The exploitative mindset that underlies white supremacy and continues to harm Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, is the same one driving depletion for profit, reckless drilling for fossil fuels, and irresponsible pollution of our waters. White supremacy champions dominion over nature, positions people as apart from the ecosystems we live in, divides us into groups with competing priorities, and leads to the disproportionate harm and death of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.
As we work to address our biggest environmental crises, our solutions must confront white supremacy and institutional racism. This means the policies we advocate must: work toward dismantling structural inequities, raise and act in solidarity with partners that represent communities of color in policy and decision-making, and work with those communities most impacted to find solutions that provide an alternative to an economy built on extractive and unsustainable activities.
Without these principles, we cannot achieve our mission of protecting, restoring, and sustaining Washington’s environment for all.