Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Why is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) important for our district?
We serve one of the most demographically diverse and culturally rich regions in Oregon.
- Our district spans from the midline of the Willamette River through central Portland and Gresham, reaching out to the Mt. Hood National Forest. It is one of the most densely populated and demographically diverse communities of any conservation district in Oregon.
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In 2020, our Board of Directors adopted an equity statement acknowledging Oregon’s legacy of discrimination and the need to support Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. We continue to stand by this statement and remain committed to meaningful, lasting change.
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These communities often face disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards — such as polluted air and water, degraded soils, flooding, wildfires, and climate change. Often, they lack access to the benefits of public investments in our land and water.
A History We Must Acknowledge
Oregon’s history includes exclusionary laws that barred Black Americans and immigrant communities from living in the state or owning land.
Our District lies on unceded Indigenous land, situated between two of the region’s most significant cultural and trading centers — Willamette Falls and Celilo Falls — and bordered by the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. Since time immemorial, these places have been, and continue to be, sacred and vital to the Indigenous Tribes and communities of the region.
The mission of our District is to help people care for land and water. This mission inherently calls us to honor and uplift the original stewards of this land — Indigenous peoples who were forcibly removed from their homelands and whose deep knowledge and relationships with the land are essential to healing and restoring natural systems. Reconnecting land and first foods to their original caretakers is not just restorative work — it is justice.
We recognize that Oregon’s statehood is rooted in policies of exclusion, including laws that barred Black Americans and immigrant communities from living in the state or owning land. Conservation districts were formed in the 1930s to support landowners in response to Dust Bowl-era degradation — but this structure largely served white landowners, while others were systemically excluded from land access and the services tied to it.
Today, over half of the residents in our District do not own land. At EMSWCD, we acknowledge this complex history and remain committed to serving all members of our community through inclusive programs that honor cultural knowledge, promote access, and ensure everyone feels welcome, valued, and respected.
Still today, more than half of our district’s residents do not own land. At EMSWCD, we recognize Oregon’s legacy and are committed to serving all members of our community by offering inclusive programs and services where everyone feels welcome, valued, and respected.
Regional Demographics
Characteristics of the population in our district continue to trend to more urbanization and a greater diversity of people and communities.
| 2020 Census Data for EMSWCD | Outside Urban Growth Boundary | Inside Urban Growth Boundary | Total |
| Black or African American | 101 | 39,591 | 39,692 |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific | 26 | 4,891 | 4,917 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 690 | 91,961 | 92,651 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 59 | 4,395 | 4,454 |
| Some other race | 31 | 3,794 | 3,825 |
| White | 8,394 | 415,552 | 423,946 |
| Asian | 286 | 50,892 | 51,178 |
| Two or more races | 658 | 44,194 | 44,852 |
| Total Population | 10,245 | 655,270 | 665,515 |
| Total Acres | 31,761 | 97,738 | 229,500 |
In December 2020, the EMSWCD Board of Directors adopted an Equity Statement detailing our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how this informs our work.
Equity Statement
EMSWCD Equity Statement
(Adopted by EMSWCD Board of Directors in 2020)
At the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) we understand that conservation and social justice are interconnected and that we have much to learn about the history and implications of this relationship. We cannot authentically and effectively advance our mission of helping people care for land and water without also caring for people. Everyone deserves a healthy environment and should have a voice in shaping what that means for their community. Throughout American history, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) have been forcibly removed from and denied access to land. They have experienced significantly greater impacts from contaminated water and soil, polluted air, flooding, fire, and the increasing effects of climate change. Until everyone has equitable access to a safe and healthy environment, dismantling racism must be central to our work.
At EMSWCD, we know it is our responsibility to make the organization and our work more equitable. By investing in efforts that foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, we endeavor to create more effective and enduring conservation benefits for all.
Equity Commitments
If we are not actively fighting racism, we are perpetuating it with our silence and inaction.
We must be anti-racist. EMSWCD commits to:
- Incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into all aspects of our
- Developing and maintaining an inclusive working environment where everyone feels welcome and respected, and where staff and Board reflect the diverse communities we serve.
- Engaging and building meaningful relationships with historically marginalized stakeholders and diverse local communities.
- Working with communities to evaluate the full range of impacts and benefits of our programs and adjust accordingly.
- Continuing to learn and apply equity tools, knowledge, and community feedback with intention and humility.
- Providing bold equity leadership within the local, regional, and state conservation
- Listening, learning, and speaking out against injustice when we encounter it in our
- Within our work, acknowledging where we have privilege and using it to amplify the voices of BIPOC and other marginalized communities.
- When exercising our authority as a conservation district, identifying and working to dismantle programs, policies, and approaches that have, or may have, a disproportionate negative impact on historically disadvantaged communities.
- Admitting our mistakes, seeking to repair the damage, and moving
We have a long journey ahead of us in order to meet these commitments, but we are dedicated to pursuing this work with urgency and perseverance. We vow to hold ourselves accountable and welcome our communities to do the same.
Equity Plan
Our Five-Year Equity Action Plan
Following the adoption of the Board’s Equity Statement, an internal team developed our equity action plan with the following goals:
- Meaningfully and authentically engage Black, Indigenous and people of color, and other marginalized groups.
- Recruit, train, retain and support a diverse staff and Board.
- Provide equitable programs and services.
- Allocate resources in a way that advances racial equity.
Our Equity Team
First established in 2015, this internal staff team:
- Helps elevate EMSWCD’s awareness, understanding, sensitivity, and responses to the equity concerns of our constituents.
- Advocates for and promotes access, inclusion, and equity within the organization.
- Encourages staff’s equity literacy through educational programs and skill-building.
- Identifies key issues and suggests appropriate changes to EMSWCD’s operations and policies.
- Holds EMSWCD accountable to our equity commitments.
Members from each program serve one- to three-year terms on our Equity Team.
Organizational Values
We are deeply committed to understanding the current and historical inequities in the environmental movement and society at large. We use our work to help reverse patterns of racial, economic and environmental injustice. We strive for a diverse and welcoming work environment where we continue to learn and grow and use our unique position to combat privilege and oppression.
Everyone deserves a safe and healthy environment. Clean water and air, healthy soils, a stable climate, and rich biodiversity are the foundation of healthy communities. A thriving natural world is important to support the well-being of current and future generations. We model good stewardship and support others to do the same.
We are proud of the services we provide to the community. We are honored to be stewards of public resources, and we earn that trust through accountability. We do our work openly, honestly, and in a way that allows for discussion as well as our individual and collective growth.
We work better when we work together. We prioritize authentic relationships based in trust and care for individuals. We know that trusting makes us vulnerable, and it is our strength. We are all on the same team with the same goals, and we help each other succeed.
Everyone, at every level of the organization, is treated with equal consideration and kindness. We value each individual and respect their unique perspective by listening and communicating clearly and honestly. We trust that our colleagues and partners come with good intentions.
Our workplace is a safe place where we encourage creativity and new approaches. This means being open to new ideas, admitting when we don’t know something and being willing to learn from others. We view mistakes as opportunities for growth and welcome differences of opinion.
