brigitte’s Recent Comments

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  money is a factor

  I have been a huge fan of the Apollo Alliance and Van Jone's for their efforts to make environmental issues relevant for more people, especially poor people of color, but I also think that it is important for mainstream conservation and environmental organizations not to assume that all people of color are poor.

  We need to look not only at the shifting population dynamics in this country with increasing numbers of people of color, but the buying power of these communities, which has grown disproportionately more than the buying power of the white community over the past few years. This is an important point because historically mainstream conservation orgs have targeted a tiny select pool of high end wealthly folks as their major donors, constituents and members.

  This phenomenon IS beginning to change from being an exclusively white man's world. While it is true that there are many communities of color in this country that are poor, there is simultaneously a growing number of people of color who are becoming strong financial powerhouses. Bill Gates is no longer the richest man in the world, for example. He has been surpassed by Carlos Selim, from Mexico. I think this may be another important angle to take in advancing diversity issues within these organizations. On The movement's greatest challenge is its own lack of diversity posted 1 year, 10 months ago 8 Responses