Belonging through BIPOC Conservation
written by Yilan Shen
My first introduction to Wild Diversity was the monthly meetups of the BIPOC Conservation Program. It was the easiest and quickest way for me to get involved and see what the organization was about. I was new to Portland and any opportunity to meet new people was a plus for someone who worked remotely before the pandemic even started.
I had lived in Denver for almost 20 years. When we decided to move, we wanted a change of scenery and hoped to find a thriving community. Leaving behind friends and family, selling my beloved little urban cabin nestled in the jungle of plants, and moving with our aging cat were no easy tasks. Was I going to find the belonging that I dreamed of in this new city?
The first BIPOC Conservation meetup I went to was invigorating. Everyone seemed excited to be there; a lot of them were also there for the first time; and it was so easy to be together. So I kept going and I even signed up to be on the BIPOC Conservation Leadership Cohort to do some work for the program. The sense of belonging grew every step of the way. Learning from the facilitators at each event who shared their stories of their work as BIPOC conservation leaders, meeting others who were new to Portland, and getting to know great local organizations working in community building and conservation.
I was inspired by the belonging I felt and I also saw in others during all my Wild Diversity experiences, all the way to getting the job of fundraising manager and learning about how the BIPOC Conservation Program was a dream project of Mercy’s, the executive director and founder. They said they dreamed that Wild Diversity would become a spearhead organization for elevating BIPOC conservation leaders and emerging leaders, and working alongside existing conservation organizations to tackle the big challenges in the industry.
What I witnessed and experienced were strangers who gathered, laughed together, and recognized each other at the next meetup, then made plans to barbeque. We shared profound experiences being outside together learning about plants, playing in the dirt, and simply being together. Surely, this is how tackling big challenges begins - dreaming of belonging being the first step and then having the path to find it.
We dream of more gathering and sharing for our conservation professionals as well as our overall BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities to strengthen and elevate our voices. The belonging that Wild Diversity creates can be the norm and can be more easily accessible. What we are dreaming of this season is amplifying the sense of belonging by asking you to share your stories and dreams with us. Dream of the impact we can have if we collectively reached out and dared to ask for support for our work. Please donate today and see what we can make of BIPOC Conservation in the future.
