As a land use and environmental advocacy organization, Mountain Area Preservation (MAP) recognizes the fact that we cannot achieve our mission to preserve the Truckee-Tahoe region’s mountain character and natural environment for present and future generations without addressing issues of environmental justice, racial equality and equity in the outdoors.
Throughout history, racist land use policies have been a major driver of inequality, impacting how communities are developed, access to affordable housing, public health & safety issues, and access to the outdoors. MAP uses our platform to advocate for open space, responsible development, workforce housing and community benefits, but we have a responsibility to do more. MAP was founded in 1987 by concerned local citizens who understood the power of collective action. For thirty-three years, our work has created positive change for the environment and community. We have the ability to use our voice and strengthen our community through grass-roots, citizen-powered, land use advocacy. We remain committed to our mission and feel that now it is more important than ever to engage, listen, learn and activate so that all voices are represented in community planning and stewardship.
We pledge
- To ensure our environmentalism is always intersectional
- To increase diversity in our organizational leadership
- To amplify the underrepresented voices in our community
- To continually learn from the experts who have been doing the work of environmental, social and racial justice for decades
- To admit when we make mistakes, accept correction and strive to do better
We express our solidarity with Black, Indigenous and People of Color who are who are impacted daily by structural racism and bear more of the burden of environmental degradation and climate change. While current events may be a tipping point in the march towards justice, we recognize that this is a long-term effort, and we are committed to using our voice and collective advocacy power for environmental justice and racial equity.