Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today, our Nation honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who is widely regarded as one of the greatest leaders of all time.

As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King, it is critical to recognize that the inspiring messages he shared are just as relevant now as they were during the height of his leadership and civil rights activism. The inequities that Dr. King called attention to persist rampantly in today’s world. Together, we must continue to fight for change and work tirelessly toward his vision of a better future.

As Dr. King stated, “the time is always right to do what is right.”

While social justice has long been a component of LNRP’s organizational vision and values, we are being more deliberate in our intentions to ensure we are working toward outcomes that are equitable to all members of our communities.

Dr. King asserted that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

We realize that being an effective advocate for the environment must include being an effective advocate for human rights. LNRP is more committed than ever to addressing racial equity and social justice as part of our conservation work, and we embrace the opportunity before us to become a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization.

Dr. King often spoke of a “Beloved Community,” a global vision in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth.

Cultivating community is central to LNRP’s mission. Our job is to ensure that everyone has a voice in the communities we serve and that, as we build stewardship, we elevate projects and programs that will specifically benefit those who are most in need and often marginalized. We must work not only for the environment, but for environmental justice, and ensure our values and actions reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is designated as a national day of service, calling on people across the nation to take “a day on, not a day off” to improve their communities.

As a service organization, we are examining the ways in which systemic racism and our own unconscious bias can prevent us from effectively accomplishing our mission and serving our communities. Moving forward, we will use this day as an opportunity to assess progress on our annual action plan to advance equity in our organization and reflect on ways to better serve all. In 2021, in partnership with our Board of Directors, our Partner Groups, and other stakeholders, we will be advancing specific commitments to ensure we are successful in our efforts.

Listening, learning, and collaborating are essential as we embark on this journey to improve our organization. As a proud partner with so many unique community conservation groups, we have always proudly celebrated such opportunities for collaboration – and we do so again now. Please email Kendra Kelling, our Director of Programming, with your thoughts on how we can better serve our community, opportunities for collaboration, or resources to share.

Thank you for joining our LNRP Team on this important journey and in our critical conservation work!