voornaam --
I’m writing to let you know that after 11 years of leading this remarkable organization, I am resigning as Executive Director of the Sierra Club. My last day will be December 31st.
Looking back, I knew I wanted to be an environmental activist as early as 13, when my family took a classic American road trip to see the great National Parks in the West. Previously, I'd never been west of the Mississippi, seen the desert or a mountain taller than a few thousand feet. That adventure changed my life, and it sparked my relationship with loving and protecting our planet. My work and activism since then has taught me that it takes more than just loving the outdoors to create change -- it takes commitment to the cause, community organizing, and meaningful policy change as well.
Back home on the New Jersey Shore, I began seeing what the real power of people could do. My neighbors and my family were furious when our beaches closed because toxic chemicals and hospital waste were polluting the water and endangering our health. I remember when my cousin Peter told me about the protest he just joined to stop ocean pollution. This one fight in New Jersey, with nearly a dozen different organizations, reflected the best of grassroots organizing: Neighbors organizing neighbors, working together, advocating for policy solutions, and winning. I didn't know it at the time, but a seed was planted. Seeing up close how people can work together to make positive change is empowering and exciting.
It has been an honor and privilege to lead the Sierra Club over the past decade -- one of the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organizations in the United States. We've been around for 129 years; we have millions of members, donors and active supporters who are involved in every state, in every congressional district, in every city, in just about every county in the country. Our work -- and the connections we have built far and wide with each other -- have saved and improved the lives of millions.
I'm leaving the organization in good hands. We're in a fight for the health of our communities and the future of our planet, and we need bold leadership, courage, and a new vision for this next chapter of our work. I’m excited to announce that Dan Chu will be the Sierra Club Acting Executive Director and Eva Hernandez-Simmons will take on a new role as Sierra Club Managing Director. Both Eva and Dan are longtime Sierra Club leaders with a vision to center organizing, equity, and justice in all of our work and will be working closely with our Board of Directors. They will all be instrumental in building the next chapter of the Sierra Club. |
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