Diversity and Sustainability
BIPOC Fellowship
“This year, Sustainable Eastern Ontario launched a BIPOC fellowship program to bring in, support and encourage BIPOC leadership in the non-profit environmental sector. The fellowship has 3 goals:
To engage
To connect
To support BIPOC people in the sustainability sector through a series of workshops, events and the sharing of resources and tools.
The goal of this Fellowship is to diversify and strengthen the environmental non-profit sector in Eastern Ontario. As such, it is available to individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and who wish to transition into a leadership role in the environmental non-profit sector.
The creation of the BIPOC fellowship is an important first step in recognizing and celebrating Black, Indigenous, and other People of Colours as valued leaders in the sustainability sector with special perspectives to offer. It gives BIPOC folks an open, honest, safe and supportive access to resources and tools that they might otherwise not. The fellowship acknowledges that BIPOC folks face unique challenges that others do not in entering, developing and becoming leaders in the sector. It aims to create spaces in the form of workshops, supportive circles, and group events for BIPOC folks to share their challenges and have these addressed. Furthermore, with greater threats related to climate change, resource scarcity and population growth, it is more important than ever that we work together in cooperation with diverse and marginalized groups to create a more resilient world.”
Nasha Choudhury
Peace and Environment News BIPOC Fellowship Program Article
Fall Edition 2021
Leadership
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Leadership 〰️
Nasha Choudhury, Ked Neptune, and Julie Servant are the first set of BIPOC fellows in this program and are working together as co-chairs to pilot the program.
Jean Ked Neptune
Ked Neptune is the Deputy Director at SEO. He is originally from Haiti, and has his professional background in the environmental sector. He spent 15 years working on issues such as climate change, reforestation and vulnerability. From his experience, he believes that to improve the environmental footprint in a country, leaders need to effectively communicate with many diverse individuals externally as well as internally. It is essential for them to understand how to manage diverse individuals and possess cultural intelligence to succeed in their goals.
Nasha Choudhury
Nasha is the Program Manager at both Ottawa Biosphere Eco City (OBEC) and Biosphere Eco-Cities (BECC). Nasha has Bengali roots and is working to build her leadership in the sector. She studied International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa and since graduating, has been passionate about working in community organizing and engagement on social justice and sustainability issues. She believes working at a grassroots level is the best way to connect diverse individuals to big issues by listening and amplifying their voices.
Julie Servant
Julie is a scientist living and working in southeastern Ontario. She earned a degree in Biology from Vancouver Island University and is influenced by her Anishinaabe and French cultures. Her interest in nishnaabemshkiki has driven her to move easily between the fields of human health and ecology. Julie is the Executive Director at the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network and Runner for the Indigenous Circle for Canadian Biosphere Regions. She spends her time researching health, learning land-based skills and playing lego and Minecraft with her two children.
Youth & Diversity Collective
“This year, Sustainable Eastern Ontario launched a BIPOC program to invite, support, and encourage BIPOC leadership in the non-profit environmental sector. The Youth and Diversity Collective is dedicated to amplifying Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour youth voices by initiating conversations on sustainability and environmentalism in Ottawa.”
“Through our “Greenlight Features”, we highlight these BIPOC stories on how youth are approaching and incorporating sustainability in their everyday lives. Each participant will be provided with an honorarium for their time and energy for this program.”
-Youth & Diversity Collective, 2021
Jody C.
Jody holds an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental and Urban Sustainability and a minor in Geographic Analysis from Ryerson University. After graduation, she spent 5+ years working and volunteering at environmental nonprofits across Toronto to understand and help marginalized communities improve their quality of life through community-driven programs and projects. In her free time, she likes to go on food crawls with her friends to support local food systems and bakes a variety of pastries, cookies, muffins, and cinnamon buns.
Aminah A.
Aminah’s interest in environmental advocacy comes from a call for social justice and a desire for an equitable world. I currently work in the nonprofit sector with Greening Sacred Spaces on Unceded Algonquin Anishinabeg Territory. I believe that when diverse voices are left out it is less likely that policies or solutions will be effective or provide resources to everyone equitably and it is more likely that they will create intentional or unintentional harm. It is important to listen to and understand diverse perspectives of peoples of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and identities to wholly move towards a more sustainable world.
