Stay Open and Keep Growing

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Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Learn more about the history of environmental justice and environmental racism.
  • Continue learning about indigenous culture, forced indigenous removal/genocide, and how to be in solidarity with indigenous communities. 
  • Learn about the environmental and climate justice struggles present in your community and consider how you can take informed action.
    • For example, in Western North Carolina, climate migration is an important issue. Consider what it means to welcome migrants in your context and how your faith community might practice “climate hospitality.” 
    • Flooding is also a climate impact that affects Western North Carolina. Look for opportunities to support communities that have been affected by flooding and take part in climate resilience projects like stabilizing stream banks through live staking and other practices. 
  • Support and advocate for climate and environmental policies written/shaped by impacted communities (BIPOC and working-class communities particularly). Look to impacted community members for answers to the struggles being faced by their communities.
  • Financially support organizations working on issues related to food justice, affordable housing, immigration/refugee rights, indigenous rights, racial justice, economic justice, etc. 
  • Consider the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing as you plan your meetings and community work. If your faith community is predominantly white, consider this document on white dominant culture.
  • Preach intersectionality. Help members of your community see how these various social and ecological issues are connected and how all these issues shape our ability to “love our neighbor.” 
  • Know that this work is lifelong. We will not “arrive.” We can and should keep learning how to be better to each other (and keep unlearning our harmful ways/the systemic biases and injustices we have been steeped in). 

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Available Resources in Western North Carolina: