Houston Parks Board’s Post

Howdy all! I'm very excited share that I've taken on the role of Executive Director of WildEarth Gaurdians! Thrilled to be joining this community of hard-charging and passionate advocates for people and the planet. I believe that Guardians stands as a beacon of hope and action in the realm of conservation. Guardians is unapologetic and uncompromising in its defense of the West’s majestic landscapes, magnificent wildlife, fragile climate, and dynamic river systems. For many years I have admired its bold systems-change approach to championing innovative environmental policies driven by grassroots engagement, and cutting-edge use of legal tools to hold decision-makers accountable. Guardians does what others say “can’t” be done, and that’s the same cloth from which I’m cut—challenging the status quo, strategically going after what the planet and people really need, and steering clear of false solutions. In other words, Guardians like to kick ass and so do I! Read more in the press release and my first blog by following the link below. #AForceForNature #ConservationLeaders #ConservationNews #environment #environmentaljustice #climateaction #conservation #antioppression #diversity #equity #inclusion

When more people ride bikes, life is better for everyone. It’s one of the League’s guiding principles, one we seek to achieve through our advocacy, our programs, and our campaigns. It’s why we’re responding to the current crisis with resources for advocates and local businesses while also forging ahead on our core work around federal advocacy and building a more bicycle-friendly America for everyone.   https://buff.ly/3V0gf1x https://buff.ly/4e0DP7e

🤲 Much like the movement we represent, Plunkett cannot do it all alone. 💪 In fact, there is demonstrable benefit when we are working with others - such as BCT, Future Economy Alliance and We're Right Here - to call for change, or seeking to influence the direction of future policy direction which impacts our sector. 💻 Read Chris Cowcher's blog about the ways we collaborate with others and the other ways we represent our members and champion the work they do. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eydC_Rpk #policychange #advocacy #charityadvocacy #collaboration  Chris Johnes

It’s National Park Advocacy Week! National parks are reaching a critical breaking point from declining budgets and staff, skyrocketing visitation, cumulating maintenance needs and worsening climate disasters. The good news: There are solutions available for lawmakers to act on right now. We're focused on four key actions this Park Advocacy Week: 1. Increase park funding by at least $250 million to help bring back thousands of park staff 2. Extend the Great American Outdoors Act to help #FixOurParks 3. Preserve our history by enacting the Cultural Resource Challenge 4. Tell the story of all Americans by supporting individual bills that expand our National Park System, including the Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act, Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act and Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act. #ParkAdvocacy #FundOurParks #ParkProtection #LobbyDay #HillDay #NationalParks #ParkAdvocate

Join us this Friday and Saturday at the Oak Park Library (just outside Chicago) for the 5th Annual Restorative Practices Conference! This year's conference has a focus on returning citizens, hearing the wisdom of our neighbors who have been incarcerated. I've been involved with this since 2019 and now I'm local so it's even more exciting. I'm a big believer in all things restorative justice (along with its sibling transformative justice). This conference and the people I've met have been a bedrock of my personal healing and community justice work. Register for free here: https://lnkd.in/g874tZUh The evolution in language to restorative practices (from restorative justice) is significant in that it's intended to be a way of being, of moving through the world, rather than simply a reactive technique to resolve conflict. In this way, we hope that we may reduce conflicts and be better equipped to face them in real time so they don't fester and escalate (eventually manifesting as war). I hope you can carve out some time to explore this critically important path with us. Stephen Jackson, LPC Rachel Zargo Susan Lucci Joshua Easter Cody Cotton Barry Koren, AIA, PhD Karen Lynn Morton Bradly Johnson MPA Andrew Hong Brighid O'Shaughnessy, LSW Joe Rice La Shawn K Ford #restorativejustice #restorativepractices #conference #Chicago #oakpark #transformativejustice #love #hope #unity #conflictresolution #circle #justiceimpacted #harwood #libraries #publiclibraries #socialimpact #mentalhealth #communityengagement

Read more about the new field coming to Lodestar! https://lnkd.in/gvV_3y9R and the players that are looking forward to playing on a home field, https://lnkd.in/gFPk4cCT

With five pillars at the center of this movement: Safety, Integrity, Growth, Progress, and Community, we aim to reclaim our right as a county to dictate our destiny. For too long, Clackamas County has outsourced critical decisions to leaders in neighboring counties that do not know, nor understand, what Clackamas County needs. https://bit.ly/4bIG7qe

If you missed the talk, below is the piece I wrote that guided the conversation today on welcoming the more-than-human world into public engagement. Check it out, and get in touch if you're interested in talking more about it!

We define the Northland as eight counties across the Minnesota Arrowhead, plus Douglas County in Wisconsin. This region is deeply interconnected in terms of economy, culture, and more: https://lnkd.in/ekK9Cs3 #northspan