KYCC’s Environmental Services Manager Ryan Allen was featured in the Spring/Summer 2015 edition of Ca ReLeaf’s newsletter California Trees. The article, “”Leading a Legacy, Diversity in Environmental Leadership,” examined the “green ceiling,” the significant gaps for women and people of color in environmental organizations.

Increasing diversity requires a deeper understanding of minority communities and the issues they face. It is a strategy that larger organizations can take the lead from smaller agencies, such as KYCC. Allen points out that “the disconnect comes in not fully understanding how to communicate the work you are doing with the population you are trying to serve.”

He points out that KYCC works with a lot of recently immigrated families, so we are accustomed to language and culture barriers, and we hire staff who can communicate and understand their needs. “This allows us to keep our programming relevant to the communities we serve,” Allen explained, “and also keeps us connected. By letting the community tell us what they need, and then helping them to meet that need, we know the programs we run are making a positive impact on our clients.”

Read the article here.