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The Nature Gap: Confronting Racial and Economic Disparities in America – Sierra Nevada Alliance Monthly Webinar
August 7, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Sierra Nevada Alliance is pleased to have Vanessa Muñoz, Conservation Program Manager with the Hispanic Access Foundation, presenting during our August webinar. Vanessa will discuss the lack of diversity in the outdoors and the impacts of the climate crisis on communities of color.
What is the Nature Gap? Nature is supposed to be a “great equalizer” whose services are free, universal, and accessible to all humans without discrimination. In reality, American society distributes nature’s benefits—and the effects of its destruction and decline—unequally by race, income, and age. The United States has fewer forests, streams, wetlands, and other natural places near where Black, Latino, and Asian American people live. Notably, families with children—especially families of color with children—have less access to nature nearby than the rest of the country. In other words, these communities are nature deprived. These disparities are particularly concerning because nature is not an amenity but a necessity for everyone’s health and well-being.”
Learn more about the Nature Gap here.
About Vanessa:
Vanessa Muñoz is the Conservation Program Manager at Hispanic Access Foundation. Much like her organization, she believes in cultivating a society with equitable access to nature and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities. She recognizes the inherent connection that exists between communities and their natural surroundings. Vanessa also believes in empowering individuals to address environmental injustice. During her free time, she likes hiking, bird watching, and reading.