Achieving Justice and Equity in Natural Resource Fields
By Reagan McGuinn – Intern, Field Inclusive, Inc.
Deciding to work in the environmental field was, without a doubt, one of the best decisions I have ever made. It is such a joy and a privilege to work to protect this beautiful planet and the fascinatingly diverse plants and animals that call it home. Studying conservation biology in college was always fascinating and engaging, and my current work as an organizer at an environmental nonprofit leaves me feeling fulfilled and driven at the end of the work day. I feel that my work and education is my duty to the earth- a small way of repaying her for all that she has provided for me.
Students and professionals with historically marginalized identities, however, face a myriad of negative experiences from both within and outside the environmental field. People of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, and people that practice underrepresented religions are more often subject to workplace and hiring discrimination. Additionally, researchers, workers, and even recreators of marginalized identities are often stopped and questioned while they are working or simply trying to enjoy the outdoors.
Such are the experiences of the co-founders of Field Inclusive, Inc., Dr. Murry Burgess, an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University, and Lauren Pharr, a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University. Both Lauren and Murry have had negative experiences as black women in the outdoor field, which led them to identify the lack of social field safety education. Those of us that work outdoors often only learn physical field safety from advisors and educators- proper field attire and poison ivy identification, for example. Rarely, however, will a professor remind students to bring an ID badge or car magnet that makes their university affiliation clear. This is where Field Inclusive steps in.
As an intern for Field Inclusive, I have been fortunate enough to work with Murry and Lauren, as well as Kayla Stukes, a Ph.D. student at NC State University and Field Inclusive’s executive assistant. Our organization works in a variety of ways to support and uplift historically marginalized researchers and professionals in the natural resources field. Since I joined the Field Inclusive team in October, I have already been involved in several different programs that have profoundly resonated with me, notably our Beginning Birders Program and Field Inclusive Week 2024.
The Beginning Birders Program was the first Field Inclusive program that I was able to work on. In October, we partnered with Wake Audubon, Walnut Creek Wetland Center, and the LGBT Center of Raleigh to create an accessible and welcoming environment for people in the LGBTQ+ community to learn how to bird safely. The second annual Field Inclusive Week was held in January, and consisted of several webinars and panels that took a closer look at social field safety and supporting marginalized researchers. I moderated for our “Building Accessibility into Research Protocol” webinar, which delved into the experiences of disabled researchers in the natural resources field.
Both of these events yielded quite inspiring and motivating results. It was encouraging to see a large, diverse group of people show up excited to learn, ask questions, and share their experiences. Positive testimonials have ensured that current and future Field Inclusive endeavors will be supported by a community working hard to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students, professionals, and recreationists.
Working with Field Inclusive has been an eye-opening experience thus far, and it has confirmed my understanding that education is an integral step to achieving justice and equity in all fields, especially the natural resources field. Everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue an education and career in a field they are passionate about without being made to feel unwelcome or unsafe. I’m grateful to be part of an organization working to make that possible.