Equitable & Inclusive NatureBridge
Why Does Equity, Inclusion & Diversity (EI&D) Matter? #
At NatureBridge, we connect young people to the wonder and science of the natural world, igniting self-discovery and inspiring stewardship of our planet. In order to fulfill this mission, we must intentionally engage in equity, inclusion and diversity (EI&D) efforts in all aspects of our work, this includes our programs, curriculum, organizational practices and organizational culture. We believe all people who engage with NatureBridge (including students, teachers, chaperones, staff, board members and volunteers) deserve to feel welcomed, cared for and connected to each other and nature. We also believe all young people should have access to nature and NatureBridge can help to facilitate that connection.
Specifically we:
- Facilitate care and connection among participants.
- Facilitate care and connection to nature.
- Facilitate care and connection across staff and board.
NatureBridge has an opportunity to build an organization where participants, staff and board members feel seen, connected, celebrated and compassionate toward one another. We can do this through equitable organizational policies that foster a culture that prioritizes connecting and caring for one another.
Gender Inclusion Practices #
At NatureBridge, we connect young people to the wonder and science of the natural world, igniting self discovery and inspiring stewardship of our planet. We strive to be a place where everyone belongs and experiences empathy for each other and the world around us. We work to welcome and meet the needs of all of our participants and staff. NatureBridge has adopted gender inclusion practices to affirm and provide a welcoming space for our gender expansive participants and employees. We invite and encourage all visiting groups to join us in these practices.
Miho Aida
What I deeply care about the most in this world is summarized in five E's: environment, education, empathy, equity and empowerment. Since 2000 when I started my career as an environmental educator at NatureBridge, my life has been dedicated to increasing the visibility and access of those from marginalized communities to our parks, environmental education and its workforce.
My role as the Director of Equity & Inclusion is to listen to our staff, collectively review and process the external audit report and plan a path forward; onboard all NatureBridge staff by creating trainings and systems; steward the EI&D Core team, support CEO and the board to actualize EI&D goals; and improve our communication with all staff on our progress with regard to Equity, Inclusion & Diversity work.
—Miho Aida, Director of Equity & Inclusion
Stories from the Field
Staff Spotlight: Audrey Galo Championing Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity at NatureBridge
Meet Audrey Galo, NatureBridge’s new Equity and Inclusion Director. Audrey (she/her) lives in Vallejo, CA, and embodies a rich cultural heritage as a result of growing up in Chicago with Central American roots.
A Journey Towards a More Equitable Organization
Miho Aida, a long-time educator at our Golden Gate campus, was recently named NatureBridge's new Director of Equity, Inclusion & Diversity. We sat down with Miho to talk about equity, inclusion and diversity work at NatureBridge and learned how Miho's past is indelibly connected to EI&D work.
“It’s the kids, stupid!”
Now a highly valued and respected Board Emeritus, Linda Brownstein helped NatureBridge weather some of the organization’s most difficult crises through the years. She turned significant vision into reality and created the space for new policy ideation and strategic planning. “It changed how I live my daily life — supporting other environmental causes, recycling, composting, organic farming…some of the most impactful things I've done have really been from NatureBridge.”