IATC Hosts Diversity and Inclusion Workshop
On September 25th the IATC hosted partner organizations and land management agencies for a Diversity and Inclusion Workshop at Camp Terry in Preston. Staff and volunteers from WA State Parks, King County Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, REI, Save Cougar Mountain, YWCA, YMCA, Issaquah School District, Lake Washington School District, The Downtown Issaquah Association, Wilderness Awareness, Issaquah History Museum, Northwest Avalanche Center, The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, City of Sammamish, Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park, and Friends of Issaquah Salmon Hatchery joined the IATC for a four hour workshop facilitated by The Avarna Group. Special thanks is due to the City of Issaquah for partially funding this important training, and Cypress Coffee Company for providing delicious brew and pastries!
The purpose of this workshop was to connect with our partners in the outdoor industries, education, and civic institutions to build a more socially and environmentally just community. We feel it’s our moral responsibility, and intrinsically tied to our mission, to promote diversity and equity in the Issaquah Alps. As a volunteer driven organization, we feel that everyone should have a seat at the table, and that our work should collaborate deeply with our partner organizations. Social and environmental justice issues are interconnected; we can’t do one without the other. As a collective group of PNW organizations, we endeavor to create an outdoor recreation environment that serves our diverse community. Everyone deserves to feel a sense of belonging and ownership over our natural environment and public lands.
The IATC will continue our important work on equity and inclusiveness in the outdoors with partner organizations and internally with our Board, Member Advisory Council, Volunteers, and Supporters. If you would like to volunteer to help us with this initiative, please reach out to Lindsay Frickle, Executive Director at exec@issaquahalps.org.