Parker McMullen Bushman
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VISIONING FOR EFFECTIVE ALLYSHIP
An ally is a person who stands up for others to proactively build inclusion in our communities, schools and workplaces. Allyship is a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people. Not self-defined—work and efforts must be recognized by those you are seeking to ally with. This keynote outlines some critical ways we can all be stronger allies through practical and actionable steps.
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INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP: BUILDING CULTURALLY COMPETENT ORGANIZATIONS AND EFFECTIVELY LEADING DIVERSE TEAMS
To be a successful organization in today’s diverse and changing environment, we need inclusive leaders who are energizing and motivating. Studies indicate that an organization that embraces and values inclusion as an integral part of its goals can have a positive impact on individual productivity, organizational effectiveness and sustained competitiveness. Inclusive leaders have the ability to create a workplace environment where each employee feels authentically valued, respected, and engaged in achieving the organizational mission and vision. This keynote will discuss how unconscious bias can influence systems and institutions and what cultural competence looks like at the organizational level.
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HOW DID WE GET HERE? THE QUEST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE
We can see a legacy of racism in the environmental disparities that current plague our nation and history tells a clear story about where we’ve landed today. Effects of past institutions have left racial and ethnic groups in disadvantaged social positions, and often times present institutions sustain the disadvantage of members of the racial groups unknowingly without immediate racist or discriminatory intent. This session will include a lecture on, and discussion of, the connections between socio-cultural inequity and environmental issues and a brief history of the EJ movement
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WHY DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS VITAL TO CONSERVATION GOALS
Why Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice? Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice have become buzzwords that have been placed strategically in organizational mandates, inspired the formation of DEIJ committees, and/or simply sparked critical dialogue around organizational culture. But do we know what these words really mean and how do we put this work into action in the environmental field. In this session participants will learn about the history of inclusion in public lands, how we incorporate DEIJ principles into our work and the importance of creating welcoming spaces so that all people may become environmental stewards who will advocate for and protect our most precious public resources – our land, water, trees, open spaces and wildlife.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE AND NATURE EDUCATION: THE IMPORTANT LINK THAT WILL SAVE THE WORLD
Children from very young ages internalize messages about power and privilege with regard to gender, race/ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation, which they perpetuate through their play and talk. The link between Social justice and Nature Education offers a much-needed vision for environmental education in the face of the challenges weighing on our nation and confronting the planet. Join Parker McMullen Bushman as she talks about the links between the social and environmental justice movements and education outdoors.
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GROWING RESILIENCE IN A CLIMATE CHALLENGED FUTURE
While traditional understandings of environmental education include studying ecology and other natural topics, environmental justice education fosters a critical understanding of the environment within the context of human political and social actions. Many marginalized communities experiencing environmental injustices are also those most vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis. Environmental educators have a unique opportunity to empower communities living within impacted areas to take a stand for justice with the tools necessary to make change. Environmental educators can also educate those outside of impacted areas to stand up for global environmental justice. During this training we will discuss the connections between socio-cultural inequities, environmental issues and the power of EE to make change.
See Parker McMullen Bushman in action.
Black Environmentalist, Social Justice Activist, Outdoor Enthusiast, and Social Media Diva KWEEN WERK
Meet Parker McMullen Bushman, CEO and Founder of Ecoinclusive Strategies, Co-founder of Inclusive Guide, and Social Media Diva KWEEN WERK. Listed by Outside Magazine as one of the the 20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry. Parker is a dynamic speaker that engages organizations in new thinking around what it means to be a diversity change-agent and create dynamic organizational change. Parker’s background in the non-profit leadership, conservation, environmental education and outdoor recreation fields spans over 24+ years. Parker has a passion for equity and inclusion in outdoor spaces. Her interest in justice, accessibility, and equity issues developed from her personal experiences facing the unequal representation of people of color in environmental organizations and green spaces.
Parker tackles these complex issues by addressing them through head on activism and education. Parker brings a unique background to this work having served in top leadership for Marine Science, Natural Resources, Environmental Educational, and Cultural Interpretive Facilities. Parker has served as the Vice President for Community Engagement, Education and Inclusion at Butterfly Pavilion, an Invertebrate Zoo located in Westminster, CO. She was the Director of Extension for the City and County of Denver. She also served as the Director of Education for the Marine Science Consortium, a research and education center located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Parker has a Master of Natural Resources from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, with a focus in Interpretation and Environmental Education. She leads several committees that focus on diversity in environmental fields as well as a presenter and trainer on diversity issues. She sits on the board of Environmental Learning for Kids, Metro Denver Nature Alliance, and The Next 100 Coalition.
Our speakers get attention.
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Parker McMullen Bushman’s Stories, Lessons & InsightsWe recently had the chance to connect with Parker McMullen Bushman and have shared our conversation below.
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Inclusive Guide App Draws In Community Guidance on Safe BusinessesMove over, Yelp. Traditional versions of customer review apps are being upended by companies who believe they can better serve the needs of a diverse customer base. For folks who…
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Kween Werk Tackles Injustice on TikTok—And IRLSocial media diva Parker McMullen Bushman, aka Kween Werk, spreads messages of social justice using her popular TikTok personality.
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ENVIRONMENTAL K.W.E.E.N.CHALLENGING THE CONVENTIONAL CONCEPTIONS OF AN ENVIRONMENTALIST ONE NARRATIVE AT A TIME.
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The 20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor IndustryThese innovative and inspirational leaders are changing business in the outdoors for the better.
