteer leadership, staff, senior management, and governing boards through regularly administered surveys. We’ve been collecting data since 2013, and aim for demographics that are representative of national statistics.

Age of Volunteers

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Under 26

16%

17%

18%

17%

14%

26-40

31%

28%

25%

23%

20%

41-65

27%

29%

31%

34%

37%

Over 65

26%

26%

26%

26%

28%

The Age of Volunteers table reflect volunteer age the year they joined. In 2013, only 11% of volunteers who joined were under the age of 40. Since then, we’ve strengthened our youth outreach and continue to do so. In 2022, 47% of new volunteers who joined CCE were under the age of 40. Our goal is that the age distribution of our volunteer base will be comparable to that of the national age distribution.

Race of Volunteers

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

White

84%

84%

85%

85%

87%

BIPOC

16%

16%

15%

15%

13%

The Race of Volunteers table details racial distribution among our volunteers by the year they joined. In 2013, only 6% of volunteers new to CCE identified as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Since then, we have strengthened and refined our outreach to diverse audiences, including BIPOC. In recent years, approximately 16% of new volunteers that join CCE identify as BIPOC. We strive for the racial distribution of our volunteer base to be representative of national racial demographics.

Board, Staff, and Volunteer Leadership Demographics

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

Under 40

Governing Board

28%

14%

Staff

19%

50%

Supporters

16%

47%

Volunteer Leadership (chapter leaders, state coordinators, and liaisons to members of Congress)

9%

19%

Table 3 details the age and racial distribution of CCE’s governing board, staff, and volunteer leadership. Demographic data is collected annually through a voluntary survey. Additional CCE demographic information can be found on Guidestar.

Environmental Justice Statement

Citizens’ Climate Education recognizes the negative effects of climate change, pollution, and environmental degradation disproportionately affect marginalized and under-resourced communities, especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. We acknowledge the role that unjust policies have played throughout history in creating and perpetuating such imbalances, and know this will only get worse if left unmitigated. Environmental justice is a driving force in our work: CCE believes in the inherent dignity of all people, and that access to clean water, clean air, and healthy food are a human right. We stand firm in our beliefs around environmental justice: these disparities must be addressed to transition to a zero-emissions economy.

Learn more about our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-centered programming and ongoing efforts.