Picture credits at the bottom of the page

The environment and sustainability sectors, here in the UK, are starkly white. So let's celebrate and amplify those people of colour who have led environmental and sustainability work in this country and elsewhere.

David Suzuki Scientist and broadcaster, known to generations of North American children from his popular nature programmes.
Farhana Yamin A British lawyer and climate activist, Farhana Yamin has been a legal and strategy advisor in UN climate negotiations, mainly with small island developing states and other countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. We have been delighted to have Farhana Yamin speak at two She is Still Sustainble events.
Ken Saro-Wiwa Nigerian writer and activist, who campaigned against exploitation and oil pollution in the region of Nigeria where the Ogoni people live. This campaign against the Nigerian military government and Shell, in the 1990s, was responded to with force. Eventually he was executed: the then UK Prime Minister John Major, said it was “a fraudulent trial, a bad verdict, an unjust sentence. It has now been followed by judicial murder”.
Mya-Rose Craig aka BirdGirl is a young naturalist, founded of Black2Nature, and has organised nature camps for mixed groups of children from inner cities.
Nnimmo Bassey Chair of Friends of the Earth International from 2008 to 2012, and Executive Director for Friends of the Earth Nigeria (Environmental Rights Action) for two decades. He combined this with being an architect, author and poet. More recently, he established the Health of Mother Earth Foundation
Vandana Shiva Trained as a physicist, and with a PhD in the philosophy of physics, Vandana Shiva's environmental and sustainability work includes a strong ecofeminist flavour. She works largely on food, agriculture and biodiversity including pesticide use and GM, and in particular community seed banks and grassroots agricultural knowledge, through her Navdanya organisation.
Wangari Maathai A Kenyan activist, politician and government minister, Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, planting trees, conserving forests and promoting women's empowerment. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, Tragically, she died of ovarian cancer in 2011.
Winnie Byanyima Trained as an engineer specialising in energy conservation, Winnie Byanyima has also been Ugandan politician, UN Director of Gender and Development, co-founder of the Global Gender and Climate Alliance and Executive Director of Oxfam International.

Who else should be celebrated?

Making the Path by Walking

This post was first published in the June ‘20 edition of Making the Path by Walking. Scroll right down to subscribe.

Picture credits:

David Suzuki https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/David_Suzuki_speech_medium_shot.jpg
Farhana Yamin supplied by the subject.
Nnimmo Bassey https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Right_Livelihood_Award_2010-press_conference-DSC_6967.jpg
Vandana Shiva https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Vandana_Shiva%2C_environmentalist%2C_at_Rishikesh%2C_2007.jpg
Wangari Maathai https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonstateuniversity/6673976497
Winne Bynyima https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Winnie_Byanyima_2_%28cropped%29.jpg