Conservationists of Color: Flourishing into what we always imagined

Two weeks ago, we gathered at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington to host our annual Conservationists of Color event—an event NVCT has hosted the last 4 years.  

Did you know this event used to have a different name? Before becoming Conservationists of Color, it was the Aldo Leopold Read-a-Thon. Participants would gather to read excerpts from A Sand County Almanac. This popular event brought together inspired conservationists who wanted to honor a powerful conservation legacy. 

So why change it? Although the event was successful and drew great turnout, we knew it was important to reach a different audience. Part of our mission is to make conservation accessible to all and to empower action in everyone. Much of our work naturally connects with one main demographic: people who own land. But, Northern Virginia is not made up of just one group of people—and as we all know, our lands and waters are connected. 

As we reflected on what public events could better connect all of Northern Virginia to our work - and to conservation more broadly - we realized the open mike reading event made perfect sense. An event that once highlighted one of the most impactful figures in conservation could now also uplift others whose contributions have too often been overlooked. 

It’s no surprise that many of the conservationists featured in our event may not be the first people who come to mind when you think of “environmental work” or even science. Names like Gregor Mendel, Aldo Leopold, Jane Goodall, and Theodore Roosevelt - all important figures - and certainly diverse in their own ways. But what about the many conservationists whose accomplishments were pushed into the background because of the color of their skin or their background? For many young conservationists of color entering this field, representation matters. Seeing yourself reflected in this work matters. 

The reimagined event wasn’t initially as big as the original Aldo Leopold Read-a-Thon. It was new, and NVCT had to learn how to reach the people who would appreciate and champion it. We provided the stage, hoping the voices would come to be heard and lead to deeper engagement in our work. Some years we battled bad weather. Other years, the Washington Commanders had a critical playoff game at the exact time we had scheduled the event. After reassessing our timing and truly working to build more meaningful partnerships, Conservationists of Color has finally begun to take shape into the event we had always envisioned. 

NVCT provides reading materials in the form of poems or passages written by those devoted to nature, reflecting on the challenges they faced in their careers and the stories of how nature uplifted them. Readers can sign up to share one of these provided selections or bring a piece of their own that is meaningful to them. This year, the stories, poems, and memories were brought to the microphone by our guests. It was our biggest crowd yet—and an incredible range of stories. From children’s stories about youthful connections to nature, to interpretive Indigenous storytelling about the greatest ball game ever played, and how bats got their wings. Like most of our events, we aim to set the stage and host, but allow our volunteers and attendees to be the stars. This recent open mic event proved that there are many conservation stars in Northern Virginia just waiting to shine and looking to get more involved.  

As time goes on, we’ve realized that this event—centered on diversity and protecting nature—holds even deeper meaning. It creates space for joy, celebration, and laughter. It gives attendees hope that change can happen in our communities and in our world. Sticking with this event wasn’t about refusing to accept failure. It was about staying rooted in our beliefs and our mission: conservation for all.