Queta González is a beloved leader, facilitator, adventurer, trainer, and coach who is helping to create a more just, equitable, and inclusive movement. As the Director at the Center for Diversity, she has worked tirelessly to transform the field of environmental education (EE) and is committed to social, environmental, and economic justice for all. Queta is the perfect recipient for the 2019 Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Award. She embodies the “quiet strength” that Rosa Parks was known for and the courage and advocacy that Grace Lee Boggs modeled throughout her life. 

Queta has conducted workshops across the country focused on equity and inclusion. She helped co-facilitate NAAEE's Diversity Summit in June 2018 and has been a partner with NAAEE on ee360. Queta is a stellar facilitator. She knows how to inspire and motivate her audiences, but also help them see how they can transform their work in ways that are meaningful and that address equity and inclusion, even when it means that the work is difficult. She is not afraid to dig into tough issues and helps participants truly explore the racism that exists in society to help people figure out how we can create a better future.

She is also thoughtful in helping bring others along, as individuals and as leaders in a movement. In the past three years, she has conducted dozens of workshops with NAAEE Affiliate leaders and other NGOs, modeling how this work can be done with grace and courage, and also helping all learners become comfortable being uncomfortable. She is a role model for so many of us in this field. We are grateful for the work she has done and for her powerful leadership.

Queta has been influential in transforming the entire environmental movement. Nearly 400 alumni representing 250 organizations have graduated from the trainings held by the Center for Diversity and the Environment. Of all the wonderful qualities that Queta possesses, the one that has had the most impact in our field is her ability to build bridges and bring people together to address difficult issues and move forward.