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Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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The Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA) is a community-based organization that partners with the Forest Service and other local organizations to protect and preserve the Indian Peaks and James Peak wilderness areas.

 

We are committed to fostering a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization and community. Our wilderness areas and public lands are a shared resource that should be accessible to all of us. A core part of our mission is to motivate and empower others to become stewards of our natural resources for the benefit of future generations. In the same way that an ecosystem is healthier and more sustainable when it supports biodiversity, our organization is enriched by diversity as well, which brings a wealth of experiences, skills, and shared commitment to caring for our wilderness. 

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As an organization, we are committed to:

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• Honor the original stewards of this land (see our Native Land Acknowledgement).

• Act with integrity and respect towards all people no matter their race, ethnicity, color, religion or creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, veteran or military status, political service or affiliation, or disability.

• Reduce barriers to the outdoors and provide a welcoming and safe environment for all.

• Foster programs and partnerships that support outdoor stewardship among underrepresented groups and in urban locations.

• Support diversity in our board leadership, and promote equity and inclusion in our programs with thoughtful recruitment and training strategies.

• Continue to evolve and grow as individuals and as an organization.

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What we've done so far:​

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In the past few years, we have expanded and diversified our volunteer base along the lines of age, gender, and ethnicity. We modernized our social media, email marketing, and website to increase our outreach to the community. We have made a commitment to keep our volunteer dues affordable, provide scholarships to those in need, and support student research grants. We developed partnerships such as the Teach the Teachers Program with the University of Northern Colorado's Center for Urban Studies, providing wilderness programs for students of color studying to become teachers. Recently, we were proud to be sponsored by the Eldora Play Forever Matching Fund in a joint fundraising campaign with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). 

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