Rachel’s Network Member Emily Engel has been deeply involved as a volunteer with the Sierra Club in Santa Barbara for over a decade. Over that time, she has played a key role in successful campaigns to protect the region from corporate polluters. Now a board member of the Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter and leader of the Santa Barbara Group, Emily shares her inspirations and keys to success.
In April, members Tacy Hahn and Kim Milligan joined an Earthjustice-organized trip to Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”—an 85-mile corridor along the Mississippi River known for its heavy industry and high cancer rates. The trip introduced funders to the vast scale of petrochemical operations in the region and the grassroots leaders fighting for their communities. Tacy spoke with Rachel’s Network about her experience on the trip.
Diverse groups are more effective yet only 22 percent of nonprofit board members are people of color. The situation is even worse for environmental nonprofits. Members Marcia Angle, Sam Boren, and Kim Milligan have all worked to ensure their nonprofits better reflect the communities they serve. In this Q&A, they share their experiences and advice for other board members.
Several Rachel’s Network members are passionate about marine conservation and oceans funding. We asked three of them—Martha Davis, Laura Francis, and Lisa Holmes—how they got into this issue and what they’re funding.
Member Mary Bookwalter is funding a number of dam removals in her home state of Indiana both as an individual and through the Indiana Forest Alliance as a donor and volunteer. Most recently, she helped decommission the Collamer Dam on the Eel River. Mary spoke with us about how she got involved in these projects and what’s next.
