Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Belonging

We have built the Woonasquatucket Greenway in collaboration with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents within our Woonasquatucket communities who want what everyone has the fundamental rights to: safe green spaces, accessible transportation routes, fresh air, and clean water. Decades into our work, we continue to improve our corner of the smallest state. We can never be complacent about defending safe places to enjoy nature, find peace and breathe.

We prioritize BIPOC voices and experiences. As a largely white-led organization, we know that it is our work to dismantle racism to achieve justice for all communities. We reaffirm our commitment to becoming an equitable organization, standing strong for racial justice, and acting to secure and maintain robust BIPOC representation in our leadership and staff. We must continue to listen, learn, and act. We know we have a lot of work to do.

We are grateful to the BIPOC community leaders from our Community Programs for sharing their experiences and their commitment to transformative environmental change in Providence and beyond. We continue to support community members to advocate for environmental justice, and we learn from them how we can grow and change to become more open, accepting, and inclusive in our work. We believe that our nation is at a turning point, led by the next generation that understands that we all need to breathe freely.

All of us at the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council recognize the injustices that disadvantage communities of color. We are committed to be at the table to end racial injustices and disparities. We will continue to listen, collaborate, and share our strength to achieve equity.