How do you get youth of color interested in environmental education and conservation professions? Immerse them in outdoor adventures and pay them a meaningful wage! Gladys Ruiz, Eastside Conservation Education Coordinator with Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon, is diversifying the environmental field by enabling young urban people to learn about the natural world while gaining real-life work experiences. She heads up the 10-week TALON program (Teach-Advocate-Lead-Observe-Nurture) building participants’ self-confidence in the outdoors and introducing them to career options and job training with paid summer employment in programs including environmental education, conservation, wildlife care and stewardship.

Do You know of any other organizations or individuals making effective strides in diversifying the EE profession? if so, please share so we can highlight them as a resource...Thanks!