2008 Election Candidate Forum:
The Questions
Question 16: The club is undertaking work to bring more youth and diverse cultures into our membership and leadership. What specific strategies would you suggest?
Candidate responses were limited to 150 words per question.Lane
Boldman
•Working with lower-income people in Appalachia, I’ve learned you have to start from where people already are, not where you want them to be. That’s why I place high value on programs like Sierra Club Inner City Outings, which my husband and I are both involved, and the Environmental Justice program. We need more programs that are set by design to cross into new demographics.
•We have to review some of the basics: for example, we do not offer a lot of basic Club materials in Spanish, even though we have a Chapter in Puerto Rico who’s members speak in Spanish. We cannot possibly engage a broader audience if we are not even accommodating our own existing members.
•We need to expand our campus outreach, just like many environmental organizations did in the 1970’s since this generation is already highly engaged in the environment.
Learn more at my website: www.laneboldman.com Joni
Bosh
Questionnaire Not Returned Clark
Buchner
First, I think the Diversity Council is doing a good job. I think we need to heed their leadership and follow their recommendations. Strategy for youth has always been a difficult one for the Sierra Club. Sierra and Beer seems to be working as a fun thing in Atlanta, but how well this integrates into the overall program of the club remains to be seen. ICO is a fine program for youth and yet I have not seen it interface well with regular Group and Chapter functions of the club - it seems to be on an isolation track. Tying in with the Student Climate Coalition looks like a good place to connect Sierra where it is not already connected. I suggest that we learn to be better listeners if we want to bring youth and diversity into membership and leadership. Jeremy
Doochin
It is not enough to simply suggest that more youth should be integrated into the Club, but rather we must lead by example. The best way to lead by example is to elect a young leader to the National Board of Directors. As a college student, I have spent my life working with youth to create organizations that blend the efforts of people of all ages. I have the leadership and experience to bring a greater youth presence into our Club. Our chapters should be working more closely with the Student Sierra Coalition to organize environmental campaigns. We can target many youth through online web applications and common networking sites. In order to attract minorities or unique socioeconomic groups, we have to show them why the environment is important and how the Sierra Club can make a difference in their lives.
*** Please visit www.jeremy2008.com for much more info*** Jim
Dougherty
I’m a big fan of both efforts, having worked on the inside to develop the recommendation of the Youth Integration Task Force. I have also proposed adoption of affirmative action in our procurement decisionmaking – to promote diversity. Larry
Fahn
Questionnaire Not Returned Barbara
Frank
It is critical that the Club expand its base to include other supportive groups. That means being more open and inclusive, more willing to do things in new and different ways, more accepting of people who look, think, and act differently than we do. Stepping our of our comfort zone will be necessary, and it can be invigorating and energizing as well. Focusing on our agreements and similarities rather than our differences is key. We need to seek common cause. Cultivating partners and alliances is valuable and necessary. There is synergy in that. David
Scott
If we want to get more young people engaged, we need to talk to more young people. There are lots of things we can do – from exploring the potential of social networking sites as organizing tools to seeking funding for Youth Climate Action work, as we are doing in a current fundraising proposal. As Vice-Chair of CGC, I’ve made it a point to choose young activists when I have filled leadership positions in the Club.
Increasing diversity also requires us to look beyond our traditional priorities. Environmental Justice principles should be incorporated broadly into our programs, and we need more EJ staff. We need to be more creative in finding common ground with other people’s biggest concerns – such as working to improve conditions in our urban areas, supporting efforts to train people and get them jobs in the new energy economy, and expanding outreach efforts like Inner City Outings. Jerry
Sutherland
The Sierra Club must assure that all who share our goals feel welcome and energized by affiliation with us. Leaders and staff who represent minority demographic groups need to be forthright in pointing out anything that compromises this. Our Diversity Council and Youth Integration Committee were set up to achieve this. However, in pursuing this goal we must be careful not to fall into the trap (as a local Sierra Student Coalition leader reminded me recently) of thinking that all members of any one group have the same preferences. We could go a long way towards diversification with the integration of national programs like Inner City Outings and Sierra Student Coalition with local chapters and groups. With local leaders mentoring these young people they will become our next generation of leaders. Matt
Urban
I’d keep our focus on the work of the Club’s Diversity Council – but not just in an academic / “this sounds good” kind of way. What we really need to see are tangible actions to reach beyond our ranks, so I’d support programs and activities that do exactly that (see #10 above).
I also think that one thing that is missing now is broader communication of the successes that can be had when we reach out to communities that are not typical Sierra Club communities so that our leaders can see the real opportunity that’s presented by working with diverse groups. Nathan
Wyeth
Questionnaire Not Returned
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