Transformational Leadership
Environment 2042 Leadership Program
Environment 2042 is our most immersive learning program, with the goal of nurturing and equipping the ambassadors of a new paradigm for the future of the environmental movement. As we approach the year when over 50 percent of the US population will be people of color—2042—it becomes increasingly critical that we advance equity and inclusion in the mainstream environmental movement and envision a movement where all may flourish. The systemic and institutional exclusion and cultural homogeneity within the environmental movement has resulted in:
- People of color often not holding leadership positions
- White dominated organizations perpetuating harmful and culturally insensitive programming and outreach, resulting in lack of open space access for communities of color and the persistent false assumption that people of color do not care about the environment.
- Frontline communities, who are the most knowledgeable about the issues and the places they live, being left out of the decision-making process.
- The ideas, approaches, and ways of knowing needed to effectively address climate change and other complex environmental issues being limited and rendered ineffective.
- The creation and perpetuation of harm for communities of color and the upholding of oppressive systems and power structures. The environmental movement has continued to champion environmental policies, laws and regulations that disproportionately harm communities of color and undermine and erode tribal sovereignty.
- The failure to generate power within the movement. The movement has largely been a movement for white upper-class professionals and has failed to address the needs and priorities of people of color and the working class.
Environment 2042 (E42) runs between 4 and 12 months with 3 – 4 retreats. Mixed in-person and virtual or all-virtual options are available. The E42 Leadership Intensive (E42LI) format is a 5-day retreat-based program or 10-day virtual program.
We believe that for system-level change to be possible, individuals must have the appropriate time, space and guidance to become leaders of that culture change and transformation. Participants engage in deep personal investigation, coalition and community building, and creative problem solving, to build capacity for working together toward shared goals for a more livable environment and just society. The value of this work goes beyond what can be measured—each participant operates in a sphere of influence with the potential for ripple effects throughout the environmental movement.
Cohort participants will:
- Build relationships and community
- Learn and raise awareness about equity, diversity, inclusion, healing justice, and liberation
- Develop an intersectional approach to the many dimensions of diversity
- Recognize and root out a colonizing mindset from their work
- Develop/deepen a racial equity analysis
- Develop/refine personal and organizational “why’s” around the rationale for equity, diversity, inclusion, healing justice, and liberation
- Apply learning to action within the participants’ spheres of influence
- Encourage innovation within and across their organizations through idea exchange
- Strengthen the environmental movement by cultivating equity, diversity, inclusion, healing justice, and liberation-based leadership styles
- Gain understanding of what’s needed to deepen engagement between communities on the margin and mainstream environmental groups
- Complete an organization action plan articulating clear next steps to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, healing justice, and liberation within their institutions
All Programs
Building the Foundation
An entry-point for individuals just starting out or wishing to strengthen the foundation of their equity work
Exploring Power, Privilege and Tools for Change
An intermediate course for individuals ready to take their equity work to the next level of action
Environment 2042 Leadership Program
A multi-month immersive leadership development program for individuals well-along in their equity work
The Inner Work
Courses designed for community connection and healing
Decoding Whiteness
A course for people in the environmental movement to identify, name and dismantle patterns of white supremacy in their lives and work
Leadership Coaching & Consulting
CDE offers leadership coaching and consulting services to individual clients who have taken part in foundational work with us.
