Question 4

More diverse staff and volunteers is possible when equity is embedded in how Sierra Club operates day to day, not treated as a separate initiative. People stay when they feel respected, supported, and able to exercise real agency.  

Recruiting volunteers from underrepresented groups also means using practical tools to make room for new leaders.  With board authorization, the Washington State chapter appointed–rather than elected–some executive committee members, using criteria to increase diversity.  As chair of the Volunteer Leadership & Activism Committee, I am leading a process to examine whether Washington State’s model should be expanded as an option for other chapters.  As Michigan chapter chair, I proposed a new rule that allows longtime ExCom volunteer leaders to be eligible as emeritus members with real agency. This created openings for new leaders while retaining high-value, experienced volunteers.  

Equity requires real power-sharing. Volunteers and staff from underrepresented groups are more likely to stay when they can shape priorities rather than simply implement decisions made elsewhere.  Culture also matters. Retention depends on an internal culture that values transparency, constructive disagreement, and learning from mistakes. People from underrepresented groups should not bear the burden of “fixing” the organization. Equity work must be shared, resourced, and supported by leadership at every level.

By aligning recruitment, governance, and culture with our equity values, Sierra Club can build a stronger, more inclusive movement capable of sustained impact.

One place this conversation starts is with data on recruitment and retention, which I know we have access to as a board.  Another key part is ongoing consultations with our employee unions, including our Labor Management Team with board representation. 

Our culture must reflect our values. Both staff and volunteers need to feel that their work is appreciated. Our hardworking staff must be assured that their jobs are not in jeopardy, and establishing pay equity must remain a priority. Additionally, the Sierra Club can create policies that provide support to volunteers, such as offering meals at meetings and Zoom options for those who cannot attend in person.

Our members and staff expect transparency, consultation, and inclusion. I know that our staff benefits greatly from the protections afforded by unionization. Nevertheless, we must ensure that every staff member at every level fully understands their responsibilities, as well as how and when those responsibilities intersect with national, regional, and state priorities. This will also aid the board in seeing our blind spots as an organization, and giving us clarity on how our organization moves in and out of these places with respect and due deference to people who live and work in these communities across the country, and balance that with deference to the qualified subject matter experts we employ.

There are fewer clear protections and avenues for conflict resolution for our general membership. Over the years I have heard accounts from people at nearly every level of this organization that feel excluded from decision making, or fear addressing any conflict because of the potential ramifications of engaging in an open dialogue. Organizationally, we must stop assuming bad intent in every interaction. Whether it’s among the chapters, between chapters and national staff, or between the board of directors and everyone else, there is a deeply broken culture that stems from many of us starting an interaction by assuming the worst. We need to encourage clear and respectful dialogue between all groups across this organization; and when and if dialogues become inflamed, the board and its members need to be proactively stepping in as facilitator, listener, and de-escalator.

For 134 years, Sierra Club’s success has been about engaging people in ‘exploring, enjoying and protecting’ wild places and the planet. Cesar Chavez’s simple organizing guidance, “first you talk to one person, then you talk to another person, then you talk to another person” has always been at the heart of successful recruitment. But we have to ask: are we relevant to people’s lives; are we creating meaningful opportunities for them to engage; are we living our principles, including the Jemez Principles for environmental justice? 

There are lessons to be learned. The dismantling of the national environmental justice program set us back after more than twenty years of work, and raised questions about our commitment to underrepresented communities. Multiple reorganizations and layoffs have left staff and volunteers concerned. Changing rules for outings and chapter funding and staff relationships have been unsettling. We can’t be stagnant, but continual churning drives away talented staff and volunteers. 

There are good lessons as well. In Michigan, well designed internships lead to outstanding volunteer leaders and excellent staff. The Detroit Outdoors program exposes youth to experiences in wild places and builds leadership skills. The Crossroads Group grows their membership and leadership team significantly through a consistent set of practices that invite people in. Creating a welcoming space for those who are underrepresented, including BIPOC and young people, is essential to fighting climate change, protecting wild places and ensuring that we leave behind a world that everyone’s grandchildren deserve. We know how to do it. 

I believe the Sierra Club, at every level, must invest time and resources to engage underrepresented groups. I believe staff and volunteers should be encouraged to take an implicit bias assessments and have an analysis of the results to understand what challenges they may face. I believe it is important to meet groups where they are and engage at various levels of community. If you want to receive support, you must give support. There could be an opportunity to organize conversations with National Organizations such as the NAACP, LULAC, NCAPA, and others to create collaboration on activities and engagement. 

If Equity is the priority, then it should be embedded in every aspect of the organization, from the group level to the National level with staff and volunteers. One way to do this is by getting feedback from those people in the organization that represent underrepresented groups. There should be continuous efforts to develop and report on the efforts to diversify the organization and request to the group and Chapter level to provide reports on how they are approaching this challenge. 

To build a broader, stronger and more inclusive movement, we must foster a culture that creates a more welcoming  and inclusive environment, recruit people with lived experiences and of all generations, skills, expertise and perspectives. I have led several initiatives to engage interfaith communities, and youth. As the Maryland Chapter’s Conservation Chair, I have recruited, onboarded and mentored youth council leaders, creating opportunities for students to lead, participate and contribute meaningfully.

To better recruit and retain staff and volunteers—particularly from underrepresented communities—I believe we must lead with our core values and be intentional about how we build and sustain our people power. This starts with expanding recruitment through partnerships with BIPOC-led and community-based organizations, while cultivating a culture of belonging, shared purpose, and mutual respect.

Clear, unbiased pathways for advancement, equitable pay and growth opportunities, and ongoing training and professional development supports retention. Removing barriers to participation, while prioritizing cultural competency and anti-bias learning is important. Creating safe, supportive spaces for open and sometimes uncomfortable conversations—grounded in active listening—is essential so all voices are heard and valued.

Accountability in behavior is critical in building trust, psychological safety, and fairness, to strengthen retention. We must ensure that our new EOP policy effectively addresses the needs of our community.

Staff and volunteers should have meaningful engagement opportunities to help shape priorities, strategies, and decisions. When people feel respected and valued they are more likely to stay engaged and contribute to the organization for the long term.