Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

While Citizens’ Climate Education (CCE) seeks to integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices throughout all levels of the organization (as described here), we also seek to diversify our movement through distinct outreach programs.

Programs specifically prioritize engaging, elevating, and centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within our advocacy work. According to a recent study by the Environmental Protection Agency, Black and African American individuals are 40% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected increases in extreme temperature-related deaths, and 34% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected increases in childhood asthma diagnoses. Hispanic and Latino individuals have statistically high employment rates in weather-exposed industries and are projected to be 43% more likely to experience reductions in labor hours due to extreme temperatures.

CCE also focuses on engaging other historically-underrepresented groups in the climate movement, including: people with limited economic resources, people with disabilities, and those living in rural communities.

Grassroots Engagement

Through grassroots organizing, our Diversity and Inclusion Director leads a team focused on identifying, recruiting, and mobilizing people from diverse backgrounds. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Teams work in complement to the department in pursuit of these goals, with dozens of Action Teams centered around racial/ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, or other personal identities. These Action Teams also provide safe and inclusive spaces to build community within such a large organization.

Training and Education

Citizens’ Climate Education offers an ongoing series of trainings and workshops for volunteers, staff, and leadership to continue building an inclusive and welcoming culture. CCE’s annual International June Conference and Fall Conference, as well as regional conferences, all include some form of DEI training. CCE staff and leadership participate in twice-annual full-day DEI workshops.

Language Translation and Interpretation

Citizens’ Climate Education mobilizes advocates nationwide who speak many languages, and we strive to make our work more accessible. CCE currently translates trainings, educational materials and resources, and websites into Spanish. We also offer live closed captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services on monthly national calls, as well as closed captioning on all archived educational video content.

Fellowships

Citizens’ Climate Education offers paid fellowship opportunities to young people from diverse backgrounds to work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives within the organization. These fellowships offer professional development, training, and mentorship for young professionals with interests in the field of climate change and/or policy, and empowers them to make significant contributions to CCE’s DEI initiatives. Read more about Citizens’ Climate Education’s 2022 class of fellows.

Interested in supporting our DEI initiatives?

Make a tax-deductible donation today.