Meet our new community organizing team!
Karina, Alejandro, Brandon & Selina
Rebecca Adams
Graphics & Web Development
Gil Aguilar
Community Organizer
Cathy Booler
Data & Digital Systems Manager
Coralie Charland
Development Associate
Erin Edwards
Volunteer Coordinator
Lucero González Ruiz
Biodiversity Campaigner
Edna Jack
Operations Coordinator
Allison Murray
Communications Associate
Mitchell O’Brien
Clean Marine BC Assistant
Cheryl Onciul
Director of Development
Andrew Radzik
Energy Campaigner
Dana Taylor
Community Organizer
Christianne Wilhelmson
Executive Director
Michelle Young
Director of Finance/Clean Marine BC Coordinator
The GSA Team’s commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Georgia Strait Alliance acknowledges that we live and work on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples. We respect and honour the people of all territories, and acknowledge that this land was never surrendered, relinquished, or handed over in any way. We also acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and present, and their ongoing and intergenerational impact on Indigenous communities and individuals, acknowledging that the last residential school closed in 1997. We are committed to reconciliation and collaboration, and to working with Indigenous Nations in ways they decide that we can best support them.
Georgia Strait Alliance is committed to embedding its work in principles of equity, diversity, anti-racism and decolonization, and ensuring that how we meet our mission is inclusive of all communities and people who live in this region. To achieve our mission of protecting the Salish Sea, its adjoining waters and promoting the sustainability of communities, GSA is focused on integrating and elevating social justice into all of the marine conservation initiatives that we undertake as we strive to care for these waters in harmony and balance with the original stewards of the land. This is because we cannot achieve a healthy marine ecosystem in this region if we do not ensure every community has the ability to be part of identifying and implementing the solutions.
We are learning to authentically listen to and engage with communities within this region that are disproportionately affected by climate change, pollution and other negative impacts on the environment, especially marginalized and racialized communities.
As an organization, GSA is committed to the journey of undoing the deep and ongoing harms perpetuated by racism and colonialism in both the environmental sector and within this organization. Members of our team are at different places in their learning journey around these issues, and are working every day towards a shared goal of dismantling white supremacy structures within the organization through learning and unlearning, through different ways of working and understanding, and through recognizing our responsibilities to challenge and address harmful patterns in our work in order to transform into a more just, equitable and welcoming organization.
We are committed to this ongoing process and acknowledge the depth of learning we still have to do, and that we have and will continue to make mistakes. Our commitment is to learn from our mistakes, address harm and make amends, and grow. In that light, we will review and update this statement on a regular basis and share our journey and the changes we are making with all of you. We welcome your feedback.
Signed,
The GSA Team
