Justice Outside, The Lawrence Hall of Science, and Pisces Foundation are committed to advancing racial equity and justice in the outdoor and environmental fields and are excited to be launching: Network for Network Leaders: Justice, Community, & Outdoor Learning to advance a more equitable, just, and influential network model that centers the experiences and knowledge of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, specifically leaders of networks that impact the outdoors, environmental education, and environmental justice.
Who is this for?
The Network for Network Leaders is for those leading, or wanting to lead, a regional* and/or statewide network centered on connecting people to the outdoors in meaningful ways. These leaders recognize the importance of elevating and promoting the various ways of learning and being in connection with the outdoors that communities have been practicing for decades and even centuries. These leaders are motivated by the idea of justice for people and the planet; and are committed to racial equity in their individual and collective efforts.
We anticipate selecting up to 20 participants for this pilot program and will make selections based on the following criteria:
- Leaders of a regional and/or statewide network (i.e.-a network that is not national or hyper-local in scope)
- Leaders of established regionally based networks, with priority offered to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
- Leaders of emerging or newly developed regionally based networks, with priority offered to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
What is the goal of the Network for Network Leaders?
The goal is to expand vibrant and thriving networks that advance a more equitable, just, and influential outdoor, environmental education, and/or environmental justice field centering the experiences and knowledge of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In this network we want to highlight and focus on five strategic priorities:
- Support personal and professional relationship-building & wellness
- Strengthen knowledge and capacity about anti racism, equity, and justice at the intersection of the outdoors
- Accelerate the networks’ capacity to design their network activities with justice and equity principles at the forefront
- Support member-driven advocacy and awareness-raising efforts
- Facilitate learning, strategic shifts, and awareness of the backbone network model
Being a part of the Network for Network Leaders:
Professionals who participate in this network will engage in events that promote individual wellness, collective joy, community building, the cultivation of brave spaces, and overall professional growth of those leading networks in the outdoor, environmental education, and/or environmental justice field. The following is a list of the key activities that will be offered through this pilot.
Network Events & Opportunities:
- In-Person Kickoff- March 20th-22nd, 2023: location TBD in California. We request that all selected participants attend the kick-off event, barring any unforeseen circumstance. The Kick-off will be a space to build community, learn from peer network leaders and experience joy together.
- Virtual Professional Learning Workshops- April 13th, 2023 & May 11th, 2023: Professional learning workshops will take place online, and provide participants opportunities to learn collaboratively from each other and other field leaders.
- Virtual Racial Affinity Spaces- April 20th & May 18th, 2023: Racial affinity spaces are an opportunity for participants to explore pertinent topics with people who share a similar racial identity. The space is intended to increase a sense of safety and provide deepened community and solidarity with peers.
- Virtual Open Space Conference- June 8th, 2023 (10am-3:00pm PST, approximately): The Open Space Conference is an opportunity in which participants create their own agenda to discuss ideas and topics that feel most relevant to them.
- Coaching: Participants have an opportunity to partner with a coach to receive up to 2 hours of coaching in an area of interest identified by each participant.
Supports for participation:
Those selected to participate in the Network for Network Leader’s inaugural year will receive travel and lodging accommodations for the in-person kickoff. We will work directly with selected participants requiring accommodations such as ability, dietary, gender affirming, etc, so that we may accommodate these needs to the best of our abilities.
Next Steps:
- If interested, please complete the Network for Network Leaders: Justice, Community, & Outdoor Learning Application Form by February 10th, 2023. Interviews will be completed by February 17th. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Eriq Bruce, Program Coordinator, at eriq@justiceoutside.org.
Important Dates To Remember:
Application due date: February 10th, 2023
Selected applicants notified: February 21st, 2023
In-person kick-off: March 20th-22, 2023
*Regional network refers to efforts that are addressing the needs and wants of a geographic region. This is often seen in regional references such as Pacific Northwest, Southwest. It can also refer to multi-county efforts or efforts that span a state or multiple states.