Our Approach

We believe that a multifaceted approach is necessary to make deep and lasting change in the environmental movement. Our programs and services work on three levels simultaneously.

Individual: Our transformational leadership opportunities support individuals who wish to become effective change agents in their communities. We bring an emphasis on interpersonal dynamics to this work.

Organizational: We support organizations along the change continuum, from establishing a solid foundation to build upon to ongoing navigation of this nuanced work through tailored programming and services. We see organizational change as integral to changing systems.

Movement-wide: Ultimately, our success as a movement depends on our ability to work together across differences, to build relationships, and to engage with our communities. We take an active role in building community to support this work.

At CDE, we see a direct line between healing our human relationships and healing our relationships to place. It is an invitation to envision a new way of honoring all of our relationships.

We guide and support individuals and organizations at every point in the equity, diversity, inclusion, healing, justice, and liberation change process. Our programs meet people where they are and provide a supportive space for the transformational experience of un-learning, learning, and re-imagining a new environmental movement.

Each person has their own way of traveling this journey. We hope that our paths cross with yours.

Inspiring Transformation Rooted in Love.

We work from the inside out, engaging people’s minds, hearts, and hands. Our minds bring us to new awareness and analysis; our hearts drive our motivation to engage in this work; and our hands lead us to action.

We explore the ideas of reciprocity and an abundance mindset—Indigenous ways of being that stand in stark contrast to the extractive, transactional systems that currently dominate our lives and harm the planet. We enter each learning, coaching, and strategy session with open minds and open hearts, and we ask those with whom we work to do the same. We lead with compassion, meeting each person where they are in the learning process without judgment or shaming. We call this radical love.

Radical love frames our efforts to understand our individual and collective roles to create a more equitable, just, systems-changing movement. It guides us in mending our broken relationships with one another and the natural world, so we can re-envision culture change that embraces us all.

Our approach is distinct in the way that we foster long-term relationships with our program participants. We don’t just train and advise—we build community. We are part of that community as well. We hold ourselves accountable to our community members, and we are present during the challenges as well as the celebrations.

What We Do

For Individuals

We offer transformational leadership opportunities for individuals who wish to become effective change agents in their organizations and communities. The evolution of the environmental movement is carried day to day by these innovators and thought leaders.

For Organizations

We support organizations along the change continuum, from the establishment of a solid foundation to customized programs that help them navigate this nuanced work. Our services include retreats, trainings, strategy development, coaching and consulting to support ongoing institutional evolution.

Movement &
Community Building

We support coalition building, network coordination and community engagement to bridge the historical divide between the highly funded, white dominant environmental movement and Indigenous, Black and People of Color who have been excluded from decision-making tables, and whose cultural values have been silenced in mainstream dialogue.

“CDE does the most important, essential work in the most impactful and intentional way. Not hyperbole. Every time I interact with CDE (for an afternoon, a day, or weeks at a time) I am transformed and moved to be more prepared to help create the world we all deserve.” – Equity Engagement & Strategy Process client

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