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Early Childhood

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Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
JEDI

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Learning

Join us in one of the many learning opportunities we host around Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

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Resources

Access our library of resources on equity and inclusion to learn more and grow on your own time.

All Hands In

Action

Join our team of members committed to supporting the JEDI initiatives at KAEE and for our community.

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LEARNING

JEDI Community of Practice (CoP)

The JEDI CoP is a learning community of individuals working to foster and support practices of racial justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity in the outdoors and environmental work. Every other month, we come together on Zoom to learn, dive into different topics of interest, hear from guest speakers, and grow as a community. This is a place to learn from and with each other, to grapple with the inequities that exist in our field, and to practice dialogue around these topics with honesty and empathy. Stay in the loop by signing up for the JEDI CoP listserv to keep the conversation going between meetings, and to receive reminders of upcoming events.

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The CoP meets bi-monthly on the third Thursday, 12 pm - 1 pm ET. There are no prerequisites for joining a session, but preregistration is required. Register for each event below to save your spot and receive the Zoom link for joining.

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To learn more about the JEDI CoP, take a look at the 2023 JEDI CoP Report.

Teo Georgiev for Fine Acts x OBI

Register for the Next Meeting

  • JEDI Community of Practice Meeting
    JEDI Community of Practice Meeting
    Thu, Oct 17
    Zoom
    Oct 17, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
    Zoom
    This is a learning community of individuals working to foster and support practices of racial justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity in the outdoors and environmental work. Bi-monthly, we come together to learn, dive deep into different topics, hear from guest speakers, and grow as a community!

October 17 Guest Speaker

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Olivia Griset (she/her)

Executive Director

Maine Environmental

Education Association

Olivia Griset (she, her) serves as the Executive Director of the Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA). MEEA is Maine's statewide network that supports educators, youth and individuals in building environmental awareness and action by centering equity and advancing systemic change. Olivia works in collaboration to innovate solutions that result in more equitable, sustainable, and healthy Maine communities. Olivia is deeply engaged in movement building at national and state level holding leadership positions at the North American Environmental Education Association and at the Maine Nature Based Education Consortium. Olivia’s experiences as a fisheries biologist, as a rural public high school life science teacher, community-based environmental educator, and family nature club organizer lend a unique perspective on environmental education movement-building. While a classroom teacher Olivia was recognized as a National Project Learning Tree Outstanding Educator, one of only 5 in the country in 2009. When not working on environmental education and equity projects you can find Olivia playing music, working in the garden, or skiing through the woods with her partner Todd and their daughters Lucy and Charlotte and puppy Cora.

2024 JEDI CoP Session Recordings

Guest Speaker:

Leandra Foreman, FoodChain

Guest Speaker:

Bruce Young, North American Association for Environmental Education

Guest Speaker:

John Pollpeter, Woodlands Nature Station at Friends of LBL

Guest Speaker:

Roberta Burnes, Kentucky Division

for Air Quality

Download the Digital Accessibility PowerPoint. Enable editing to see the alt text within the ppt.

Questions? Contact the CoP Co-Facilitators.

Roberta Burnes, roberta.burnes@ky.gov | Jackie Lomore, jlomore@sayreschool.org | Brittany Wray, brittany@kaee.org 

JEDI Book Club

Join us for our current read, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts by Crystal Wilkinson. This book may be available in your local public library. If not, ask about an interlibrary loan. Crystal Wilkinson will be the Keynote Speaker at the 2024 KAEE Conference.

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Register for the Upcoming Book Club Meeting 

  • JEDI Book Club October Meeting
    JEDI Book Club October Meeting
    Tue, Oct 29
    Zoom
    Oct 29, 2024, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
    Zoom
    This book club provides an opportunity for members to delve more deeply into topics beyond the Community of Practice (CoP) sessions.

Questions? Contact the Book Club Co-Facilitators.

Jennifer Beach, jennifer.beach@kentonlibrary.org | Perry Thomas, perry@kaee.org

eeCourse | JEDI101

This course is designed to provide a strong foundation in the language, concepts and principles of equity work. It is meant to be an introductory course and spark interest in further learning around justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. This course was developed through a partnership between the Center for Diversity and the Environment, EcoInclusive, Environmental Educators of North Carolina, Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, and Youth Outside.

This is a six-week, asynchronous course offered each spring and fall. Participants will complete coursework on their own time with required weekly submissions. Please see the syllabus for details. Learn more and register at the links below.

Image by Zach Reiner

RESOURCES

A significant part of our work at KAEE centers around cultivating collective impact and bringing people together to create a stronger and more inclusive movement. With this in mind, and looking to our fellow NAAEE Affiliate friends for best practices in information dissemination, we share here a collection of equity and inclusion resources—from articles to videos to recommended books to podcasts to experts—with our members, donors, and the wider community.

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ACTION

JEDI Action Team

KAEE wants to ensure that everyone in Kentucky, inclusive of race or ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, background, disability, economic status, or any other aspect of identity, has the opportunity to experience and lead environmental and outdoor learning in ways that are relevant to them. Just as diversity is necessary for strong natural communities, we are stronger because of our differences as humans.

Action Team Members

Jennifer Beach, Kenton Co. Public Library

Tina Brouwer, Red Oaks Forest School

Roberta Burnes, Kentucky Division for Air Quality

Ginny Delaney, Jefferson Memorial Forest

Sagan Goodpaster, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government

Meg Gravil, Eastern Kentucky University

Alice Hilton, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government

Hannah Harris, Red Oaks Forest School
Maddy Heredia, Kentucky Division of Forestry

Jeri Howell, Josephine Sculpture Park

Beverly James, Floracliff Nature Sanctuary

Rae McEntyre, Retired Kentucky Department of Education

Pattie Stivender, Bluegrass Greensource

Perry Thomas, Oldham County Conservation District
Wendy Warren, Berea College Forestry Outreach Center

Carolyn Waters, Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands

Leadership Team

Co-Chair: Jackie Gallimore, Sayre School

Co-Chair: Pony Meyer, Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

Ashley Hoffman, KAEE Executive Director

Brittany Wray, KAEE Deputy Director

Interested in joining the action team?

KAEE, as part of the NAAEE Affiliate Network, practices the lifelong learning that is required for effective diversity and inclusion work. We are refocusing our efforts toward safe, equal access to the outdoors for all. Read more about this work that centers social and environmental justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility on a national level.

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